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Pismo
Beach/Shell Beach
The native Chumash, who lived here as far back as 9,000 years ago, named
Pismo Beach for the abundance of pismu, or tar, found in the sand. In
the 1900s, with saloons, brothels, and a dance hall established the town
had become a tourist getaway for wild times, and that reputa-
tion was furthered during the Depression when Pismo Beach became a well-known
source for illicit booze. Currently, it's merely a time-warp shrine to
days when California beach towns were unpretentious places meant for just
goofing off. Surfers roam the sands year-round, drawn by the timeless
song of that siren, the perfect wave—and upscale weekenders
come to let it all hang out (even though the new beachfront resorts are
the height of luxury).
Here is where you'll find the acclaimed Pismo clam, which reached near-extinction
in the mid-1980s due to overzealous harvesting. If you'd like to get your
feet wet digging for bivalves, you'll need to obtain a license and follow
strict guidelines. Or come for the annual CLAM FESTIVAL. Held at the pier
each October since 1946, the weekend celebration features a chowder cook-off,
sand-sculpture contest. Miss Pismo Beach pageant, and competitive clam
dig. For more information on this and other local attractions and events,
visit the PISMO BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (581 Dolliver St; 805/773-4382
or 800/443-7778; www. classiccalifornia.com or www.pismochamber.com).
If you're around between October and March, don't miss the MONARCH BUTTERFLY
preserve on Pacific Coast Highway in nearby Grover Beach. The brilliantly
colored monarchs nest in a grove of eucalyptus and Monterey pine where
an information board tells you about their unique habits During cold weather
(below 40T), they remain densely clustered on tree branches, but on warm
days you'll see their stately orange-and-black wings fluttering throughout
the area as they search for flower nectar. Near Pismo Beach—and
claimed by Oceano, Grover Beach, and even inland Nipomo—lies a stretch
of extraordinary SAND DUNES Walk along the shifting sands at Pismo State
Beach, or, alternatively visit the CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST livery stable
in Oceano; they'll outfit you with a horse to match your riding ability
and send you (alone or with a guide) along their private trail to the
dunes, where you can gallop along the surf's edge or just mosey around.
The Pismo dunes are also the only place in California where it's legal
to drive on the beach—in the specially designated OCEANO DUNES STATE
VEHICULAR RECREATION AREA (805/473-7230), accessed via a
ramp from Pier Avenue in Oceano. A 572-mile "sand highway" at
the ocean's edge parallels the mountainous dunes; you can take the family
car onto the sand, but the dunes are off-limits to all but 4WDs and ATVs.
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