Trip · 3-day camping trip
For · Friends and new campers
Vibe · Relaxing and chill
Reservations · Yes, book a site at North Beach Campground
Drive · 3.5 hours from LA
Ideal dates · May to September
Pets · Welcome at camp, the beach and trails, but not in Pismo Dune Preserve and Oso Flaco Lake
Pismo State Beach (PSB) neighbors Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area (SVRA), the only drivable beach in the country, but that's ending by 2024. The sand dunes will stay though, which is one of Pismo's many natural gems. Another is that from November to February, one of the largest Western Monarch Butterfly populations flock to Pismo SB's Monarch Butterfly Grove. This park is butterfly and Bewilder approved.
Main image credit: N/A
Each campsite comes with a:
Pismo State Beach has two campgrounds: North Beach and Oceano. They both have showers (token-operated), restrooms, drinking water, and firewood available on site, but North Beach is closer to the beach whereas Oceano is about a quarter-mile walk to the ocean. At North Beach., you're only a mile away from downtown Pismo, and if you visit between November to February you'll likely see Western Monarch Butterflies migrating to Pismo SB's Monarch Butterfly Grove.
Check-in: After 2 PM · Check-out: Before noon
Nightly Rate: $25
Pismo SB became a state park in 1934, and its sand dunes attracted mystics, artists, and philosophers called The Dunites. For real.
For more than 10,000 years, the Northern Chumash people lived along the coast and Pismo's sand dunes
The name Pismo comes from the Chumash language word for tar, or pismu, which was gathered from tar springs near Pismo Beach
This was GCI's first rocker and it remains their most popular. It's easy to open and close, and comes with a handle to carry around.
Shared Gear
A dreamy, colorful sweater to sport around camp and on chillier day hikes.
Clothes
Light as a feather and versatile enough to use for running, camping, and other nighttime activities.
Essential Items
Imagine a sleeping pad, bag, and blanket all in one. It takes some getting used to, but people love it.
Essential Items
It's not the lightest cot available, but it's comfortable, easy to set up, and break down.
Essential Items
Sturdy, reliable, well-designed, and more expensive than most camp chairs, but it'll last for awhile.
Shared Gear
They're expensive, but you can lean on these bad boys for river crossings and navigating all kinds of terrain.
Essential Items
This mineral-based sunscreen is good for the envrionment and your skin. It's water resistant too.
Personal Stuff
When a campground is short of sinks, bring your own. Clean your dirty dishes in this expandable bin.
Kitchen
This backpacking stove weighs a couple of ounces and has a built-in igniter. It stands out in windy weather.
Kitchen
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.