Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

Has anyone been to Pismo Beach area? I will fly into San Luis Obispo on Sunday and will have an afternoon to kill and I think the beach is fairly close. Wondering about finding places to park, any bird areas etc.
Thanks Beth

Iron Sight Loc: Utah

Sand Pipers on the beach!!!
If you have time proceed to Morro Bay marina area for Sea Otters, Sea Gulls & Pelicans.
Cayucos if the tide is right miles of accessible beach.
San Simeon for Elephant seals.

tomad Loc: North Carolina

The coastline in that area can make for some nice landscapes as well with gorgeous sunsets.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

It's a little late for the Monarch Butterfly season but I'd check it out anyway.

https://www.experiencepismobeach.com/beach-and-outdoors/monarch-butterflies/

It's not summer yet, so there should be plenty of parking in that area.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Quite a coincidence. I was talking to a friend yesterday, and she said that when she lived in CA, she had a nice place in Pismo Beach.

riderz49

Forget Pismo and follow Iron Sight’s advice.
I spend a lot of time in Morro Bay.

jonsommer Loc: Usually, somewhere on the U.S. west coast.

Pismo is one of my favorite places along the Central California coast. There’s a ‘downtown’ area that’s about 2 blocks long and about 2 blocks wide usually inhabited by wondering tourists and some locals. There’s a pier to walk to, actually connected to the west end of ‘downtown’, about a mile or so north of ‘downtown’ but still in the residential area, is a little island, maybe an acre in size maybe 50 yards off shore where literally thousands of pelicans gather for tea and crumpets (or whatever pelicans gather for) and can provide interesting photo-ops, especially with a longer lens. A very small town about 10 miles north of Pismo is Avilla Beach (exit off the 101 at the sign and head west). If you really want to get more of a feeling of a sea coast town, complete with fishing fleet, go west on Highway 1 from San Louis Obispo to Morrow Bay and wander to find interesting things to photograph. About 30 miles north of Morrow Bay is Cambria, a few miles north of Cambria is the world famous Hearst Castle which you can get glimpses of from the road, and about 5 miles north of that is the elephant seal mating area, that’s a very ‘g’ rated attraction, in case you were wondering, but you can get to within about 10 yards away, safely, because the seals are on the beach and you’re above on a little cliff the seals can’t climb. Anywhere you go, you will have tons of interesting things to photograph, parking is rarely an issue, traffic is almost non-existent and the people are friendly. Have a great time.

pwrxprt Loc: Beaumont, California

Although I live in Southern California and have passed by the area many times driving (about 4 hours from my home) on my way up to visit relatives in San Jose, I never stopped looking for photo opts. I've had pretty good luck using a site called Photo Hot Spot. You just put in the city and the program will give the best places for sunset or the best sightseeing spot for landscape photos, etc. This might be a help to you. Here's the link: https://www.shothotspot.com/.
Have a safe trip.

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

Unfortunately, there are no monarchs. We saw a few hundred instead of thousands.

Pismo Beach is an urban beach town. The beach is a good photo opp but the sand dunes are interesting. But more landscape and seaside Opps going from SLO to Morro Bay. On the drive over you can see a series of rock mountains that will be green this time of the year. Then Los Osos just south of MB has great salt sloughs. Also a great state park, Montana de Oro. Then Morro Rock, the beach, town, harbor, Morro Park, and golf course. Along Hiway 1 lots of scenic views, Cayucos , Cambria, Moon Beach. How much time do you have, laughs.

Use Google maps and earth plus photo pills if you are looking to shoot sunsets, sunrises or Astro.

hgrinolds

It is worth going. Also close by are the monarch butterfly groves. You would be at the end of the migration but worth a visit if you can get in.

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

Again no butterfly's, we've killed them off

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/monarch-butterfly-population-moves-closer-extinction-rcna231

Photolady2014 Loc: Southwest Colorado

Well, only an afternoon! Thanks for the info!

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...yes, Morro Bay is alot closer to SLO and *very* photo-phriendly!

lightyear

I lived in SLO in the 1970's. It is a quick easy drive to Montana de Oro Park ( check the map) where there are many photogenic coastal area ( rocks, beach, etc.) with many wildflowers now, with varying bird lfe. Hearst castle is too far just for the afternoon. Pismo beach is not far, but it just beach and dunes, without the Montana de Oro features.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I live in the next town Grover Beach. The only place that seems busy now is downtown Pismo Beach, where all the shops are. Morro Bay; Dinosaur Caves; Pismo, Grover, Oceano Dunes; Montana De Oro; Oso Flaco; the butterfly preserve, they may be a few insects around. The Vineyards and Farms North of Arroyo Grande are interesting too. Lots of birds near the shore, other wildlife too. Most restaurants are still just doing take out right now with the pandemic. Surfers at Shell and Avila Beaches. SLO itself is a bit from the ocean so you will probably want to drive south on US 101 or north on HWY 1.