7.Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach is the kind of place you go when you want to escape it all. This small beach town less than 12 miles south of San Luis Obispo offers little to do other than beach activities, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While visiting, rent a kayak to check out Dinosaur Caves Park or hire a dune buggy to zip through Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Don’t forget to see the flurry of butterflies at Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove if you’re in town between late October and late February.
8.Monterey
What Monterey lacks in swimmable shorelines it makes up for in spectacular scenery. Fort Ord Dunes State Park is an underrated stunner, offering sky-high dunes with fantastic views of the Monterey Peninsula, as well as 4 miles of quiet beach, where you’ll find relatively few beachgoers. For the best of Monterey, drive along Ocean View Boulevard or the legendary 17-Mile Drive. Both routes travel past pocket-size beaches that will blow you away with their beauty, including romantic Lovers Point Park and Beach.
