Oceano Dunes / Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach / Oceano · near Pismo Beach / Oceano · Central Coast
Off-Road
At a glance
- Skill level
- beginner
- Size
- 3,600 acres of managed SVRA dune complex · Coastal beach vehicle access
- Best season
- Year-round · Peak summer months bring maximum crowds · Weekdays dramatically calmer
Permits and booking
- Permit
- California SVRA: Daily vehicle fee applies at the Oceano Dunes entrance. OHV registration required for off-highway vehicles (Green Sticker or equivalent). Beach camping available with permit — book through Recreation.gov. SVRA access is subject to environmental review and access restrictions may change — check ohv.parks.ca.gov before visiting.
What is here
- Terrain
- sand-dunes
Worth knowing
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Off-Road detail
- Nickname
- California's Drive-On Beach
- Vehicles
- atv-utv · 4x4-jeep · dirt-bike · any-ohv
- Signature routes
- Oceano Beach Drive · Pismo Dune Complex · Oso Flaco Lake Area
- Intl tip
- Pismo Beach town is right next to the SVRA entrance and has excellent seafood and clam chowder — Pismo was historically famous for Pismo clams before overharvesting depleted the population. The drive on Highway 1 north from Pismo to San Luis Obispo through the Edna Valley wine region is one of the finest short drives on the Central Coast.
The guide
Oceano Dunes SVRA (formerly Pismo Dunes) occupies a singular position in the California outdoor landscape: it's the only state …
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Oceano Dunes / Pismo Beach — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 35.0741, -120.6284