If you’re looking for a Pismo Beach RV park to stay at, this one has amazing views, is quiet and secluded, and there are plenty of activities nearby to keep everyone entertained. This was one place we weren’t ready to leave!

I was so excited when we decided to spend over a month RVing in the great state of California. It has become one of our favorite family travel destinations for so many reasons. From the gorgeous National Parks and wine country to the countless family activities available, it’s a state we knew we wanted to stay in for a while.

Add to that the fact we used to live there and we had friends and family to visit, we rolled into California with big smiles on our faces.

Exploring Pismo Beach

As I mentioned, we’re pretty familiar with quite a few places in California. We used to live in Monterey, we have family in L.A. and have visited them quite a bit, plus we took a spring break trip to Yosemite and San Francisco.

But there were definitely so many places we weren’t familiar with and we were looking forward to checking out.

One of those places was Pismo Beach.

I’d heard about Pismo Beach from our relatives who live in Los Angeles. They talked about Pismo Beach camping and riding ATVs all over the sand dunes. It sounded cool. Their pictures looked cool, but I had no idea just how much I would fall in love with RVing in this area.

5 Reasons You’ll Want to Stay at This Amazing Pismo Beach RV Park

We ended up staying at the Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort (visit the RV park page here) with our Thousand Trails membership and it’s one of our top favorite TT campgrounds. Here’s why.

You’re Right Next Door to the Sand Dunes

Our RV spot was backed up almost right to the Pismo Beach dunes. It was a very short walk to the trail that led you straight into this place that makes you feel like you’re on another planet.

I used the dunes as my daily exercise. Walking on sand up and down those hills is one heck of a workout! If you plan to stay out there long, bring water. If you don’t, you’ll regret it. Just ask me how I know how.

If you’re wanting to experience the dunes and looking for RV parks near Pismo Beach, you can’t beat this location.

You Can Surf the Dunes

You see that boogie board in the picture above of our RV spot? The RV park let us check out boogie boards to go surfing on the dunes. Just like this.

Our boys spent hours surfing these dunes and got pretty good staying on the board and finding the perfect spots to surf down. They can now check ‘sand surfing’ off their bucket list.

You’re Close to ATV Rentals

One thing we didn’t do while we were there and I regret it a little is rent ATVs. Sure, sand surfing is fun but riding an ATV over those dunes kicks the excitement level up a notch.

Not too far from this Pismo Beach RV park, there were ATV rentals set up on the beach. Since we didn’t experience this, I have no idea how much it is or any details about it. What I do know is that it looked like an absolute blast.

So, do me a favor and be sure to at least check it out so you don’t regret missing out on this iconic Pismo Beach activity. 🙂

You’re Close to the Beach

Now, obviously, if you’re right next door to the dunes, then you’re right next door to the beach. 😉 But just in case you were wondering how close and the easiest way to get there, I wanted to fill you in.

When you climb the dunes to a high point, you can get one stunning view of the ocean. But you can’t easily walk to the beach across the dunes. How do I know? Because our boys did it, crossed a fence they weren’t supposed to (hoodlums) and then called us to come pick them up because they were too exhausted to walk back.

So, I wouldn’t recommend trying to walk there. Just hop in your car and take the very short drive over to the beautiful beach.

You might be asking if you can drive on Pismo Beach and the answer is yes! There are 8 miles of drivable beach and dune areas. The speed limit is 15 mph and it’s best at low tide. The RV park is nearest to the Oceano Dunes State Recreational Vehicle area, which is the only California State Park where vehicles may be driven on the beach.

Just note that four-wheel drive / all-wheel drive vehicles are recommended for driving on the beach.

We went early evening to watch the sunset and it was such an amazing beach experience. There were people all over who had started campfires, people were horseback riding and it was one of those iconic California beach experience we all hope to have.

You Can Go Horseback Riding

One unique feature of this Pismo Beach RV Park is the fact that it’s also a ranch. You can actually rent a horse to go horseback riding on the beach!

It’s $60.00 per person for a one-hour trail ride through the dunes and beach.

And no, we didn’t rent any horses while we were there. Why? Well, we were pretty frugal when it came to activities like this during our full-time travel adventure. We did a lot of amazing things, but we couldn’t do it all and still afford to travel. Plus, none of us are super comfortable riding a horse, so we weren’t even sure if it was an experience we were ready for.

Here are a few bonus reasons why might want to stay at this RV Park:

• It also has other amenities like a Clubhouse, game room, meeting room, and picnic areas
• It’s super quiet (some reviews said it was too quiet and was like a retirement home, LOL!)
• It’s secluded
• The staff was very friendly and helpful

So what do you think? Are you ready to book your stay at the Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort? Here’s a video which gives you some areal views of the place, plus some commentary on what it’s like to stay there, just in case you’re not convinced.

We hope you get a chance to experience RVing in this gorgeous area!

And if you’re wondering what other locations we recommend RVing in, be sure to check out our RV Parks category for features on parks around the United States and Canada.

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