Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA)

Unique among its peers, Pier Street in Grover Beach is the gateway known as Post 1 for the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. This is where cars can pay a small fee ($5-15) and drive on the beach. While passenger cars can drive on a small portion of the beach, camping and off roading in vehicles set low to the road with big tires customized for the sand dune terrain are best accessed with 4-wheel drive vehicles.  There are two entrances to the beach, Pier and Grand Avenue, with a restaurant at the Grand Avenue entrance. Both entrances are a few miles south of Pismo Beach off Highway 1. One mile south of the Pier Avenue beach ramp (the southernmost access point) is Post 2, one of eight posts on the beach. 2 through 7 are included in the 5.5-mile driving areas for off-highway vehicles.

When the dust settles in Grover Beach on Mondays, it looks like a dust storm has blown through. This is not the place to go if you need to maintain your squeaky clean image, fine clothing and luxury car interiors. It's an exciting place to partake of a sport that sees thousands of people on weekend getaways. Reading the license plates, they come from around the US, but the most common places seem to include Bakersfield, Barstow and Los Angeles.  Weekdays are generally a bit milder and less trafficked, and that's when Grover Beach residents get their town back to clean up the dust for the next round of excitement.

Dogs can walk, horses can run and people can even build bonfires on these beaches, nestled between Pismo Beach and the protected Oceano Sand Dunes. There is beach camping but it's quite popular and you have to plan ahead.

We go to these beaches for their easy access and great location to dining, shopping in Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach and rugged, laid back attitude. Almost like an airport where the planes constantly come and go, you have to watch your front and backside on this beach where cars will pass you much like a freeway without any signs or roads. For those of us who stay in local hotels and go to watch, we have to remind ourselves to keep our eyes on the cars. For more info: www.parks.ca.gov