Pismo State Beach's North Beach Campground (slostateparks.com), which lies between U.S. 1 and the Pacific, has 103 sites for tents, trailers and RVs up to 36 feet, 16 of which are accessible sites with firm surfaces and accessible tables for those with disabilities. Each campsite includes a fire ring. Other amenities include restroom facilities, a dump station, horseshoe pit, a hiking trail along Carpenter Creek and paths leading to the beach. If North Beach Campground is full, try Oceano Campground (slostateparks.com), which lies about two miles south and is home to 82 campsites, a nature center, several trails and a migratory bird habitat near a freshwater lagoon.
You can reserve a campsite at North Beach Campground for the peak season, typically from mid-May to mid-September; the rest of the year sites are first-come, first-served. Reservations may be made online through Reserve America or by calling 800-444-7275. Reservations must be made at least two days prior to your visit and can be made up to seven months in advance. Pets are allowed but must be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet and kept in a tent or vehicle at night. The Oceano Campground takes reservations year round.
The Monarch Butterfly Grove, where thousands of monarch butterflies gather each winter, lies at the southeastern tip of the North Beach Campground near the Creek Trail and just over a footbridge that crosses Carpenter Creek. Parking is available at campsite No. 78, and signs direct you to the grove from there. Knowledgeable guides are on hand daily from early November to late February, typically the prime months for the butterflies, and informative talks on the monarch are given twice daily. The butterfly population at the grove typically numbers from 20,000 to 200,000 on any given day during the migration season.
During your visit to North Beach Campground, spend a few hours strolling the shore, swimming in the Pacific or digging in the sand for Pismo clams, which can reach 7 inches or more in diameter, making it one of the larger clam species along the California coast. After that, play nine holes at Pismo State Beach Golf Course (pismogolf.com), less than a mile south of the campground. The family-friendly, par-3 course also has a pitching and putting green, snack bar, rental clubs, pull carts and electric golf carts. If all-terrain vehicles are more your style, visit Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (parks.ca.gov), three miles south of Pismo Beach. The 5.5-mile-long tract is the lone California State Park where cars, ATVs and other off-road vehicles can be driven onto the beach.
