When friends come to visit they ask for ideas for lodging, so here’s my punch list of places to stay in Pismo Beach and neighboring Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo, and Arroyo Grande. If you are looking for that modern “boutique” small hotel vibe with luxury ambience, you will have to go to San Luis Obispo. But the coastal zone of Pismo and Avila towns are really worth the views and beach-vibe. We live right in town (Pismo), all of these hotels are 15 minutes or less by car from us and from the San Luis Obispo Airport.
Attractions in town include the beach which extends for over 20 miles to the south.
The Pismo Preserve is a gorgeous ocean front hiking area right in town, accessible from the beach, which meanders through rolling hills and offers panoramic coastal views.
Overview of Pismo Beach Hotels
Pismo Beach 32-ish hotels to choose from ranging from luxury-aspiring properties, good value 3 star vacation destinations, and budget friendly inns that have charismatic “funk” of a bygone era. Pismo is a beach town first and foremost, whether on the cliffs looking at the beach, or a few minutes on foot to the sand.
There are 4 primary hotel areas in town:
- Area 1 – Spyglass and Shell Beach neighborhoods, nice views and coastal access to tide pools. 5 minutes by car to restaurants and town activities.
- Area 2 – Pismo Cliffs area, foot access to the main beach and downtown area, great views of the coast and beach.
- Area 3 – Downtown area, closest to the main beach and pier, and commercial and restaurant center. Quite busy/active.
- Area 4 – No beach access or views, freeway adjacent.
North of town in Area 1 you will find yourself using your car to get to the beach and shopping and restaurants. The Cliffs and Dolphin Bay Resort have nice views and aim for a more upscale vibe with on-premise restaurants and coastal access to tide-pools and lovely vistas. The Paloma Inn and Shell Beach Inn are in the commercial area of Shell Beach which has some nice restaurants.
Much closer to town and accessible by a lovely foot-path and stairs to the north-end of the beach is what I’ve termed “Pismo Cliffs” Area 2. These hotels have stunning views and are bigger / lots of rooms, so less resort vibe, more “I’m in vegas-by-the-sea” in a small town. Inn at the Cove is a little apart and feels more secluded as a result, with great views.
Area 3 is the center of town, where most of the restaurants and commercial stores are based. This is an altogether more bustling couple of square blocks and gets busy with day-trippers during the sunny summer days (eg: crowded traffic). These hotels range from older motel/inns, to the prominent beachfront resorts along the main facade of the pier: Inn at the Pier, Vespera, Sandcastle, and SeaVenture.
Area 4 hotels are freeway adjacent and ideal for out-0f-town stays for visiting family or business in the area. They are only 5 minutes by car to the beach, but are not pedestrian friendly as the Amtrak railroad tracks bifurcate access by foot. Car only, which is a shame.
Our Hotel Recommendations to Friends and Family Visiting Pismo Beach
Our top pick is actually not even in town, the Inn at Avila Beach. Avila Beach is a small village with its own beach and cute pedestrian promenade just a tad north of town (10 minutes by car). We recommend the Inn’s 8 suites that are right on the street above the lobby with great ocean views and private balconies for sunsets. If those suites aren’t available, then default back to Pismo for ocean view rooms. As a bonus they have a happy hour with free pie every evening! Nearby 30 yards away is excellent Kraken Coffee
Vespera is a recently updated property and one of the bigger main hotels right in town, 1 block to shopping (think San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf–tourist shops selling t-shirts, fast food, sweets, etc. — funky but charming in an old-timey family-friendly way). The large, lovely beach is right there, stretching for miles in both directions and very swim and surf friendly (the ocean is cold though). Many of our friends love being right at the beach and have enjoyed this property, with its pool, restaurant amenities. It’s new construction too.
About 1 mile north of the center of town there are several options, such as Inn at the Cove, a bit jammed in between the 101 freeway and the coast, but has a really nice protected cove view and a path down to the water. It is walking distance to Dinosaur Park (5 minutes) and to the shops in Shell Beach (coffee, some restaurants) and worth a visit. Lots of restaurants , and coffee/breakfast at Steaming Bean is about 15 minute walk. Kon Tiki Inn is a 3-star hotel, includes free visits to the nearby athletic club and ocean front rooms with fire pits on the cliff over the sea (and beach access). The rooms look basic but nice. Sea Crest is another option. Similar to Kon Tiki–a little older and similar amenities.
For more of a “resort” vibe (eg: more rooms, more private property, a bigger restaurant and pool, a semi-private stair-access to a rocky tide-pool beach area) is The Cliffs.
For the classy boutique small hotel experience there are 2 good options in downtown San Luis Obispo (called “slo” by locals) which is 15 minutes by freeway to Pismo. The Hotel San Luis Obispo was opened in 2020 so on the newer side: about a block from the center walking/shopping district of town, spacious modern rooms, a restaurant and bar and pool on site.
Granada Hotel is smaller and cozier, tucked-in on a small side street, also just a block from the main pedestrian areas of SLO.
For a complete list of options and more information about visiting Pismo Beach, our town’s destination marketing website has a comprehensive overview of Pismo Beach Hotels.
Things to Do in Pismo Beach
Here’s a starting list of activities, which we will add to as we cover. more of our favorite activities in town.
- Take a hike in the incredible Montana de Oro State Park which is about 25 minutes drive north. The ocean-front trails are delightful and all sorts of flor and fauna can be spotted.
- Take a hike in the Pismo Preserve which has 4-7 mile loops that ascend to the rolling hills overlooking town and the coast, magnificent views.
- Take a walk to Pirates Cover on the north end of town.
- Dine at the best restaurant in Pismo Beach
- Walk from the Grover Beach parking lot along a lovely elevated boardwalk path, past the Monarch Butterfly Grove, and into Pismo Beach town. This 20 minute walk is one of our favorites (50 minutes round trio to the end of the Pier in Pismo, and back).
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