Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve
Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve
4.5
About
Approximately 600 acres of coastal active dunes, with undeveloped native habiat including ~2 miles of beach, the Santa Maria River estuary, foredunes, backdunes, and riparian. Home to the California least tern, western snowy plover, northern harrier, American Avocet, white-tailed kite, red-legged frog, western pond turtle, mule deer, mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, black-tailed jackrabbit, as well as with several rare plant species. Open to all sorts of passive recreation: birding, wildlife observation, surfing, fishing, hiking, picnicing, and meditation. No off-road vehicles, sandboarding, kites, fires, camping or pets are allowed.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
4 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
54 reviews
Excellent
30
Very good
14
Average
8
Poor
1
Terrible
1
John S
324 contributions
Aug 2020
This beach is barren. The drive is interesting as you wind through the dunes. If you want peace and quiet this is it. It felt a little exposed and windy. Good place if you're a birdwatcher. But I think other beaches nearby were nicer.
Written 21 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erickg123
34 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
I grew up in this area and well familiar with this beach. The beach is big and plenty of room to roam by it has many restrictions.
The parking lot is a fair size and never really an issue when looking for parking. The restrooms are located in the parking lot. There is also a pokey stop in the parking lot that attracts some golf catches.
The beach offers a long coast line good for taking a stroll or going for a run. On the far south end you will eventually run into hill sides USE CAUTION if you decide to climb up top. The dunes in this end are high and good for sliding down using a simple piece of cardboard. Be cautious as they tend to block off the dunes due to the endangered snowy plover.
This beach is great for Pearce fishing. There is never a shortage of fishermen on this coast.
Not good for swimming. There is a serious current that runs through there and although you see a lot of surfers, be warned!
On the north end of the beach you will find a creek that runs into the ocean from the Oso flaco lake.
A cool place to visit but not much to do
The parking lot is a fair size and never really an issue when looking for parking. The restrooms are located in the parking lot. There is also a pokey stop in the parking lot that attracts some golf catches.
The beach offers a long coast line good for taking a stroll or going for a run. On the far south end you will eventually run into hill sides USE CAUTION if you decide to climb up top. The dunes in this end are high and good for sliding down using a simple piece of cardboard. Be cautious as they tend to block off the dunes due to the endangered snowy plover.
This beach is great for Pearce fishing. There is never a shortage of fishermen on this coast.
Not good for swimming. There is a serious current that runs through there and although you see a lot of surfers, be warned!
On the north end of the beach you will find a creek that runs into the ocean from the Oso flaco lake.
A cool place to visit but not much to do
Written 16 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
n1968ick
Epsom, UK98 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
We were at a loose end one day on our California road trip, having arrived early in Pismo Beach and not able to check in to our hotel. For a change we decided to rely on traditional travel guides for inspiration - never again! Our "Lonely Planet" guide suggested that we take a drive down the "scenic" portion of California Highway 1 from Pismo Beach to Vandenberg Air Force Base, taking in Guadalupe and the famous dunes, finding "hidden beaches and lost movie sets" along the way and viewing "unusual structures" at the base . What a work of fiction - whoever wrote that section must have been desperate to make a deadline because I doubt they actually traveled their suggested route.
This was wrong on so many counts. The rest of CA 1 may be scenic, but this section is not, unless you count oil refineries and industrial scale agribusiness as scenic. Guadalupe is a rather depressed one-horse town. The Dunes preserve, its only attraction, is a worthwhile place, preserving nature and wildlife, but you cannot really do much here as everything is roped off to protect it from harm. The sea itself is too rough to wade or swim in, and we tried picnicking at the single table but soon gave up due to the inexplicable presence of swarms of wasps that materialised out of nowhere when we brought our food out. At least the restroom was clean.
Stop here for a quick look, if you are passing through, but it is definitely not a destination in its own right.
By the way, Lonely Planet , Vandenberg AFB is off limits to unauthorised personnel and those "structures" , barely visible in the far distance, are radomes. This is not worth the drive either.
This was wrong on so many counts. The rest of CA 1 may be scenic, but this section is not, unless you count oil refineries and industrial scale agribusiness as scenic. Guadalupe is a rather depressed one-horse town. The Dunes preserve, its only attraction, is a worthwhile place, preserving nature and wildlife, but you cannot really do much here as everything is roped off to protect it from harm. The sea itself is too rough to wade or swim in, and we tried picnicking at the single table but soon gave up due to the inexplicable presence of swarms of wasps that materialised out of nowhere when we brought our food out. At least the restroom was clean.
Stop here for a quick look, if you are passing through, but it is definitely not a destination in its own right.
By the way, Lonely Planet , Vandenberg AFB is off limits to unauthorised personnel and those "structures" , barely visible in the far distance, are radomes. This is not worth the drive either.
Written 21 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ItchyFeet
Camarillo, CA11,444 contributions
Dec 2020 • Couples
Great beach to walk along and see the crashing waves. Lots of sea birds on the sand and in the water.
In the winter from late December to March you can see Gray whales while standing on the shore or small lookout.
In the winter from late December to March you can see Gray whales while standing on the shore or small lookout.
Written 20 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bobbi
Las Vegas, NV130 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
Gotta know what you're looking at to find this.
Several years ago on our yearly trip to the Central Coast of CA, we were told about the legendary "Lost City of DeMille," a 1923 movie set for the silent movie The Ten Commandments that DeMille ordered dismantled and buried in the sands We've been there several times and were under the mistaken impression that this buried movie set was somewhere down the beach. We never ventured out to find it 'cause it's always been soooo cold and windy. This year, however, was absolutely beautiful weather.
We stopped in at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex and got a bit of a clue what we were looking for from the docent. Tho not entirely accurate, it afforded as the opportunity to finally find it.
Shortly after passing through the entrance gate, look to your left up on the dunes and you begin to see pieces of wood strewn about the dunes. This is the site of the current excavation of the movie set.
Unfortunately, no visitors allowed, but it is a piece of history revealed.
Be aware that during the endangered Snowy Plover nesting season, access to the dunes themselves is denied.
At the end of the road is a small parking lot. Hopefully when you go, the weather will be pleasant and you can venture down the beach or visit the estuary.
Several years ago on our yearly trip to the Central Coast of CA, we were told about the legendary "Lost City of DeMille," a 1923 movie set for the silent movie The Ten Commandments that DeMille ordered dismantled and buried in the sands We've been there several times and were under the mistaken impression that this buried movie set was somewhere down the beach. We never ventured out to find it 'cause it's always been soooo cold and windy. This year, however, was absolutely beautiful weather.
We stopped in at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex and got a bit of a clue what we were looking for from the docent. Tho not entirely accurate, it afforded as the opportunity to finally find it.
Shortly after passing through the entrance gate, look to your left up on the dunes and you begin to see pieces of wood strewn about the dunes. This is the site of the current excavation of the movie set.
Unfortunately, no visitors allowed, but it is a piece of history revealed.
Be aware that during the endangered Snowy Plover nesting season, access to the dunes themselves is denied.
At the end of the road is a small parking lot. Hopefully when you go, the weather will be pleasant and you can venture down the beach or visit the estuary.
Written 29 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MarkyMark58
Zurich, Switzerland55 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
This place is wild and wonderful. We arrived on a wet and windy April day to find something quite unexpected...an empty beautiful beach as far as the eye could see. Sadly, the beach had a dead humpback whale lolling about in the surf, which strangely only added to the natural wildness of the place. This is not a place to bring dogs...there are plovers' nests all along the beach/dune divide and near the lagoon behind. One of our favourite moments was meeting the park ranger, Melissa. She was polite, friendly and so obviously caring about her job and responsibilities. I won't forget her or this great place. If you're an off-the-beaten-track type, this is the place for you. If you want hotdog stands, ice-cream and all the other usual beachside stuff, stay away - and leave this beautiful place just the way it is.
Written 10 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bill m.
1 contribution
Aug 2019
Dogs are not allowed, not even in your car, park guards are watching all the time, there are MANY rules there, a very uncomfortable feeling
Written 29 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jmwbrook71
12 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
This is a beautiful place! There is no swimming for safety reasons, but it is breath taking and inspiring! The rolling dunes and the crashing waves make a wonderful relaxing scene. If you’re looking for a place to walk and enjoy nature I can not recommend it high enough. Pack your picinic and a sweater and go enjoy!
Written 16 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
marcoallain006
16 contributions
Oct 2018 • Family
Sand dunes lead to a small beach with strong waves. Visitors, locals and fishermen mingle here at this hidden jem on the central coast. The lovely, moderately sized dunes perfectly frame the secluded beach. If you like Central Coastal beaches, give this place a visit.
Written 16 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BEtravel2
Mountain View, CA70 contributions
Aug 2015 • Family
The dunes are vast and if you can ignore the lovely beach and the Pacific Ocean by your side, you could imagine how they made these dunes look like the Middle Eastern deserts for the movie set many years ago. Overall, I was disappointed by this visit though. First, the sand dunes are sectioned off, so, you cannot really do much but stare at them from afar (a boardwalk similar to the one that is on Oso Flaco lake would be ideal in fact). Second, a large portion of the beach is sectioned off to allow for the birds to rest and nest. That's great, except we couldn't really see them. The beach and the water looked lovely though. So, if you are going to go there to enjoy the ocean, I would recommend it. Insofar as the sand dunes, I cannot say that I got much more out of it than what I could by looking at pictures of it on the internet.
Written 5 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are dogs allowed on leash on the dunes and on the beach? Are dogs allowed to swim in the ocean?-Walter Beech
Written 17 May 2017
Showing results 1-2 of 2
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing