Best Staycations Near Arroyo Grande, CA

Do you have a vacation coming up, but want to spend it near home? If you live in the Arroyo Grande area, you’re in luck. There are a lot of fun things to do here, all less than 20 minutes away. We’ve chosen five awesome places to visit that we think you’ll love.

Pismo Beach

First, we suggest spending time at Pismo Beach. Since we’re talking about a staycation, you can drive the seven minutes from Arroyo Grande, spend all day here, then go back home to relax at night.

Pismo Beach is gorgeous, with a continuous cliff facing the clean sands and blue water. You can relax here, go surfing or body surfing, take a swim, and have a lovely walk. Nearby, you can even take surfing lessons, something fun to start while on vacation. Contact Sandbar Surf School and Central Coast Surf School.

Dinosaur Caves Park

We’re not done with Pismo Beach yet. While the beach itself is good for hours of enjoyment, if you have kids, we recommend spending some time at Dinosaur Caves Park. This 11-acre park overlooks Pismo Beach and the ocean and has a large playground featuring statues of a dinosaur, two dolphins, three seals, and three open dinosaur eggs kids can climb into.

There are also plenty of grassy areas for resting or playing sports, picnic tables, and hiking trails. You can bring your dogs, too. Just keep them on a leash. Oh, and did we mention you can go fishing here or rent the amphitheater for birthdays, weddings, or other events?

Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove

The last place on our Pismo Beach staycation tour is the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. This is a nice place to visit any time of year, filled with eucalyptus trees and shade. However, from October to February every year, the monarch butterflies arrive and cover the trees in red, orange, black, and white. During butterfly season, you can learn more about these migrating beauties with special activities and educational booths.

Lopez Lake Recreation Area

Want to go camping near Arroyo Grande? Then you can’t beat Lopez Lake Recreation Area, which is just 18 minutes from downtown. The lake itself has a 22-mile shoreline, and you can enjoy hiking, riding a pedal kart, horseback riding, zip-lining, boating, and fishing.

The park has 350 campsites, and you can choose whether you’ll be near the lake or in the oak forest. If you have an RV, you’ll enjoy a full hook-up, You can also rent a cabin or a tent site.

Mustang Waterpark

While staying at Lopez Lake Recreation Area, we encourage you to spend some time at Mustang Waterpark, which is part of the park. This waterpark has water slides, swimming, and so much more. You can rent a cabana to relax in the shade, get a bite at the snack bar, including hamburgers, chili dogs, and snow cones, and return to your campsite in the evening.

What are the slides like? Well, you’ll find a water ride called the Stampede, 600-foot water slides, and a kiddie pool. It’s a fun place to throw a child’s birthday party as well.

Then, when you’re done with your staycation and need a place to store your camping or beach gear, we’ll have you covered at Central Coast Self Storage. Plus, we offer military discounts, provide solutions for business storage, and much more.