Avila Beach Travel Guide

Welcome to Avila Beach, CA!

Imagine a laid-back spot on the Pacific coast basking in Californian sunshine, where people dine on freshly caught seafood on breezy patios, browse quaint boutiques, sup on local wine and swim in the warm ocean. Avila Beach on California’s Central Coast, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, is such a place. In fact, it’s hard to believe that an oil leak from storage tanks contaminated this delightful beach town in the 1990s. A multi-million-dollar clean-up has restored and renewed Avila Beach and today, tourism is as strong as ever. The sun-kissed town—its charming streets lined with bistros, cafes and shops—skirts the wide, sandy beach and is cradled by colourful, rolling hills that give way to the apple orchards and vineyards San Luis Obispo County is known for.

Originally established as a major shipping port in the latter half of the 1800s, Avila Beach continues to nurture a lively commercial fishing industry, which can be witnessed on the town’s piers in the Port San Luis Harbor District where visitors are welcome to peruse fresh fish markets, relax in pier-side restaurants, stroll along the wharfs and even drop a fishing line. In addition to boat tours and water sports on this sheltered and exceptionally warm bay, visitors also enjoy soaking in the Avila Hot Springs, teeing up at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, and spotting whales and sea lions from the vantage point at the historic Point San Luis Lighthouse.

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