Chumash Park Playground and Trail, Pismo Beach

Chumash Park is lovely and warm even on cold days. Tucked into a wooded valley, the park offers an incredible playground and a basketball court, very well-kept. One area is for toddlers with a playground with double slides, mushroom seats, a spinner, and baby swings. The big kid playground has a tall, amazing, rope climbing structure with a tunnel twisty slide, suspended stepping stones, and double slides. There are two types of spinners, an awesome cable, regular swings, and two-person swings that face each other. Kids can play here for a long time without getting bored. 

It's really nice to walk the wide, hard-packed dirt trail behind the playground called Chumash Trail, and take in the views. The rolling hills and perfect sky look like Microsoft's desktop image "Bliss." Pampas grass along the trail catches the California sunshine. This is a half-mile-long trail (one mile total) that is flat. At the end you come to a large locked gate to a ranch and can see the happiest cows grazing on the hillside. 
Another warm and sheltered playground nearby, along James Way, is Rancho Grande Park, which is idyllic in the late afternoon when the fog has cleared.
While in the area, check out the Monarch Butterfly Preserve in a eucalyptus grove by a lovely beach with dunes. Also make sure you walk the Shell Beach Panoramic Walk, which will stun you with the views of rock stacks on one side and the waves rolling into Pismo Beach on the other side- I can't believe how gorgeous that place is! If you want to go clothes shopping, check out Pismo Beach Premium Outlets at 333 Five Cities Drive- the Carters outlet store has good deals on cute kid's clothes.
A beautiful park with a lush lawn, tall tropical trees, and a cute toddler playground nine minutes drive east is Heritage Square Park. From there you can walk over a swinging bridge to get ice cream on the main street.

Directions

Chumash Park is located at Mankins Ranch Rd, Pismo Beach CA 93449.
Exit the 101 Highway at 4th Street and turn toward the mountains on 4th Street. Right away turn left on James Way and then immediately turn right on Ventana Drive. The park is immediately on your right. There is parking.

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