Dinosaur Caves Park Walk, Shell Beach
Dinosaur Caves Park is a beautiful place to start a one-mile walk with sweeping views of the coastline, sea stacks of all shapes, bird rocks with pelicans and cormorants, coves, glistening water, and flowers hanging off cliff faces. The park is located in the middle of the mile-long walk. Start by exploring each amazing lookout point in the park. In front of you is the blue sea. Behind are the green, green hills (in winter they are green), huge swaths of flowers in the gardens of the park, and little ones playing happily on the amazing Dinosaur Eggs Playground.
Head west out of the park and you will see the blue green water below you and birds on rocks. Here there is barely any room to walk, as the sidewalk has crumbled with the eroding cliffs. You walk the street for second, and then you are in Margo Dodd Park, with green grass, a gazebo, and wonderful views in both directions. Next you come to an area of stunning sea stacks in all shapes. There is a hard-packed dirt sidewalk along Ocean Blvd and benches to take in the views. At 798 Ocean Blvd, the clifftop path ends so you must turn around.
Now head back where you came. Walk east up the hill past a huge swath of poppies in spring, then along the main road for a little while. Even along the main road there are gorgeous views of Pismo Beach Rock Beach below. You can walk a pedestrian bridge to a gazebo perched on the cliffs in front of Inn at the Cove, then past little secret lookouts and craggy rock formations in front of the hotel. Now the walk is complete.
To extend your walk, you must continue along the main road again for 300m past the Pismo Clay Courts, then along the parking lot for Ventana Grill, with wonderful views of sea stacks. Once at Ventana Grill (a really good place to eat), you will see amazing views of white cliffs and a magical cove below. This is the beginning of a walk I called the Shell Beach Panoramic Walk. There is a lawn and wedding gazebo with magical views, and pelican nests perched on cliffs in front of Shore Cliff Lodge. This is stunning! Continue on the coastal walking path in front of several hotels, across an exhilarating pedestrian bridge in white, to the end where you see a view of Pismo Beach Pier.
You can also extend your walk on the west end of the walk (at 798 Ocean Blvd), though it is quite inconvenient. If you want to continue you have to walk without a sidewalk up Windward Ave (at 217 Windward Ave check out the Johnson Ranch schoolhouse), along the main road for a second, and then back down to the coast on Boeker Ave (also without a sidewalk). Then you can walk past Placentia Avenue secret lookout, past Chapman Estate, and to the oceanfront path at Eldwayen Ocean Park. There are two sets of stairs to get down to the beach.
You can also extend your walk straight from Dinosaur Caves Park where you parked your car. This is the Shell Beach Village and it's a great choice when there's a cold wind at the seafront. You will be slightly back from the water on the Shell Beach Village Bike Path walking past the shops and cafes in Shell Beach Village, ending at Shell Beach Elementary School. This is a 1.1km walk. You can stop for a tea at Steaming Bean Coffee Shop, enjoying their sunny back patio.
The sea arch on a beautiful day!
A serene view.
View of gazebo at The Inn at the Cove, from the trail that leads east from the park.
Pretty view from the trail that leads east from the park.
Gazebo at The Inn at the Cove, which you can walk to from the park.
Cute trail in front of The Inn at the Cove.
Views from The Inn at the Cove, which you can walk to from the park.
Birds checking out the water below.
Beautiful views from the trail east of the park.
The trail behind the amphitheater leads to a nice path in front of The Inn at the Cove.
Views over the water.
Flowers along the path.
Landscaping at The Inn at the Cove.
Water glistening between the rocks.
Lovely rock formations, like the south of France.
Kayakers enjoying the scenery.
The playground with high hills behind, in August when the hills are dry.
View down the coast.
Purple ice plant on the cliffs, and a winding dirt path.
Walk to Margo Dodd Park to see more rock formations.
Yellow ice plant flowers.
Purple flowers and the tall hills.
Seagull and pelicans behind.
Rocks and cave, as seen from the walk along Ocean Blvd.
A sweet path with flowers along it.
A contented seagull, with rocks in the distance, at the far west end of Ocean Blvd.
The stunning location of Dinosaur Caves Park, as seen from Pismo Preserve, on the other side of the freeway.
Stunning view of the honeycomb cliffs, from Dinosaur Caves Park.
Lookout spot at Dinosaur Caves Park, on the east end.
Wide walkway past ice plant that leads to Price Street and then a trail in front of Inn at the Cove.
The view of cliffs from Price Street, on the east end of the park.
Purple flowers, ice plant, blue sea, with dunes and mountains curving in the distance.
Purple flowers galore! Yellow flowers on the hills. In early May.
Like a bouquet of flowers.
Purple flowers and a house with cute shingles.
Purple flowers and the sea!
Purple ice plant and the amazing cliffs. I love the hills covered in yellow flowers.
In early May, when there are yellow flowers on the hills.
Stunning flowers in May!
Brown's Rock, looking amazing in January.
Dinosaur Caves Park as seen from Pismo Pier!
Dinosaur Caves Park is located at 2701 Price St, Pismo Beach CA. There is a large parking lot at 105 Cliff Ave, plus plenty of parking spots along Cliff Ave.
Last Updated: Tue, 30 Dec 2025 18:21:46 GMT
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