Avila Beach & Port San Luis

Avila Beach sits on San Luis Obispo Bay, tucked into the curve of the coast in the lee of Point San Luis, so its south-facing beach is more sheltered than most on the Central Coast. It is a small town with a beachfront walk and an old pier, and just west along Avila Beach Drive is the working harbor of Port San Luis, with fishing boats, Harford Pier and the starting points for lighthouse tours.

This is also home to the tide gauge behind this site. The NOAA station at Port San Luis has measured the water level here since 1933, and it is the reference station for tide predictions along this part of the coast, so the times you see on our Port San Luis tide calendar are as local as it gets.

Essential stops around Avila and Port San Luis:

• Point San Luis Lighthouse — the 1890 light station on the point, reached by guided van tour or on foot with a docent (see below).
• Harford Pier — the Port San Luis pier, with a restaurant out on the pier.
• Olde Port Beach — the launch ramp for kayaks and paddleboards; the sand is for loading and unloading only, and it is soft enough that four-wheel drive is recommended.
• Avila Pier — the town pier has been under long-running repairs and has reopened in stages, so check its status before you go.
• Avila Valley Barn — a farm stand on Avila Beach Drive with free parking and admission, apple picking and, in autumn, a pumpkin patch and hayrides.
• Pirate's Cove — a cove below the bluffs east of town, reached by a steep trail from the county parking lot on Cave Landing Road. There are no restrooms, and it has long been known as a clothing-optional beach.

The Bob Jones City to the Sea Trail runs from the Ontario Road trailhead down to Avila Beach, an easy way to arrive by bike or on foot. If you want to get on the water, launch from Olde Port Beach and check the wind and the tide first.