Numbers have been dwindling but, for now, thousands of black-and-orange monarch butterflies still make their winter home in this eucalyptus grove just south of the North Beach Campground. Look closely: the dense clusters in the treetops might easily be mistaken for leaves. To learn more, study the information boards or join a free docent tour daily at 11am and 2pm.
Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove
Central Coast
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.54 MILES
Come for the wine, stay for the architecture, the views and the (occasional) live music. The sweeping panorama across this relative newcomer's vineyard to…
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
10.62 MILES
Those reverberatory bells heard around downtown emanate from this fifth California mission, founded by Padre Junípero Serra in 1772 and named for a 13th…
28.62 MILES
Riverbench has been creating prized Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since the early 1970s, and sparkling wines more recently. The rural tasting room is inside a…
17.64 MILES
Wind-tossed coastal bluffs with wild, wide-open sea views make this park a favorite spot with hikers and mountain bikers. The northern half of the park…
21.19 MILES
Chumash tribespeople are the only people legally allowed to climb this volcanic rock, now the protected nesting ground of peregrine falcons. You can laze…
5.62 MILES
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20.49 MILES
With exhibits, posters and more than 200 skateboards from the 1930s to the 21st century, this excellent privately operated museum is essential for anyone…
28.22 MILES
Only an established cult winemaker could convince oenophiles to drive so far out of their way to taste rare heritage varietals such as floral-scented…
Nearby Central Coast attractions
5.1 MILES
Small, family-run vineyard pours cult-worthy Pinot Noir inside a cozy brick tasting room.
5.2 MILES
Boisterous tasting room pours different varietals from Edna Valley and Paso Robles, with a tiny gourmet deli.
5.62 MILES
At this rural farm stand and pick-your-own berry farm, you can park alongside the sheep and goat pens, lick an ice-cream cone, then grab a basket and walk…
5.99 MILES
In a rust-colored barn tasting room, tipple hand-crafted, small-lot wines grown mostly organically.
6.24 MILES
Sip Paragon Vineyard estate Chardonnay by panoramic windows overlooking fields of grapes.
7.04 MILES
Unpretentious, value-priced wines set among rolling hillsides, with vineyard tours ($10, including wine-tasting flight $20 to $40) by appointment.
7.05 MILES
Samples from six different labels inside an early-20th-century wooden schoolhouse, with two bocce ball courts outside.
7.08 MILES
No-oak Chardonnay, barrel-selected Pinot Noir and bold estate Syrah, with artisanal cheese, charcuterie and chocolate pairings on weekends.