Cayucos vacation rentals

Two distinctly Californian personalities collide in Cayucos, a sleepy surf town with a Western vibe. Plunked on the lip of scenic Estero Bay, Cayucos is ringed by grassy bluffs that lead right up to the ocean. The town, which is home to about 3,000 residents, boasts a rustic downtown that looks like a Western movie set, with antique shops, low-slung wooden buildings appointed with roomy porches, and Old Cayucos Tavern, a saloon built in 1906 where you can still sit down to a poker game every Friday and Saturday night. Ringed by bolder-name locales like Pismo Beach and Cambria, Cayucos is a Central Coast getaway for those hoping to explore the wonders of San Luis Obispo County from an under-the-radar gem.

The Central Coast experiences a Mediterranean climate common to northern California. If you’re staying in one of the area’s vacation rentals from July through November, expect warm and sunny days — with the hottest temperatures in August and September — and cooler days in the 60s Fahrenheit during the rest of the year. It often gets even cooler, especially at night, so don’t skimp on layers. You will probably need them.

Cayucos State Beach

Beautiful Cayucos State Beach stretches for 16 acres along the Pacific and offers white sand, coastal trails, and tide pools teeming with critters like sea anemone, hermit crabs, and mussels. Go for a swim, dip your toes in the lapping waves, or try surfing — you can buy lessons and rent gear in town. It’s nearly required that you wander the length of the circa-1872 pier, where you will be rewarded at the end with a dolphin statue and incredible views. At night the pier is lit for fishing. This panoramic beach has an edge-of-the-world feel, but isn’t short on amenities: Beach-goers will find picnic tables, bathrooms, outdoor showers, and shoreside restaurants.

Estero Bluffs State Park

Windswept Estero Bluffs State Park offers dramatic coastal views to those who hike the expansive grasslands perched above the shore. The four-mile Estero Bluffs Trail is one of the best ways to experience this 353 acres of protected land, taking you past rocky coastline, tidal pools, and wetlands. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot local wildlife along the way, including salamanders, snowy plovers, otters, seals, and even gray whales, which migrate past the shoreline December through March. You’re also likely to spot Morro Rock in the distance, a distinctive rock that rises 576 feet above the ocean waters and is a bird sanctuary for species like peregrine falcon.

Self-Guided Mural Tour

A fun way to get to know the small but colorful Cayucos downtown is to go on a self-guided mural walk. Plotted out by the Cayucos Mural Society, the route is available online. Several of the nine highlighted murals celebrate the town’s Western heritage, so expect cowboys, stage coaches, and bonnets. Two are located inside Old Cayucos Tavern, and no one would blame you if you took a minute to cool your heels at the local watering hole.