According to California State Parks camping inventory the Oceano Dunes traditionally sell out for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year holiday.
While it hasn’t picked up just yet, those visiting right now believe this holiday season will bring more tourism and campers.
“Thanksgiving there will be a lot of people here and on Christmas, there will be quite a few," said Grover beach visitor, James Tilley.
This weekend Pismo Freeride, an event open to everyone since the late 90s took place at the Oceano Dunes.
“We have riders that come in from literally all around the world. We had people from Japan this weekend, Australia, Brazil, and Germany," said Lisa Price, Pismo Freeride Supporter
While camping costs only $10.00 a night getting a reservation might be tricky. Price said the restrictions on camping at the Oceano Dunes have reduced the number of participants that come to the event.
“It's gone from, at one point it was 3,000 participants just for a fun get together to we dwindle to about 180 this year and that’s the most we’ve had since coronavirus," said Price.
In an email to KSBY, Chief Ranger, Kevin Pearce, said there are currently 250 camping units available on the beach at the Oceano Dunes SVRA and approximately 181 combined camping units on the north beach and Oceano campgrounds within Pismo Beach.
According to the California State Parks website, it states camping “will be monitored and may incrementally be increased back to 500 units as park operations allow."
“Hoping that they will open some more camping back up. It makes it difficult because they have so much equipment, they have to bring with them that makes it hard to stay at a hotel, you’re talking about 35-40,000-dollar custom-built jet skis," added Price.
