Slowing Down to Embrace Nature in Pismo Beach California

I wasn’t going to write about our fourth annual trip to Pismo Beach, California. It was a nice, mellow week but there wasn’t anything of interest to share. But then I found inspiration in an unexpected place.

The Tides Inn finished renovating the beach house with new furniture and air conditioning. The best part was swapping the location of the bedrooms: now the master bedroom has an ocean view. We visited a few favorites like Lokum (Turkish delight), Avila Valley Barn, and Sans Liege (wine tasting). We also tried some new places like Len Collective (cute shop), Kulturhaus Brewing Company, and the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. I planned to check out a few spots in Oceano and hike the Pismo Preserve, but we spent most of the time hanging out at the beach house. My favorite moments were walking on the beach and relaxing on the patio at sunset.

In addition to Indy, a few things were missing this year. The quirky downtown street signs were gone – the road is freshly repaved with a median and new parking meters (below is a photo from a previous visit). There weren’t many butterflies at the Monarch Butterfly Grove. And the adorable bunny who lived in the bluff at the hotel wasn’t around.

The Inspiration to Write

After the trip, my aunt sent a T-shirt with a quote from naturalist John Muir. It made me think of the peace I felt observing wildlife on the beach and watching the sky at sunset in Pismo. I was inspired to share my experiences. (About John Muir)

‘In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.’

Beach Walks in Pismo Beach

Each day, I headed to the steep staircase in the cliff and walked down the 100+ stairs to the beach. And each day, the beach had something different and wonderful to show me. There were graceful snowy egrets, brown pelicans flying in formation, and soothing landscapes. I even found a few sand dollars.

The most interesting sight was the seagulls. Yes, seagulls. They are such a common sight on many beaches, and I tend to ignore them. But one day I was intrigued by something I had not seen before. As I walked in the sand, I heard a quiet thud behind me. A few minutes later I saw a flying seagull drop a clam he was carrying. I thought, oops he dropped it by accident. A few minutes later I saw another flying seagull drop a clam and then swoop down to the sand. I realized the birds were intentionally dropping the clams to break them open so they could eat the insides. I stood and watched for a while. There were success and failures. There was competition when some seagulls tried to steal another’s dinner. I had not seen this behavior before because there are no clams on LA beaches. I tried for a while to get a good video, but the birds were not very cooperative.

Sunsets over the Pacific Ocean

The sky was ever changing throughout the week, which made each day’s sunset a new surprise.

Vibrant shades of orange in a clear sky welcomed us the first night.

Cloudy, gray monochromatic sky; yet still beautiful.

Wavy clouds filled the sky. The sun resembled flames in a fire.

The sky was subtle and subdued the final evening of the trip.

Receiving Joy from Nature

Back to John Muir’s words: ‘In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.’ I intended to have a more active experience on this year’s Pismo Beach trip, but we didn’t make it to several planned activities. Instead, the most memorable experiences were unplanned and organic. Slowing down and paying attention to the beauty and wonder of nature gave me many things I did not seek but am glad I found.