Carve your path through North America’s most spectacular coastal dune system in Oceano, where towering sand peaks stretch endlessly toward the horizon. Here along Highway 1, adventurers glide down stunning dunes that rise dramatically from the Pacific shoreline, making Oceano California’s premier destination for sand surfing and sandboarding. Whether you’re catching air off steep faces or exploring gentle slopes, these vast dunes capture the spontaneous spirit of SLO CAL. Beyond the sand, Oceano’s reliable coastal winds have transformed this relaxed area into a wing-foiling haven, drawing riders to soar above the waves in a display of wind-powered artistry. When the afternoon breeze intensifies, watch as vibrant wings dot the coastline or join the action yourself—local outfitters provide all necessary gear and guidance. Closer to shore, surfers find their rhythm in the breaks while paddleboarders explore the tranquil waters, each discovering their own slice of this dynamic natural playground.
Boardsports Along Highway 1
Sandboarding Oceano Dunes
Rising from the Pacific like nature’s own terrain park, Oceano Dunes SVRA encompasses an awe-inspiring 1,500 acres, establishing it as California’s largest coastal dune system. These extraordinary sand mountains create a breathtaking setting for your next board sport adventure, where each ridge and valley offers a fresh canvas for creating your own path along Highway 1.
What is Sandboarding?
Picture snowboarding’s laid-back relative who prefers endless summer to winter wonderlands. Sandboarding combines the smooth glide of snow sports with the coastal atmosphere of SLO CAL, enabling you to carve down the sand just like fresh powder. Ride the slipface—that’s the steeper side of the dune—for the ultimate rush, or explore gentler slopes as you discover your groove in the sand.
Gear Up: Where to Rent Your Board
Let the locals handle the equipment! Oceano Surf Shack supplies all the gear needed for sliding success. While experienced riders might bring their own boards (anything from skimboards to retired snowboards works), renting ensures you’ll have equipment specifically crafted for sand-riding. The shop’s regional experts can also point you toward their favorite spots and share tips to make your first session exceptional.
The Best Time for Sandboarding
Like any great California adventure, timing matters. Dawn patrols and sunset sessions offer optimal rides, when the sand feels cool and light bathes the dunes in brilliant colors. Pack like a local: bring water, reef-safe sunscreen, and sturdy shoes for those sandy hikes back up. Pro tip: add some paraffin wax to keep your board gliding smooth, and protect yourself with a helmet plus knee and elbow pads—the sand may feel soft, but confidence in your protection helps you progress. Remember those shades, too. The coastal breeze and California sun intensify when you’re playing in nature’s sandbox.
Want to maximize your runs? Partner with a buddy and an ATV for shuttle rides between sessions. Just keep your eyes on the horizon and maintain distance from designated off-highway vehicles (OHV) areas. This vast playground accommodates everyone’s perfect line.
Kiteboarding & Wing Surfing
The constant winds that sweep across Oceano’s coastline attract wind sports enthusiasts year after year. Kiteboarders zip across the waves, launching into gravity-defying aerials that keep them suspended in the ocean air for breathtaking moments. Recently, wing surfers have joined the scene, their multicolored wings catching the dependable side-shore winds as they glide across the water’s surface. This stretch of Highway 1 earned its reputation: for 17 years, it hosted the “Xtreme Big Air Kiteboarding Expo,” celebrating local legend Kinsley Thomas Wong, who pioneered kiteboarding on the Central Coast.
When to go
The afternoon breeze arrives like clockwork, especially during spring and fall, creating ideal conditions for both kiteboarding and wing surfing. When multiple riders take to the water, their wings and kites transform the horizon into a spectacular display of motion.
Who should try it
The mix of steady wind patterns and the ability to drive your gear right onto the beach makes Oceano an excellent spot for intermediate riders seeking advancement. Newcomers can book lessons through Pismo Kitesurfing or California Kiteboarding to learn from regional experts who understand these waters intimately. But note: these sports demand an intermediate to advanced level of technical skill for independent practice.
Foiling: Wing and Surf Foiling
Have you watched someone seemingly float above the water, gliding on what appears to be an otherworldly ride across the waves? That’s the art of foiling, and Oceano’s waters have become an ideal setting for these innovative surf sports.
Wing Foiling
What it is: Wing foilers harness the same steady winds that attract kiteboarders, but with a different approach: they’re powered by a handheld wing while riding a board equipped with a hydrofoil that elevates them above the surface. The outcome? A smooth, floating sensation that resembles flight.
Where to try: The consistent afternoon breeze in Oceano, paired with its spacious beach and welcoming atmosphere, has established this stretch of coast as a hub for the foiling community. When conditions align (which happens frequently), you’ll observe wing foilers sharing waves with other wind sports enthusiasts, all benefiting from the ideal combination of wind and water.
Surf Foiling
What it is: Consider surfing, but elevated—literally. Surf foiling utilizes a surfboard fitted with a hydrofoil fin extending below the water. As speed builds, this underwater wing lifts your board above the surface, allowing smooth glides over choppy water and transforming modest waves into extended, flowing rides. The experience stands unique among surf sports: silent, fluid, and weightless as you hover above the break.
Where to try: Oceano’s gentle swells provide an excellent training environment for surf foilers, marking just the beginning. As skills develop, riders discover numerous nearby breaks offering varied challenges and rewards. From the rolling waves at Pismo to the diverse conditions along this stretch of Highway 1, foilers progress from gentle glides to advanced runs. The steady conditions and range of spots make this coastal section ideal for riders developing their foiling technique.
Additional Notes
While these sports appear effortless when mastered, they suit those already comfortable in the ocean. If that describes you, local surf shops connect you with skilled instructors who demonstrate why Oceano has evolved into a focal point for these cutting-edge disciplines. Remember: once you experience hovering above the waves, traditional surfing might feel different forever.
Surfing in Oceano
While visitors flock to the Pismo Pier, locals know it as one of the Central Coast’s busier surf spots. Instead of competing for waves, explore the same quality surf just down the beach in Oceano. The Oceano Dunes SVRA offers vehicle access at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Highway 1. Drive in and follow the beach to the soaring Oceano Dunes to park directly on the sand. There, miles of beachbreak open to wind and swell await, where steady waves roll in with natural rhythm—an excellent environment for beginner and intermediate surfers developing their skills. Unlike the crowded lineups at Pismo, here you’ll share waves with just a few fellow surfers, sometimes claiming entire sets for yourself. The breaks grow larger further out. Visit during high tide for optimal surf, especially in winter for ideal swells, but watch for strong currents and undertow. The surf suits body-boogie boarders and skimboarding enthusiasts, too. Bring your own board and wetsuit, or rent gear at PB Surf Shop or Esteem Surf Shop in Pismo Beach. They also offer surf lessons.
Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP)
Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) is a common activity on the Central Coast, but stand up paddlesurfing? That’s right: folks get out in the waves with their board and paddle and they surf the swell on a SUP. The same great conditions for surfing apply to paddlesurfing in Oceano. Head out in winter for clean little swells, and enjoy miles of untouched, uncrowded beachbreak. Rather than join the crowds near the Pismo Pier, take your board down Highway 1 to the Oceano Dunes SVRA entrance. Drive directly onto the beach and choose your surf spot easily as you roll past the waves. You’ll see paddlesurfers out there with regular surfers, riding their longboard and using their paddle to steer and balance. For more traditional SUP, jump the waves to find calmer water that’s perfect for gliding across, beyond the shorebreak. The waves are often small enough to push past for glassier waters. Once you’ve found those calmer seas, enjoy plenty of wildlife viewing, including seals and seabirds.
Rentals & Lessons
Featured Rental Shop
Oceano Surf Shack
Located steps from the renowned Oceano Dunes, the Oceano Surf Shack serves as your essential local resource for board sport equipment. This welcoming shop offers quality rentals at reasonable rates, including surfboards, wetsuits, and boogie boards. These suit both newcomers and skilled riders seeking Oceano’s famously uncrowded waves. The Surf Shack transcends typical rental facilities: it functions as a gathering place for the local surf community, showcasing regional art and preserving Oceano surfing heritage. Visit to acquire gear and connect with authentic Central Coast surf culture. Should you arrive when the shop appears closed, simply call—friendly staff typically assist other customers or monitor conditions nearby. Follow their social platforms for daily wave updates and special offers.
Kite Board Rentals & Lessons
Pismo Kitesurfing
Discover kiteboarding in Oceano with Pismo Kitesurfing’s knowledgeable instructors, who utilize the area’s optimal wind conditions and striking coastline to create extraordinary learning experiences. Their teaching team specializes in helping beginners through a proven, safety-first approach that enables students to ride confidently in Oceano Beach’s excellent waters. Each session adapts to the student’s abilities and learning preferences, whether they’re starting fresh or improving existing skills. Students access modern equipment while benefiting from instructors’ thorough understanding of local conditions, ensuring optimal learning environments.
California Kitesurfing
Explore kiteboarding along Highway 1 at California Waterman, a leading watersports retailer combining expert instruction with extensive equipment options. Their skilled team provides thorough lessons for every ability level, drawing from deep knowledge of regional conditions that distinguish this coastline for kiteboarding. Students learn using premium gear from the shop’s comprehensive inventory, featuring top brands of kites, boards, and safety equipment. Instructors emphasize careful progression while teaching in Pismo Beach’s excellent waters, recognized among California’s finest kiteboarding locations. New riders join a thriving Central Coast watersports community that values California Waterman for reliable instruction and equipment access.
Featured Surf Schools
Surfing Goats
Discover a different kind of surf experience with Surfing Goats, where students catch waves alongside remarkable four-legged instructors: actual surfing goats who’ve become coastal icons. The school’s skilled human instructors and their goat companions create an engaging learning environment that makes surfing accessible and entertaining for beginners while offering unique memories for all skill levels. Their signature “Surf Goat Day” combines traditional instruction with opportunities to tandem surf with the goats and share the Rapture Party Wave Board. The school’s founder, known as “The Goat Whisperer,” has evolved a simple yard-maintenance solution into an extraordinary surf school bringing joy to visitors. Beyond teaching fundamental skills, Surfing Goats cultivates an atmosphere of pure enjoyment and inclusion where students learn to “shred the gnar” with these remarkable wave-riding animals.
Sandbar Surf School
At Sandbar Surf School, families learn surfing together through tailored instruction emphasizing safety and enjoyment for every age and skill level. Small group sizes of 3-4 students per instructor ensure focused attention and steady progress. Each lesson includes premium wetsuits, appropriate surfboards, and mandatory safety leashes—essential elements that highlight Sandbar’s commitment to student success. Through private group sessions, full-day camps, or multi-day packages, families advance at their own pace while building shared experiences on Highway 1’s beautiful coastline. Enthusiastic instructors create supportive environments where children and adults discover wave-riding excitement together.
Pismo Surf Academy
At Pismo Beach Surf Academy, students receive specialized guidance from local expert Rod Way, whose extensive knowledge stems from decades crafting surfboards and riding SLO CAL waves. His background as a master shaper provides unique perspectives on wave dynamics and board selection, with instruction adapted to individual goals. The academy’s focused approach ensures each surfer receives attention needed for advancement, whether learning basics or refining technique. Students gain valuable insights from Rod’s comprehensive understanding of surfboard design and performance—knowledge that only comes from someone equally skilled in shaping and surfing. This combination of craftsmanship and teaching expertise makes Pismo Beach Surf Academy an outstanding choice for learning from one of Highway 1’s accomplished veterans.
Discover Oceano & Nipomo
The natural coastline of Oceano and Nipomo offers endless possibilities for board sports enthusiasts, with sandboarding the magnificent Oceano Dunes as its centerpiece. This 1,500-acre expanse invites adventurers to experience something truly distinctive along Highway 1. Whether riding waves, soaring with kites, or descending sandy slopes, Oceano and Nipomo promise extraordinary outdoor adventures on California’s iconic coast. Visit to understand why this stretch of Highway 1 draws board sports enthusiasts seeking their next challenge.
