Rancho Guadalupe Dunes

Located in the city of Guadalupe, Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve is an oceanfront Santa Barbara County Park that has a vast stretch of sand dunes and a long beach, which is also sometimes known as Main Street Beach and Guadalupe Beach. Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve is a part of the Guadalupe - Nipomo Dunes, which are one of the most expansive coastal dunes in Southern California. The Santa Maria River meets the ocean near the northern part of the beach. It is important to note that some portions of the beach are closed off to public access from 1st March to 1st October as many rare bird species including the snowy plover and the California least tern nest in the preserve areas near the beach during this time. While the beach in Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve does not have lifeguards, the area near the beach has picnic tables and restrooms.

While Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve does not have any specific hiking trails, you can walk to the southern part of the preserve along the unique sand dunes and explore a variety of interesting geographical formations including the Mussel Rock Dune, which has one of the largest sand dunes present here. However, we recommend being careful while walking in the preserve as it is home to many poisonous plants including stinging nettles and poison oaks. The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center is present nearby in the city of Guadalupe that offers interesting exhibits on the local history and biodiversity. In addition, the center also has an art gallery and offers guided tours of the preserve. As an interesting fact, the current location of the preserve was used as a spot for shooting of the 1923 Cecil B. DeMille epic silent film The Ten Commandments. This movie was a massive project and had a gigantic set. Some of the Ancient Egyptian-themed props from the movie can be still found buried in the sands of the preserve. In more recent times, the preserve was also used for the shooting of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.  

The beach in Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve offers many fun activities including sunbathing, hiking, picnicking, fishing, and wildlife watching. Aquatic recreational activities like swimming and surfing are highly unsafe in the water near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve as it is known to have frequent and dangerous rip currents. In addition, drowning-related accidents have also been reported in the water near the beach. The water near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve is also home to many marine mammals including seals, sea lions, and migrating grey whales (between December and April). If you like birdwatching, you can see many interesting species of seabirds in the water near the beach including scoters and gulls. In addition, the mouth of the Santa Maria River (present near the northern part of the preserve) is home to many interesting and rare bird species including the bald eagle, peregrine falcons, California least tern, and brown pelican. The beach and the area around it are home to many interesting kinds of flowering plants including the pink sand verbena and evening primrose. Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve is also home to many animals including deer, bobcat, snakes, black bear, beetles, and the endangered California red-legged frog. 

The beach also offers accessible beach wheelchairs for people with disabilities. Getting to the beach in Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve is easy - it is located near 6350 West Main Street, where there is also a free parking lot.

There are many attractions near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve within a 25-minute drive. Waller Park is a 154-acre community park that offers many amenities including a grassy lawn, picnic areas, playgrounds, basketball courts, volleyball course, and a frisbee course. The Santa Maria Museum of Flight has interesting exhibits on the history of aviation including aircraft displays, artifacts, models, and photographs. If you are looking for another attraction near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve, the Rancho de Guadalupe Historical Society has a museum that offers interesting exhibits about the city of Guadalupe and Southern California.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve. PAPA JAY’S SOUTHERN QUE ZINE offers excellent Creole and Cajun dishes including po’boy sandwiches and jambalaya. In addition, the restaurant also serves delicious macaroni-and-cheese and fried chicken. El Tapatio offers delicious Mexican dishes including chile Rellenos, enchiladas, and burritos. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve, the modestly priced King Falafel offers delicious falafels, sandwiches, and burgers.

If you are looking for a hotel near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve, there are many great options within a 25-minute drive. The 4-Star Inn at The Pier is 35 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a rooftop terrace with a pool, sun loungers, two restaurants, a lobby bar with a lounge, and a gym. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Holiday Inn & Suites Santa Maria which offers many amenities including a restaurant (which offers free meals to kids aged 12 and younger), a pool with a sun terrace, and a fitness center. As another moderately priced option, the 3-Star Santa Maria Inn offers many amenities including a pool, a restaurant, a bar, a wine cellar, a hot tub, and a spa that offers services for a fee. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve, the modestly priced 2-Star Motel 6 Santa Maria, CA - South offers many amenities including a pool, a coin-operated laundry, basketball and tennis courts, and complimentary coffee.