This past weekend was my sister’s birthday along with Memorial Weekend, for her birthday she wanted to go ATVing in the Sand Dunes at Pismo Beach, CA. She is currently in college at San Luis Obispo (SLO) – Cal Poly which was really convenient.
Memorial Weekend is stated to be one of the busiest weekend for Pismo Beach and I can see why. Sun’s out and whether is perfect. I made reservations with BJ’s ATV Rental in Grover Beach, CA for May 26, 2018 at 9:00am for 7 of us.
Process: When you first arrive you have to check in, pay, sign waivers, and listen to their thorough instructions. We came early and it was not as hectic, but there were still lots of people waiting for their turns. One you finish with payment and waivers, you have to drive about 2-3 mins to the Dunes where the ATVs are located. There is plenty of street parking, but be sure to arrive early because spaces gets filled up really fast.
Once at the entrance you will see a picnic table and you wave down or find the BJs ATV Rental shuttle van. (There is a public bathroom available so if you need to go I highly suggests that you do so, if not then there are portable toilets on the dunes). Once picked up in the shuttle, they drive a couple miles into the beach where the ATVs dune entrance is. I was surprised at how many RVs and Campers there are on the Dunes! Man incredible that they do this for fun; kids and adults of all ages!
Then you check in for a second time where they hand you your helmets and googles if they have any available (they only have a limited supply of goggles so bring your glasses/sunglasses)! Once you receive your helmet, you head over to the guys who teaches you quick instructions on how to start, turn off, and shift gears on your ATVs. We rented the Honda 250EX (semi-automatic). The instructions were extremely fast they just put you on the ATV, but it’s pretty simple to understand, but takes awhile to get a handle and grip on your ATV, (which can be scary for first timers as you have yet to learn how to control your ATV–if you are short like me, it can he a little difficult since you need to sit a litter closer to the handles) but do not fret after 20 minutes or so you get used to it and start to ride the dunes with more fun.
Note: If there are any issues with your ATV and you can’t get it to start always call the number that they provide you and they will walk you through it or at times you can catch one of the workers roaming around and is willing to help you.
The rental period is either two (2) or four (4) hours and they make note of your return time on your rental papers, so be sure to have a timer or keep track of the time on your phone and/or watch.
This is a video clip if the entrance after you get your ATV:
Experience: When I first sat on the ATV I was really scared on how to start it and pressing on the gas, but you just gotta go for it (in the most safest ways ofcourse). You should begin with gently pressing on the gas and then put more pressure as you continue on to the dunes. I am short so I think it might be a little more difficult because you should be sitting more near the rear of the seat for more control, but then when I do, it is hard for me to reach the handle bars and it gets a bit strained, but fair enough it still worked out once you find the perfect position for yourself.
You begin with riding on the sand that is majority flat until about maybe 1/4 a mile when you actually ‘enter’ the dunes. It’s an incredible sight to see, as windy and sandy as it is in person on camera the image is so clear and beautiful. The dunes can get really high and steep so be wary of where you are going if you do not have much experiences. I get scared fast so going down a steep sand hill is terrifying. LOL. It was really windy so at times I felt like I was being pushed around by the wind often so be sure to hold on tight to your handles. You see a lot of people doing donuts as well. I wished I was able to take more photos and videos, but it was really hard. My sister and I did stop on the side and take a few photos before end of our rental period.
Plenty of times our ATV got stuck in the sand when we tried to go uphill, but it was not hard to pull/push it up and out of the sand with 2 people. Be sure to always travel in the sand dunes with a buddy especially when people in your group trails off into other directions.
The other riders on the dunes who were not part of the rentals companies, I mean those who seems to go there pretty often and have campgrounds are really nice as well. A lot of them offered to help when our bikes were stuck. Oh, and the kids on the ATV can really shock you at how great they are!
Here is also another video clip of my brother recording while riding:
The sand dunes is H-U-G-E, so don’t get lost and also do not go into the bowls, those are meant for the more advances riders with I think motobikes and not 4 wheeler ATVs.
Two hours seems like a short amount of time, but I think it was a perfect amount for first timers. (My brother had technical problems with his bike that was not out fault which caused delays and cut his time short of having to wait for the workers to decipher the issues, so due to that they allotted us an extra 30 minutes) I bet if you go more often and have a lot more fun and can do tricks you’ll want to stay on the ATV forever. I can totally see why it’s such a fun and addictive sport. It really pumps your adrenaline if you are into these type of sports.
Customer Service: BJs ATV Rentals’ customer service was superb. They were fast and efficient and thorough with everything. Prior to making reservations, my sister read a lot of their reviews and was scared by some of the stories but we had zero issues at all and they answered and helped us out without any issues.
Rental Price/Equipment: Prices may change and but here is a link to their rental page. For us it was $82 (after tax) for two (2) hour rental and $100 deposit for damages (which is refundable). Helmet and Goggle are included in the price. Goggles are limited.
Tip: Bring sunglasses just incase and a light scarf for when you return your rental and need to wait for the next shuttle! Also, you can pay your rentals separately, but the process will take a long time so if you can designate one person t pay and just pay the person back on your own either by cash or venmo you can save a lot of time! Oh, wear long pant and long sleeves with zippers or carry a backpack to put in all your belongings. I used my Longchamp Le Pliage backpack and I loved it, it was lightweight and easy to clean off the sand afterwards.
Verdict: Great experience, would definitely do it again! 10/10!
Have y’all ever been to the sand dunes?
With Love, Settle
