JILL WEINLEIN

After graduating from UCLA, JIll traveled the world looking for unique destinations. She’s been writing about her travels for almost 30 years in various publications.

She writes a weekly restaurant review for the Beverly Press and Park LaBrea News. It’s inserted into the Los Angeles Times every Thursday and delivered to subscribers from Hancock Park to Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills to the Wilshire Corridor.

Holiday Getaway at Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach

During the holidays, families seeking a resort to gather and spend quality time together will appreciate the newer Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach. Built in 2019, it’s an ideal beach front property located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Families can celebrate together in this coastal beach house inspired property without having to prep and clean up holiday meals.

Incorporated as a city in 1946, Pismo Beach is celebrating it’s 75th anniversary this year. The city recently refurbished their iconic pier and boardwalk, yet still left the old charm of this popular Hollywood stopover while vacationers continued driving to San Simeon and San Francisco.

The majority of the spacious 124 beach-chic stylish guest rooms and suites have ocean views and a patio or balcony. The oversized bathrooms offer bath amenities, showers and bathtubs.

Guests waking up to the sound of the waves can join a complimentary morning stretch or gentle yoga class at the resort. They also offer guided beach walks on certain days starting at 8 a.m.

Afterwards walk two blocks to the Old West Cinnamon Rolls shop. These fresh out-of-the-oven large cinnamon rolls are made with a variety of toppings. Purchase some with a hot coffee to-go and take it out on the pier for panoramic views of the city, surfers, beachcombers and marine life.

The expansive outdoor deck at Vespera Resort offers a heated pool and hot spa. It’s a popular spot for guests with families throughout the day. Additional resort activities include an indoor fitness center, lawn games, and use of complimentary beach chairs, beach umbrellas, beach toys, and fishing gear.

The property is also dog-friendly, offering designated dog-friendly guest rooms and fun pet amenities. Besides a lawn area, there is a dog-friendly beach just beyond the doors of the resort. Well behaved dogs are welcomed at check-in with a Pismo Pup Club-branded dog tag. Throughout the resort are fresh water bowls, and gathering spots for both dogs and owners to socialize, including the outdoor deck and Somerset Grill’s outside patio for drinks and treats.

The Pismo Preserve is a dog-friendly hiking area that is open for exploration, and the Central Coast offers a variety of wine and beer tasting experiences. Learn about the local culture and discover new grape varieties produced in the historic winemaking regions of Edna valley, Arroyo Grande and Avila Valley. All are located just 30 minutes outside of downtown Pismo Beach. Edna Valley offers dog-friendly wineries including Biddle Ranch, Claiborne & Churchill, and Baileyana Tangent.

Other outdoor activities include butterfly gazing. The Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove is one of only five sites in California that is home to over 10,000 vibrant orange and black Monarch Butterflies. Their delicate wings seek shelter by clustering on the limbs of Eucalyptus trees from October to February.

After a day of sightseeing, the Somerset Grill at Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach prepares piping hot bowls of Seaside chowder. Chef Frank Barajas, winner of the Top Chef competition at the 16th Annual Taste of Pismo Beach, crafts coastal dishes with regional and seasonal ingredients. His chowder is filled with baby clams, bay shrimp, white fish and applewood smoked bacon. Special menus will be prepared during the holidays for guests and locals to enjoy without the preparation and clean up.

Dine inside at one of the comfortable booths or on the heated al fresco patio overlooking ocean and sunset views. Later take a glass of your favorite beverage out to an Adirondack chair next to a flickering fire pit on the nearby Starlight Lawn. Strings of lights above this area create an inviting environment.

Vespera Resort offers ADA wheelchair accessibility at the public entrance, lobby, registration desk, room corridors, hallways, and 32-inch or greater doorway width for ADA wheelchair accessibility. There are ADA accessible mobility and hearing enhanced rooms, and ADA bathrooms featuring roll-in showers or accessible bathtubs, grab bars lowered fixtures and a handheld shower wand. The dining areas and bar are ADA accessible, and there is an ADA pool chair and lift.

Enjoy a beach theme holiday experience this year at Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach. It’s a welcoming resort to everyone in your family.

147 Stimson Avenue, Pismo Beach, CA 93449. To make a reservation, call (805) 773-1011 or go online to WWW.MARRIOTT.COM