On California's Central Coast, Grover Beach is a laid-back oceanside town just south of the more touristy Pismo Beach, with a sleepier, more residential vibe and more area-affordable housing. “People living in Grover Beach get to enjoy the proximity to Pismo Beach without paying for the Pismo zip code,” says longtime resident Jennifer Mandulay, a Realtor with Blair Properties. “Your sand dollars go farther here.”
Access to Highway 1 and Highway 101 makes it easy for professionals to commute to nearby employers, while highly rated schools are a draw for families. “I love living in Grover Beach because of the relaxed lifestyle, low crime rate and convenient location just 20 minutes from San Luis Obispo to the north and Santa Maria to the south,” Mandulay says. “Many homes in Grover Beach are easily walkable or bikeable to the sand and surf. It's rare to be able to live so close to the beach, and it's a daily joy I don't take for granted.”
Oceano has a large natural preserve area.
Take a nap at the dunes by the Pacific Ocean in Oceano.
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Access to the popular Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Grover Beach is bordered by the Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve, a sandy stretch of coastline that sees far fewer tourists than Pismo Beach. The preserve includes California's only beach that allows vehicles, and the dunes here can also be explored on foot via a network of sandy trails. The public, 9-hole Pismo Beach Golf Course welcomes golfers to tee off just steps from the Pacific, while next door, thousands of monarchs cluster in the eucalyptus trees every year at Monarch Butterfly Grove.
There are several community parks in town, all with playgrounds and various sports facilities. Ramona Garden Park hosts several popular community events, including the weekly summer concert series on Sundays, and the Stone Soup Music Festival, Food, & Street Fair in August.
Oceano is home to the famous Oceano Dunes.
You can camp out at the beach in Oceano.
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A more affordable coastal option than neighboring Pismo Beach
At the start of 2025, Grover Beach's median home price was about $800,000. Though nearly twice the national median, this is lower than those in Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo, which range from $1 million to $1.5 million.
Along the town's sidewalk-lined suburban streets, most homes are single-family and built throughout the 20th and 21st centuries; undeveloped lots are also for sale. Most properties are set across Highway 1 from the ocean, and the most expensive are either new or remodeled two-story homes that often have rooftop decks or balconies with ocean views. Condominiums, townhouses and manufactured homes can also be found, and some of the latter are on the ocean side of the highway.
Locals in Oceano have well-kept lawns and ranch-style homes.
Oceano has a few modern condo communities throughout the neighborhood.
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A local commercial corridor on West Grand Avenue, plus retail shopping in nearby towns
Grover Beach doesn’t have a conventional downtown area, though it does have a small commercial district along the thoroughfare of West Grand Avenue. This corridor is lined with locally owned cafes, eateries and shops along with a handful of grocery and fast-food chains. Several streetscape improvement projects are underway to make this stretch more pedestrian and bicycle friendly with new sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes. A number of mixed-use developments are also currently under construction here, adding new commercial and residential space to this growing area.
Residents are just south of Pismo Beach Premium Outlets with dozens of popular retailers, and just a few miles west of the lively and walkable Village of Arroyo Grande with boutique shopping and popular local restaurants.
You can grab a quick bite for lunch at Dune Side Deli in Oceano.
Efren's is a staple of Mexican cuisine in Oceano.
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Lucia Mar Unified School District is home to the best public high school in San Luis Obispo County
Grover Beach is part of Lucia Mar Unified School District, which serves roughly 10,000 students and is rated A-minus by Niche. The district’s A-plus-rated Central Coast New Tech High School is an application-based school of choice, ranked by Niche as the No. 1 public high school in San Luis Obispo County.
Arroyo Grande High School serves grade levels 9-12th grade levels in San Luis Obispo county.
Oceano Elementary School is the home of the Dolphins.
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Decreasing rates of violent and property crimes
According to the most recent crime report released by the Grover Beach Police Department, overall crime rates decreased by 17% between 2022 and 2023. Rates of violent crime dropped by 7%, and rates of property crime fell by 23%.
Local buses and an Amtrak station with access to Highway 1 and Highway 101
Highway 1 and Highway 101 provide commuters with access to destinations along the coast. San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority buses connect riders to stops throughout the county, and Grover Beach’s Amtrak station serves the Pacific Surfliner and Amtrak Thruway buses. Dignity Health Arroyo Grande Community Hospital is just a couple miles away in Arroyo Grande, and the small San Luis Obispo County Airport is about 11 miles north with nonstop commercial flights to several major U.S. hubs.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
