Contact Information Visit Website West Main Street Guadalupe CA Share Categories Bird Watching Recreation & Outdoor View On Map This birding hotspot is located at the western end of California Highway 166. It is approximately 15 miles west of Santa Maria and 4.5 miles west of Guadalupe. Highway 166 intersects with Highway 101 in Santa Maria at Main Street. There is a parking lot at the west end of Highway 166. This parking lot and the immediate area are also referred to as Rancho Guadalupe County Park. The Estuary is located immediately north of the parking lot. The Santa Maria River Estuary has long been considered one of the best birding hotspots in Santa Barbara County. It is a breeding location for the endangered Western Snowy Plover and the endangered Least Tern. More than 200 species have been reported here. In the fall, it isn’t uncommon to see thousands of shearwaters on the horizon. Gray Whale sightings are relatively common from shore. The adjacent beach is famous for its heavy surf (lots of brave surfers) and great surf fishing. The surrounding dune complex is one of the largest in the United States. It has been the background for numerous movies including the original Cecile B. DeMille’s Ten Commandments and the Disney Film, The Rocketeer. Bird Watcher’s Digest recently published a feature on Santa Maria Valley, saying that the Santa Maria Valley is “an incredible birding area.” Bird Watcher’s Digest named a few of the best locations to spot birds throughout the valley, including the Rancho Guadalupe County Park and Dunes, the Barka Slough, Jim May Park, Colson Canyon and Oso Flaco Lake. Many birdwatchers also know that one of the best places to find birds is the Santa Maria Water treatment plant, which is one of few water treatment plants in the United States that still offers public access for birdwatching, as long as you follow basic safety guidelines. Read more about the Santa Maria Valley’s birdwatching potential here. Happy birding!
cnagy wines Leave with new friends and perceptions. For Clarissa Nagy, winemaking has surpassed a passion. She is determined, and she has prioritized the wine experience for whoever decides to sip one of her delicately made wines. Her winemaking journey in the Santa Maria Valley came as a pleasant surprise in the early 2000s. The Santa Maria […]
Klondike Pizza Klondike Pizza has been serving up Good Times ‘n Good Grub on the Central Coast since 1988! Surrounded in an Alaskan atmosphere, guests have the opportunity to enjoy pizza, burgers, sandwiches, salads and real Reindeer sausage. While you wait, munch on peanuts and feel free to toss your shells onto the floor.
Blacklake Golf Resort Located in Nipomo, Blacklake Golf Resort is a local favorite. From pristine lakeside fairways to oak-studded doglegs, Blacklake offers a unique 27-hole championship golf experience that will challenge every golfer.
Central Coast Aquarium The Central Coast Aquarium welcomes all visitors, friends and family, to indulge in the splendor of the Central Coast’s beauty and the wonder within the waters brought to land. Between hands-on experiences like the Exhibit Hall’s touch tanks or close encounters with swell sharks, to engaging academic programs where kiddos learn to walk on sea […]
November 07 PCPA: The Little Mermaid Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a spectacular holiday production that will amaze families. PCPA will collaborate with director Melissa Rain Anderson (Always…Patsy Cline) and New York City’s 2 Ring Circus to bring breathtaking aerial feats and imaginative theatrical magic to tell the story of Ariel, the beautiful young mermaid who longs to leave her ocean home to […]
November 21 Great American Melodrama - The Holiday Extravaganza November 21 – December 31 See Scrooge find his Christmas spirit in a heart-warming tale of holiday magic, laugh until your sides ache at the zany characters in a fractured fairy tale opera, and celebrate the music of the season in our Holiday Vaudeville Revue. Our holiday triple bill is a very special family tradition designed […]
December 10 Naughty Oak: Taco Tuesday with El Sabor Latino Chef Merari of El Sabor Latino always brings his amazing Honduran-style street tacos and spicy orange salsa for Taco Tuesday. At $2 a taco, you can have ALL THE TACOS, as well as all of the other awesome menu items like enchiladas, queso tacos, flautas and more. Check them out at 5:30 pm. Naughty Oak […]
December 13 Cubanissimo: LIVE Music featuring Jeff Elliott (Trumpet & Piano Man) Join us on 12/13 from 7:00-9:00 pm and enjoy LIVE MUSIC by Jeff Elliott (Trumpet & Piano Man) at the Cubanissimo Cuban Coffee House & Cafe in Orcutt! Grab some delicious Cuban cuisine or a cocktail and get your weekend started! Jeff Elliott, an unassuming and often underrated player, embodies the concept of musicianship. This […]