About Avila Beach CDP, California
Avila Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 1,627 at the 2010 census. It is a resort community located on San Luis Obispo Bay about 160 miles (260 km) north of Los Angeles and about 200 miles (320 km) south of San Francisco. The name “Avila” comes from the Rancho San Miguel de Avila, a Mexican land grant given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to his uncle, Nicolás Avila.
The area around Port San Luis was first settled by the Chumash people. They occupied two villages in the area, one on each side of the mouth of Avila Creek. The name “Avila” comes from the Rancho San Miguel de Avila, a Mexican land grant given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to his uncle, Nicolás Avila.
In 1868, Captain David Grieve bought the rancho from Avila’s heirs and established a whaling station. It operated until 1886 when the last whale was caught near Pismo Beach. Grieve’s son-in-law, Frank Miller, bought the rancho from Grieve’s estate in 1905 and developed it into a dairy farm. Miller also built a hotel on the property which he called the Avila Beach Hotel.
The U.S. Post Office opened a post office in Miller’s store in 1909 and changed its name to Avila in 1910 at Miller’s request. The first paved road was built in 1916 and led from Port San Luis to Avila Beach. In 1918, the U.S. Army established Camp Robert Smalls on 250 acres (100 ha) of land just north of Avila Beach for use as an artillery training ground. The camp was named after Robert Smalls, a hero of the American Civil War who later served as a Congressman from South Carolina.
The camp remained active until after World War II when it was closed and its land was sold back to private owners. In 1954, the Avila Beach Land and Improvement Company was formed to develop the area as a resort community. It built a new hotel which opened in 1958 and began offering waterfront lots for sale. The original wooden pier was destroyed by storms several times before being replaced with a concrete pier in 1966 which remains in use today.
Avila Beach became a popular destination for tourists and locals alike and continues to be so today. It is well known for its gentle surf, scenic views, and quaint small-town atmosphere.