Welcome To Nipomo
Mapmakers changed the name but not the atmosphere. It was no mistake that so many of the Chumash people found themselves in Nipumu’, where fresh water flowed so near the abundant Pacific Ocean. The weather varied little from winter to summer; breezes that buffeted villages in nearby Pismu and Axwapsh were mitigated here by the lay of the land.
Today, the unincorporated area that stretches from the steep sand dunes east through Nipumu’ and on to Stemeqtatimi, or Temetate, is home to more than 22,000 people who revel in the relatively rural atmosphere and sunny weather nearly year-round.
The commercial district of Nipomo, as it has was renamed by European map-makers, now spans Highway 101 roughly midway between Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande. It offers a handful of restaurants, shops and parks, and dwindling open space. But what it lacks in numbers it makes up for in quantity.
For decades, travelers have ventured out of their way to visit Jocko’s, the city’s most famous eatery. For most of its six decades in business, the no-frills eatery served up the only memorable eats for miles.
In more recent years, other notable eateries have taken their place in town: Pikul’s Thai Cuisine, 539 W. Tefft St., Cowgirl Café, 501 Orchard Road, and Pi Pizzaria, 133 S. Thompson Road, to name a few.
Growth has also branched into the recreational offerings. The community boasts three major golf resorts with 18 holes each at Blacklake and Cypress Ridge, and 41 holes at Monarch Dunes, the com-munity’s latest addition.
New development is also learning to embrace the well-established trail system provided here for the community’s horseback crowd. Many backyards are home to equine family, and their riders can be seen crossing city streets, or moseying just a putt away from expansive homes.
Local residents hold tightly to the rural traditions and the historical sites that preserve them
Local residents hold tightly to the rural traditions and the historical sites that preserve them. One such site is La Casa de Dana, the Dana adobe. Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos (DANA), a nonprofit organization, continues to restore, promote and educate visitors about the oldest structure in town which dates back to 1839. Construction was completed in 1851 under the supervision of its owner, designer and chief resident, Capt. William G. Dana of Boston, Mass. Today, visitors relive those early days through the effort of an active group of volunteers that staff special events throughout the year.
And while some develop the land, others continue to fight to preserve it, hoping to provide the same serenity the Chumash once found here.
One such effort is the establishment and ongoing development of Nipomo Native Gar-den in Nipomo Regional Park. Originally envisioned as an unimproved parcel abundant with local flora, the garden has come to include a manu-factured wetland, crushed granite pathways and shade structures. Owl boxes and raptor perches invite natural predators for any garden’s nemeses, while natural paths still offer a more natural up-close-and-personal visit with the native oaks.