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Visitor Center

The Dunes Center is open from 10am-4pm Tuesday through Sunday.
Our Location:
1055 Guadalupe Street, Guadalupe, CA 93434

The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center

Founded in 1999, the Dunes Center is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. The Dunes Center was originally conceived by a group of concerned citizens and in 1989 the Nature Conservancy’s efforts to help preserve and restore the Guadalupe Beach and Oso Flaco Lake Natural Areas planted the seeds for a dunes visitor center. The Dunes Center was finally opened in 1996 in a small storefront in central Guadalupe and evolved, over time, into our current existence. In 1998, the Dunes Center, seeking non-profit status, was adopted by the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County and eventually became an independent and thriving non-profit in 1999.

We moved from the storefront into our 1910 craftsman home in 2000 and shortly thereafter grew into office space in the craftsman replica next door. Now we work daily to fulfill our mission in numerous ways. We have a thriving education program, reaching over 7,000 students each year. We offer docent led walks in the dunes. We have guest speakers for our volunteers, members, and local community. We have quarterly Members Events. In addition, we are the Administrator of what is known as the Dunes Collaborative—a coalition of state agencies, federal agencies, local governments, and nonprofits.

Our Mission

The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center promotes the conservation and restoration of the Guadalupe-Nipomo dunes ecosystem through education, research, and the support of cooperative stewardship.