Many people head to the coast to spend time at the beach over Memorial Day weekend, but many said crowds in Pismo Beach this year seemed a little smaller than during holiday weekends prior to the pandemic.
“Just going to relax and enjoy, well, we were going to enjoy the weather. It (the fog) hasn't broken yet. Just enjoy some of the good food and just the atmosphere,” said Fremont resident David Macie.
"I guess I drove through around this time last year, saw a guy playing the saxophone and we just loved it, so i said ‘I'm going to bring back my wife and have a great time,’ so that's what we're doing,” said Steve Bekowski from New Orleans.
KSBY also checked in with some local restaurants and despite the crowds, they say business is actually down this weekend from previous Memorial Day weekends.
"We got here last night, evening time, and there was hardly any traffic driving down here at all, which is really nice this time of the year, especially during a holiday weekend," said Fremont resident Steve Macie.
For some, visiting during Memorial Day weekend is a tradition even though it feels a little different this year.
"I do this trip a couple of times a year and regardless, not disappointed," said Bahman Engheta of Santa Monica.
Local serviceman Rich Carpentier said he enjoyed spending Memorial Day walking down the pier, meeting new people and enjoying the ambiance.
"Obviously there's times in the year, parts of the year, where it's more chaotic. You live here long enough and you kind of know where to park, when to come," Carpentier said.
The fog stayed around for most of that day in Pismo Beach, but that didn’t keep people from flying kites, having picnics and enjoying being able to spend time on the coast with fewer COVID-19 restrictions in place.
