BJ's ATV Rentals, Inc — Attraction in Grover Beach

We had a party of 10 so we were able to get the group discount. If you aren't able to get the group discount, you can still check-in on Yelp to get a $5 discount on gas on each rental! It is also better to reserve ahead of time as we did. There weren't many people on the slightly rainy Saturday in December that we went on, but expect it to get crowded in sunnier conditions! After our group discount it was $75 per person plus a $100 refundable deposit per person upon return.

Things to consider bringing or wearing:

1. Long pants and socks (jeans preferably) because the exhaust gases can be hot and you'll be better off if you fall.
2. Headsock because the helmets smell pretty bad. People sweat in them, what do you expect? I actually used my hoodie as a headsock, but they also sell them there too.
3. Gloves because they dampen the vibrations from the ATV and offer more grip. They are also sold there.
4. Sunscreen, though we went on a somewhat cloudy/partially sunny day with some rain.
5. Good tough shoes, kind of like the type you would wear when riding a motorcycle.
6. Goggles or sunglasses. They give you free ones, but you can buy new ones as well.

There are 4 ATV models that are offered, both in manual and automatic versions. We all rented the Honda 250EX, which is a semi-automatic model. Many people in our group had never operated a manual transmission vehicle before and despite that, the operation of the 250EX was easy to pick up when taught to us by the instructor. It was also fairly fast! The 400EX is a full manual and only for experienced dirt bike riders.

We parked at the business office and were shuttled to the beach where all the ATV's were at once we signed all waivers, paid fees, and received our equipment. I was instantly overtaken by the natural beauty of the beach when we arrived. Once on our ATV's we took a short trip along the shore towards the dunes where the real fun began.

Good tips while at the dunes:

1. Approach descents slowly and survey the area before crawling down, foot brake if necessary.
2. If you're going to go up a hill, make sure you commit to it and build enough speed so that you won't end up stuck half way up or worse, having to retreat from the attempt and come back down.
3. If you are stuck, do not keep accelerating, you'll just dig yourself into a deeper hole. Instead, rock back and forth to free yourself or use reverse gear. And when using reverse, it is better to use the handbrake.

Lastly, the customer service was great. One of the ATV's in our group broke down on the way back and I went back to notify staff. One of the reps followed me back to the stranded party with a new ATV while towing back the old one. We weren't charged any penalties for being a little late...

They provided a helmet and the ATV to us. Between tax and gas the final price was $82/person for two hours. My group of four was SO HAPPY!

Once you leave the rental office keep the red paper visible in your hand, it keeps things easier until you're on the ATV.

The shuttle: From the rental office you'll drive barely 5 minutes to the beach. You can street park or pay $5 to drive on the beach. We chose to street park and use the shuttle. On the way back there was a BMW stuck in the sand so I'm glad we street parked.

They said the shuttle comes every 5-10 but I think our time there was a hiccup. We called the office a few times after it had been 20 minutes. The directions also mention to wait by the picnic tables but it's really PAST the picnic tables about half way down towards the water. However, why I think there was a hiccup was both shuttles (a white van and a tan suburban) came at the same time.

The ride: Fairly quick check in depending on the groups on the shuttle with you. They start the clock with enough time extra for you to get on the ATV first (ie we checked in/got the helmets around 1145 but they put 12pm on the red paper for return time). I think it actually left us a few minutes extra by the time we actually got on the ATV if I remember right. Some of them had some kick to them while some others... less so. Our one friend could go up any sand dune while some of us got stuck a few times... but for first time use for half the group, it was still really a nice place to rent. A stranger actually came to help me the one time I got stuck and my friends went way on ahead of me so if you're a first time user, just know others might come help if you get stuck.

Finishing up: Easy return of the ATVs. We made it back with 5 minutes to spare. If you are late (I believe by 15 minutes) they'll charge you an extra hour so I was happy to be done just about perfectly. Your thumb will be happy to finish by then anyhow if you don't ride a lot (2hrs of pushing the throttle with just your thumb can get painful). The shuttle back was quick this time and the office was a little busy but still friendly and going as fast as they could for our $100 deposit void receipts.

All in all, a great time and my friends and I are very happy with...

I had an HORRIFIC experience of renting ATVs from BJ's ATV Rental, and it was a complete disaster from start to finish. I made a reservation in advance, thinking it would save time during check-in, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The whole process was poorly organized and inefficient.

Upon arriving, we were met with two lines: one for reservations and the other for walk-ins. Shockingly, the walk-in line moved at a much faster pace, leaving those of us who had paid ahead of time waiting for over an hour and a half just to be served. It was frustrating and made absolutely no sense.

To make matters worse, the manager, an older white lady, was extremely rude and unprofessional. When I inquired about changing the ATV since the one I wanted wasn't available, she responded with a snide remark, "how about it's not available!" It was apparent that customer service was the last thing on her mind.

The entire establishment seemed chaotic and disorganized, giving the impression that they had no clue how to run their business. The staff's incompetence and lack of courtesy were astonishing. I felt disrespected and even discriminated against due to the manager's rude attitude. It was an uncomfortable and distressing experience.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the condition of the ATVs was terrible. Half of them seemed to be broken, and they continuously broke down during our supposed 2-hour ride. This made the already short ride even more disappointing, wasting much of our time.

Adding insult to injury, the helmets provided were absolutely disgusting. They reeked and appeared as though they had never been cleaned. It was unsanitary and unacceptable, putting our safety at risk.

I cannot emphasize this enough: avoid BJ's ATV Rental at all costs. Their lack of professionalism, poor customer service, and low-quality equipment make it a place to steer clear of. There are undoubtedly better ATV rental locations in the area, and I regret not choosing one of them instead. Save yourself the frustration and disappointment and book from a different rental service. Trust me; you'll thank...