Mention California`s coastline and most people think of Big Sur, Monterey or the beaches of Southern California. But there`s much more to the coast than those three highly publicized areas-there`s also Morro Bay.
Between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Morro Bay is considered by some to be the ”jewel” of the California central coast. Others assert that it`s the ”heart” of California`s middle kingdom.
That hyperbole aside, although crowds often do fill the streets along the waterfront on weekends and during the summer, the town of 10,000 itself is clean and quiet at night. In fact, if you like commercial night life, you`ll have to go elsewhere. Those opting for after-dark activities will have to be content with a stroll on the beach, watching the moon and stars, or trying the movie theater or video stores in town.
Daytime activities, however, are limited only by your ability to participate. Outdoor enthusiasts can play tennis, go fishing, sailing, surfing, or windsurfing, play golf, jog, hike, bicycle, walk, ride in a canoe, kayak, or row a boat, and look for birds and other animal life.
If you`d rather spend time indoors, there are shops to explore, several museums, a library and, on chilly, cloudy days, you can always take a drive and explore the coast or snuggle up with a book in the comfort of your RV or motel room.
String of extinct volcanoes
Most visitors marvel at Morro Rock, an ancient landmark rising 576 feet above the doorway to Morro Bay. The last in a string of extinct volcanoes known as The Seven Sisters, Morro Rock was named by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo during his voyage of discovery up the California coast in 1542.
Once surrounded by water, Morro Rock itself provided stones for the breakwater leading to it. In the late 1800s, quarry workers earned 25 cents an hour working 10-hour days crumbling the giant rock.
Between 1880 and 1963, workers removed approximately 1.2 million tons of rock. By 1963, conservationists and politicians called for an end to the destruction and today Morro Rock is a state registered landmark. It is also home for the endangered peregrine falcon.
There`s plenty for today`s visitor to discover in Morro Bay. The embarcadero is popular, with harbor activities to watch, such as fishermen unloading a day`s catch, while gulls and pelicans beg for a tidbit or two. Adorable sea otters and noisy sea lions hunt for tasty clams and fish.
Shoppers won`t have to hunt for something good to eat or purchase. A multitude of stores provide everything from salt water taffy and squid to rare shells.
If you`d rather get out onto the bay, instead of viewing it from the shore, you`ll find a variety of tours, or you might want to explore on your own. Climb aboard the African Queen for a tour of the bay or choose a personalized kayak tour. Deep sea fishing is another way to see the area and perhaps catch some dinner as well. Rowboats and canoes are also available. In addition, there are surfboards and boogie boards available for rent.
Excellent base for exploring
You`ll discover plenty of restaurants, motels and places to camp in or near Morro Bay, an excellent base from which to explore your surroundings. If you like to camp near the windy shore, you`ll find a pleasant campground near Morro Rock. It`s an easy walk across the road to the beach where you can walk for miles.
Morro Bay State Park is located in the trees by the harbor. There you`ll find 135 campsites in a pine and eucalyptus forest planted during the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Each site has a picnic table, woodstove and food locker. Twenty sites have water and electrical hookups. Restrooms include hot showers, and there are laundry tubs and a sanitary dump station as well.
The state park offers an 18-hole golf course with a spectacular view of the Pacific, a Frisbee golf course, marina and cafe and a terrific view from atop Black Hill.
Before heading out of Morro Bay, you may want to visit the Museum of Natural History. Located on White Point, in Morro Bay State Park, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year`s Day. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children 6-12, and free to younger persons and all state park campers.
There`s a fine view of the bay from the museum.
Great area for birdwatching
No doubt you`ll see some of the more than 250 bird species recorded in the area as well. Birders have a good chance of observing great blue herons, black brant, a variety of grebes, coots, pelicans, marbled godwits, greater yellowlegs, black-crowned night herons, egrets, multiple types of gulls and swallows.
The museum displays some of these species and includes exhibits about Native American history as well. In addition, the museum presents field outings, slide shows, lectures, movies and puppet shows. Check at the museum and campgrounds for more information regarding times.
It`s an easy walk northwest of the museum to the Heron Rookery Natural Preserve. Located in a grove of eucalyptus trees, this is one of California`s largest great blue heron rookeries. Nests are active between February and June. Other nesting birds include cormorants and great egrets.
From Morro Bay, it`s a short drive south to Montana de Oro State Park, or north to San Simeon and Hearst Castle. Montana de Oro State Park is more than 8,000 acres in size and consists of seven miles of shoreline. This includes sandy beaches to the north, rugged cliffs and headlands to the south.
A number of small coves intrigue hikers, with Spooner`s Cove being the most accessible, also undoubtedly the most popular. This park is truly a hiker`s paradise, with trails traversing the chaparral-covered hills that are decorated with California live oak and Bishop pine.
Willows, big-leaf maples, myrtles, black cottonwoods and box elders line the canyons. A trail leads to 1,347-foot Valencia Peak where hikers can see nearly 100 miles of shoreline, stretching from Piedras Blancas in the north to Point Sal in the south.
Lots of wildlife
Wildlife is abundant. Look for fox, bobcats, coyote, badgers, raccoons, skunks, rabbits and even an occasional mountain lion. Bird life is equally exciting, with many species visible. Wildflower lovers will want to visit the area in spring and early summer when a brilliant display of delicate flowers
(including California`s state flower, the poppy) blanket the landscape. Yellow is the predominant color, resulting in the name Montana de Oro, or Mountain of Gold.
There`s color of another sort along the California coast from early October through March when monarch butterflies gather in this region. The beautiful orange and black insects form dense clusters on trees, each hanging with its wings down, covering the butterfly below it. Like shingles on a roof, this method provides the butterflies some shelter from the rain and it keeps the group warm too.
Check with the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce or the Museum of Natural History for the best viewing spots.
There`s a 50-unit campground located across the road from Spooner`s Cove, although motorhome and trailers are limited to 24 feet in length. Primitive toilets are nearby; showers aren`t available. Each site has a picnic table and woodstove.
Visitors with tents or sleeping bags may want to consider camping at one of four environmental campsites. Pack the necessities and head over to Bloody Nose, Hazard Grove, Badger Flat or Deer Flat camps.
Two are located in the trees (and are thus protected from the wind), the remaining two rest on ridges overlooking the ocean and can be a bit windy in the spring and fall. Reservations are required all year and cost $9 between April 6 and Oct. 26 and $7 per night the rest of the year. Each site includes a picnic table and chemical toilet. You must bring your own water and walk several hundred yards from the parking areas to the camps.
When traveling to or from Montana de Oro State Park, you`ll pass through the town of Los Osos and the Los Osos Oaks State Reserve, located one mile southeast of town on Los Osos Valley Road.
Take a self-guided hike
Stop here to hike a one-mile self-guided trail through a grove of coast live oaks. Some are mere dwarfs, measuring 6 to 8 feet in height when mature. Growing in the mineral-depleted soil of ancient sand dunes, the dwarfed oaks are stunted for life.
Another state park, Morro Strand State Beach, sits north of Morro Bay a mile or so. Formerly called Atascadero State Beach, the 104-site campground rests behind a series of small sand dunes that provide protection from the brisk prevailing winds that usually kick up in the afternoon. There are cold water outdoor showers for rinsing off sand. Again there is a limit of 24 feet for RVs.
Those who like to walk a sandy beach will want to take advantage of this area.
If you`re itching to head north a ways, you`ll pass through the small town of Cayucos (and a sandy beach and tidepools) en route to Hearst Castle, a beautiful, 28-mile drive north from Morro Bay.
Those who enjoy wonderful Sunday-type drives should buckle up and head east on California Highway 41 to Atascadero. You`ll see green hills, farmland and poppies in the spring, and pass through an area thick in an assortment of trees.
Upon reaching Atascadero, go north on U.S. 101, exiting at Hwy. 46 and heading west.
This is definitely one of the most beautiful portions of the trip, with rolling hills cloaked in green grass and an occasional farm house sitting off in the distance. Upon reaching the summit and heading downhill, you`ll see south to Morro Bay and beyond.
Hwy. 1 will take you south back to town, a total loop of about 60 miles.
Now that you know what to do and where to go, you`re probably wondering when to visit. Spring and fall are the best times. Annual precipitation is only 13 inches. Those visiting any time but summer have more opportunities for clear skies (summer visitors have to contend with coastal fog and overcast skies), and the temperature is usually mild. Best of all, crowds are usually few except on weekends.
Regardless of when you visit, you`re bound to find Morro Bay and surrounding areas are worthy of your vacation time.
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For more information, contact: Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce, Suite A-1, 895 Napa Ave., Morro Bay, Calif. 93442; 800-231-0592, or Department of Parks and Recreation, The Resources Agency, Box 942896, Sacramento, Calif. 94296.
