A stunning city just 3.5 hours from Los Angeles, Morro Bay is ideal for a quick California road trip. Also, because of its proximity to Highway 1, it can also be experienced as a part of the Highway 1 road trip.
Morro Bay gets it’s name from the Morro Rock, a unique landscape that means “crown shaped hill” in spanish. If you are looking to spend a day here, we have got you covered! We will be sharing all the information that you need to make this trip memorable – hotels, things to do, perfect time to visit and restaurants you need to try. Let’s get started!
Key takeways:
- Top Places in Morro Bay: Morro Bay State Park, Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay Downtown (Embarcerado), Los Osos Oaks State natural Reserve, Morro Bay T Pier, Cayucos Beach, Spooner’s Cove
- Top Activities in Morro Bay: Kayaking, Hiking Trails, Surfing, Camping
- Best Activity for Families: Otter Viewing at Morro Bay T-Pier, Kayaking with Otters in the Estuary (A Kayak Shack), Sunset at Morro Strand State Beach
- Best Activity for Couples: Kayaking with Otters in the Estuary, Soaking in Mineral Hot Springs, Hiking in Montana De Oro State Park
What is the best weather to visit Morro Bay?
Popular Months: Most of the tourists flock to this city in summer- July, August and September- when the weather is warm throughout the day and you can soak in the sun. It can get crowded during these months.
Our recommendation: If you want to avoid the crowds and still enjoy the relatively warm weather, you should visit in October, November or December. The days are warm enough for outdoor activities, with temperatures dropping after sunset.
We visited in mid-December when the temperature during the day was ranging from 70 F to 82 F and we were able to experience everything on our itinerary.
How to get to Morro Bay?
The most comfortable way to get to Morro Bay, is to take a roadtrip from LA. The distance is roughly 3.5 hours with normal traffic and you can also experience the scenic Highway 1 route which leads to Morro Bay.
If you prefer flying, the nearest airport to Morro Bay is San Luis Obispo, which is 14 miles from the city. The ticket prices are cheaper if you are flying from within California. Since it’s a regional airport, the ticket can get expensive for people planning to fly here from outside California.
Where can you stay in Morro Bay?
While booking our stay, we were exploring the hotels listed below:
- Sea Air Inn & Suites – Downtown/Restaurant Row : Perfect location close to the downtown and Morro Rock
- Price Range: $74 to $130 per night for 2 people (Depending on the season)
- Madonna Inn: Perfect for people looking to stay in unique accommodations. The inn has 110 rooms, each with a different theme and color scheme.
- Price Range: Over $130 per night for 2 people
We stayed at the Sea Air Inn and had no complaints. There are other hotels with similar budget on the same row that you can check out!
Things to Do in Morro Bay
This city offers a blend of activities for all types of travelers- hiking, state parks, wildlife viewing, surfing and beaches. We will cover some top things that you must do if you have only have one day to spend here:
Kayaking with Otters
An absolute must-do activity in Morro Bay, the estuary inside Morro Bay State Park offers you the most unique opportunity to kayak among the playful otters that inhabit this area. It is a perfect daytime activity that can be enjoyed by solo travelers, families and couples alike.
Renting Kayaks:
You can rent a single/double kayak from the kayak shacks inside Morro Bay State Park. We rented our kayaks from A Kayak Shack . You can rent a single kayak for $18 /hr (additional hour: $9) and a double kayak for $26 /hr (additional hour: $13 )
Tips:
- Ask for a dry bag to store carry your mobile phones or other valuables. It is included with your rental
- Carry a cap and water as the day can get pretty warm during the day. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen
- While there are multiple passages in the estuary, we found that an hour was enough to explore the highlights in the area. If you wish to explore all the canals in the estuary, it would take more than an hour to cover it.
- Keep atleast a distance of 60-100 feet between you and the otters. Make sure that the otters are at a resting state. If they appear agitated, you have gotten too close to them.
- You can kayak to the sand dunes and explore the dunes by foot. The ocean is visible on the other side of the dunes. Before you venture into the dunes, make sure the kayak is completely out of the water
- You can also kayak to the marina towards Morro Rock and watch the sea lions socialize with each other
- If you are lucky, you can spot otters right away from the parking lot of the kayak rental place. We were lucky to spot a bunch of them swimming next to the boats docked in the estuary
Montana De Oro State Park
Stretching over 8000 acres, this is one of the largest state parks in California. The state park is a beautiful drive with 7 miles of coastline and backcountry hiking trails that can be enjoyed with stunning views of the Ocean and Morro Rock. If you are short on time, we recommend the following activities in the park
- Stop along the lookouts while you drive through the State Park and enjoy the beautiful views of Ocean vista and the Morro Rock rising majestically from the sea.
- Explore Spooner’s Cove. Perfect for surfing on the waves entering the cove through a narrow passage (looks like a spoon), this beach can also be enjoyed by families.
Morro Strand State Beach
A protected beach in Morro Bay State Park, the highlight of this beach is, you guessed it right, the Morro Rock. The rock is a volcanic formation that stands prominent in the Morro Bay landscape.
Tip: You can drive down to the beach from Morro Bay downtown during sunset and enjoy a calm and beautiful sunset.
Morro Bay Downtown
Take a stroll through the community downtown in evening and enjoy some unique views of the marina. There are multiple souvenir shops which you can explore at leisure.
Restaurant Recommendation: While we are vegeterian and do not consume meat, we have heard great reviews of the clam chowder from Dorn’s Breakers Cafe. Do try their sour bread. It is absolutely delicious!
Morro Bay T-Pier (Otter Viewing Point)
if you are like us and can’t get enough of the wildlife in this area, you can head over to the T-shaped pier and enjoy watching otters frolicking in the marina and sea-lions resting some distance away.
This place also offers a beautiful sunset view of Morro Rock, in case you missed out on visiting the Morro Strand State Beach.
River Oaks Hot Spring
If you are like us and enjoy an occasional splurge, you can wind down after a day of exploring Morro Bay by booking a mineral hot tub soak. River Oaks Hot Spring is located 45 mins from Morro Bay and offers multiple options to soak in their natural hot springs.
We booked an hour of private mineral soak which costed us $28 per person. We found it a very sweet deal, especially since we visited in December. The temperatures had started dropping at night which made this activity a perfect escape from the chill.
Let us know if you indulge in any of these activities on your trip to Morro Bay. We are always looking for opinions on how to improve further. Please feel free to drop in any suggestions you may have for us, in the comments!
