We really just stumbled upon the Morro Bay Estuary Nature Center because we were visiting a gallery…read moreon the second floor of Marina Square in Morro Bay. It's so important to protect our natural environment, especially in California where it is so beautiful! As a former teacher, I found the information here would be very beneficial to students and tour groups. There's a beautiful view of Morro Rock, as well as informational displays about keeping the estuary safe and clean. It's a great place to spend some time on your tour of Morro Bay!

A very excellent museum, if you will, of the Estuary that really IS Morro Bay. Friendly staff up…read morefront and in the back is a docent who will set up some of their videos to watch. Displays are well done. Descriptions succinct enough to inform but not bore the visitor. I can imagine elementary school children racing through banging on anything with a button or opening the various drawers and niches throughout. For the more mature you will learn a lot going through here. Your admission is good for the day. We checked it out in the morning, left for lunch and came back later in the afternoon to look again. They have done a very fine job here and think it an excellent place to get oriented to Morro Bay and what makes it special. Quite an incubator of sea life to learn about.

nostalgic! I got such a feeling of being at my great grandparents home when I was little. This…read moreplace is big and has practically anything you would find from 1950s and before! You begin isn't artifacts from native Americans, then early beef ranchers, becoming the almond capital, various businesses from before the 1950s (like different variations of a dentist chair!) So many different rifles, taxidermy, service people outfits, types of horseless carriages, cars, barbed wire, an old printing press, blacksmith shop, movie cameras, and so much more! Even a toddler touch dramatic play area! This place is so well curated and the docents were so kind ! I can't believe we haven't been here before! I wish I had longer!

All the reviews are accurate. For such an unassuming exterior, the interior is a definite treasure…read moretrove of stuff. Of course, it is focused on Paso Robles history so it is really cool to learn about what got Paso Robles going. It has only been a wine town for the last 20 or so years but before that, it was known for hot springs. I came with my family and we got a kick out of all of it. There are so many recreations that truly help bring history to life. From the cars to the mini models of buildings back then, and the staff, you could spend a good afternoon just reading and learning all about the history of Paso Robles and what it was like to live in the early days. My personal favorite was the blacksmith, not for the history but the proportions. As for more practical bits to my review: There is a small parking lot with Pioneer park where you can park you car. No shade and it is narrow so be aware when you park there. They also have a small parking lot if I remember correctly but we ended up parking in Pioneer park since we got there before they opened. The entire property is dedicated to the museum so once you walk in the gates, you can start learning. It is also free admission so I am honestly amazed it is still going. Donate to help keep it going and maybe buy something from them! They also do have AC so if you want to escape the heat, go there. It is a big building so it did still get warm in 100 degree heat but it was much better than outside. I highly recommend stopping by since it is super fascinating. I sadly didn't take any pictures since I was so busy just learning about everything. So keep an eye out for that blacksmith! ;)

Across from Morro Rock on the mainland is the Morro Bay Maritime Museum. Outside of the museum is…read morethe gargantuan Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle, ready to deep submerge at any time, I suppose. Lol. You can't miss it parked in clear view of Embarcadero Road. Parking is free and plentiful. Hours for the museum are currently weekends only from 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. or by appointment. It wasn't open early enough for us, but the DSRV Avalon is there for your viewing pleasure. Public restrooms are nearby. Just head south towards the strip of eateries and shops. Will definitely have to watch "Gray Lady Down" (1977) that Kenneth H. mentioned in his review from 2/21/15. Neat piece of history. Keep it alive!

This is an incredible opportunity the be able to see up close and personal a real DSRV. Wow! read…read morethe history of the USS Thresher and why this submarine was built. Re live the thrilling movie The Hunt for Red October, and know that this is the machine that would have been used for rescue. Rather than spill all the beans, I will say stop by and enjoy the history in the future location of the Morro Bay Maritime Museum (planned at this time).

Enjoy eating al fresco with live music and watching the sunset? Walking outside amongst rolling…read morehills as the natural light changes from twilight to dusk to night under the stars? Discovering new vistas around every corner, with colorful LED light sculptures powered by solar panels, changing with the musical accompaniment? Come check out Sensorio! It's an innovative unique way to walk around outside and enjoy the fresh air while appreciating some life sized art installations. Appropriate for all ages! Glad to see the cleanliness of the whole grounds--there are multiple trash cans available along the winding gravel path, but also it seems the hundreds of people who visit from all over are respectful and don't litter. My favorite art installation was called Dimensions: metallic 3D geometric sculptures with lights casting shadows, some of which you can spin by hand to create new shadows, like a kaleidoscope.

My wife spotted this attraction. She signed up for the Terrace level, and as a result, we got a…read morefree glass of wine. You need to wait until after sunset to get the entire effect. So take your time, sip your wine or whatever, and then go for a walk. There are violet lights probably UV along the path to help you walk. The paths are CA6 gravel, and are fairly smooth. There was a high path and a low path - We needed steps, so we took both. There are bathrooms strategically placed so if you have to go while way out there, it isn't a problem. Look to the right of the toilet and push the foot pedal to flush. The bathrooms were clean. Two sections featured music, and as we were walking out there was a live jazz band playing. Don't forget to tip the band! We took around an hour. The path out is well marked and easy to follow. We were able to get back to the parking lot and found our car in the well-lit parking lot easily. This is good for kids and adults. Give it a go!

This was the most beautiful and fun Christmas market I have ever been to. We purchased a package…read moredeal with the Cambria Pines lodge that included a one night stay, entry into the Christmas market, parking and breakfast for the next morning. Our cottage was right next to the Christmas lights display entrance. It was so convenient. The light displays were amazing. We were both blown away by the beauty of it all. We were in a Christmas wonderland. There were so many vendors selling many different things. There were a lot of German made decorations and ornaments. Lynn's was selling their mini pies and cinnamon rolls. The nursery area had a gorgeous store with amazing displays of Christmas decorations that were all for sale. You could purchase succulents and plants. There was BBQ tri-tip and bratwurst in the nursery section. By the main entrance next to the lodge there was a beer garden. They had wood fired pizzas, cocktails and beer. There were also many more food vendors selling tamales, German pretzels and German desserts. We thought the Bratwurst on the pretzel bun was the best thing they had. We tried the tri-tip but thought it was just okay because the meat was dry. It was better after adding bbq sauce. We bought some mini pies from Lynn's that were excellent. I don't recommend the tomato and Gouda soup. It was way too sweet. The German pretzel was just okay. Things are pricey here. But that's how it is at most events like this. The staff were amazing and helpful! I really loved the Christmas music being played throughout the market. We really enjoyed ourselves and will be coming back next year. It's really worth checking out.

What a wonderful night! The shuttle was amazing. Quick on…read moreand off to and from. There were so many lights and displays to fill your night. The food was good. Obviously expensive but honestly not bad. They had tons of vendors to choose from.

I've visited multiple times and every experience has been wonderful -- the staff, the animals, the…read morecheese... EVERYTHING. Easily 5 stars. For those considering a visit: know that the road is steep and you should take a car. It's a tasting, not a full meal, and the focus is on quality and authenticity. If you appreciate a genuine farm experience on the beautiful Central California Coast, you'll love it. If you're expecting a restaurant with big portions, this probably isn't for you.

I finally made it to @stepladdercreamery !! It was well worth the wait. I have had their cheeses…read moreyears ago and have been wanting to visit the farm and see all the baby goats. The drive into the farm was so beautiful with the rolling green hills. Our tour guide took us up to the farm where we got to hold some of the baby goats. That was one of my favorite parts of the tour. Then we learned how they milk the goats and got to see where perfection was made.... The cheese! After the cheese aging room we went into the tasting room. That was my second favorite part of the tour! I loved trying all the cheeses that are in season. I was also excited to join the cheese club. It's different signing up randomly vs learning about the cheese making process and all the hard work that goes into making it at the farm. That's what got me to sign up for the cheese club. It makes you more excited to join the cheese club when you're there in person. Plus I like the exclusivity factor of some of the special cheese and things I get to experience. If I could change anything it would be to spend more time with the goats. I love animals. I could have held my baby goat for hours. I almost wish they had a tour where you could just go hang out with the goats. And then I also heard a rumor that they used to have ice cream. I would love to try the ice cream produced at this farm!! But other than that I would definitely do this again! I can see my future charcuterie boards with the delicious @stepladdercreamery cheese all over my boards. And it's so exciting!

Road tripping in Templeton, CA. The town of Templeton is a small but mighty town. We were driving…read moredown the main drag... South Main Street when we spotted a huge milk bottle statue in front of a cute house. So of course we stopped to investigate this roadside attraction. The roadside attraction turned out to be the Templeton Historical Museum. But shucky darn, it was not open. It's open Friday-Sunday 1-4pm and staffed by volunteers. There is a main house, blacksmith building, and train station building. Each building houses artifacts and photos from the past. Even though the museum was closed, we walked about the grounds and grabbed a print out of the historic sights about the town. Templeton was established in 1886. The land was part of the Paseo de Robles land grant. It was the last stop of the Southern Pacific railroad at that time. The town was named after the railroad Vice President Charles F. Crocker's two year old son, Charles Templeton Crocker. Charles F. Crocker was the son of Charles Crocker, one of the big four associates of the Central Pacific Railroad. On the grounds. (1) The 12 foot tall milk bottle is from Crescent Farms dairy. Built by Gregory Rossi in the 1930s and was displayed on the dairy in south Templeton. The dairy was founded by Gregory' father, Vincente, a Swiss Italian immigrant. Brothers, Gregory and Vincent took over the dairy when their father retired. The milk bottle was moved in the 1950s when Highway 101 was built. In 2017, it was donated to the museum. Oh by the way, Mr Rossi named the dairy Crescent Farms due to the shape of the land. (2) Sea fossil of a baleen whale skull with parts of it found and shoulder blade. In 1999, it was discovered on Gaye's Ranch in Shadow Valley off Highway 46 west. Mrs Gaye displayed it in her yard on the ranch. After her passing, her children donated it in 2007. An anthropologist studied it to be 7-18 million years old. Amazing! It sits now in the front yard of the museum for all to see. (3) El Camino real bell. It's displayed right next to the milk bottle. It's an original, one of the hundreds placed on the 700 mile stretch of Mission Highway in 1906. (4) Native American grinding stone. This is located at the side of the house. The Salinan people lived in this area before European settlement. (5) 1938 Aeromotor windmill. Model A702 with a 8 foot shell. It sits behind the house. The windmill was used to pump water from underground. (6) The Hortsman house. It serves as the museum. Albert Hortsman, a prominent local businessman, had the house built in 1920 and it originally sat on Sixth and Main Street. But was moved and donated in 1994 by the First presbyterian Church of Templeton when they expanded their church buildings.

Just got here....lots of fun and interesting booths and entertainment.... More to see than the HOT…read more WEATHER will allow. 3 quarts of H2O down... more to follow

This was my first year at the olive and lavender festival and I loved it! I was so impressed by how…read moremany vendors were present. Of course, there was olive oil tastings as well as sample giveaways. There was tons of lavender products such as soaps, sachets, and teas. - In addition, there were specialty booths selling woven baskets, clothing, accessories, HomeGoods and a lot of information on gardening. There was a private section for 21 and over which included wine tasting. It was very peaceful and relaxing. - There were other freebies such as lavender honey iced tea, stickers and goodie bags as well as small bites like hummus and crackers, as well as guacamole and chips. You could also purchase olive oil gelato. - The entry to the event is free and local shops and restaurants celebrate with themes food and beverage. This year, parking has become free in Paso Robles, so it was definitely packed, but I was able to find parking within 10 minutes. I suggest bringing your own bag to carry your goodies and leave plenty of time to visit the information booth which provides a free guide to the vendors.