Mike and Match are such cool dudes. Super friendly and great at taking photos. We had an awesome…read moretime renting their pontoon boats around the bay. Great memories for the family.

Lovely day at Morro Bay with this boat ride being a real highlight. We had a group of 10 (including…read more2 children) and there was plenty of space on the boat. We had a morning rental for 2 hours, which I think was more than enough to make a few loops around the bay. The staff member was very courteous and thorough with taking us through how to operate the boat, restrictions on where to go, and making sure we had everything (even provided blankets since it was an overcast day). The boat is easy to handle, and it's pretty easy to follow where you're allowed to go. We saw plenty of wildlife - sea lions, birds, and best of all otters, including a mom and her pup swimming exactly at the boat dock. There is street parking right in front, and a hotel bathroom in the same building. They also provide binoculars for close up viewing. A good way to explore more of Morro Bay!

Small quaint beach town with a pier with 3-4 benches and people come here at all hours of the day…read moreto fish. While visiting the area, we came here 3 days in a row to grab food and fish on the pier. It's very peaceful, quaint, and if you are used to the vibrant hustle of the beaches in OC, which I am, this place keeps everything on pause for you to enjoy the moment. I am already planning a return with the whole family to stay couple of nights and attempt another round of fishing on the pier for my boys. Oh and this place is dog friendly....so he will be joining us next time too. Definitely recommend a visit....just very peaceful!

April 16-19, 2026 - Cayucos…read more Still the best beach in California, in my opinion. I've been coming here for years. In my earlier days, I would run from Cayucos to Morro Rock and back when the tide was low. These days, leisurely walks on the beach with my husband and dog are more my speed. Rather than running to Morro Rock, I just take in the beautiful view. Duckies and Schooners are still here if you want to grab some food. Ocean Pizza is gone, but you can still get pizza at Pie in the Sky Pizza. And no visit to Cayucos is complete without a walk on Cayucos Pier. Note: Dogs are allowed on the beach, but not on the Pier.

There is a beach right next to the behemoth Morro Rock in Morro Bay, CA. The beach access and…read moreparking is totally free. Yup, FREE. Sandy three mile stretch of beach from the Rock to the camp grounds. There are lifeguards on duty, all ready with their gear ready to save a life. I know they are there daily in the summer, not sure about the other months. This is a popular spot with surfers. Good waves. Another tidbit to know is that there are restroom located in the parking lot. Also smack in the middle of the lot is the California State Historical Marker #821-Morro Rock. I think it's worth a quick stop to read the plaque, take a quick moment to soak in the gorgeous direct view of the rock and not to get all sentimental but also reflect on the past, present and future. Another another tidbit is that dogs and horses are not allowed on the beach due to the protected shorebird habitat such as the western snowy plover that nest from March-September and live here. Service dogs on a leash are allowed though. But so many folks broke the rule once the lifeguards left for the day. Ironic, people want wildlife and nature to be able to visit and enjoy but don't want to follow the rules that protect all those things they enjoy. Go figure?!

The last time I was at this beach, I was only 2 years old, so I don't have any memory of it. Last…read moreyear, I decided I wanted to take a trip here with my family. I've lived in California most of my life and have been to almost every beach, so it's funny that this one in Morro never really came to mind especially since it's not that far from us. When I finally came last year, I really enjoyed it. The beach was clean, beautiful, and peaceful. There were lots of sand dollars along the shore and even some wildlife, which made it feel even more special. Since that first trip, we've come back about four more times. There's just something about this place that makes me feel calm and at peace every time I'm here.

​This is a long overdue shout-out for the Kayak Shack in Morro Bay. We've used them for rentals…read morethree times now, and they have become our go-to spot. ​The staff is absolutely wonderful! Always helpful and welcoming. The location is perfect if you're planning to explore the entire bay, and the convenience of having plenty of parking makes the whole experience stress-free. On top of that, their kayak and canoe rentals are very reasonably priced. ​We've had such great experiences here that we will definitely keep using them for all our future kayak outings. One of the best ways to experience Morro Bay is in the water. Highly recommend!

Great experience. Love that its launch is out of the busy harbor area with plenty of parking…read more Kayaks are great. Easy way to get in and out of them and love the service.

So pretty and peaceful. Very nice to walk around and look at tidepools and wildlife.read more

Cove Dwellers…read more Located in Montaña de Oro State Park, Spooner's Cove is an awesome little piece of beachfront with some really interesting features. The Good: *Free! *Literally the only place (besides the camp grounds) in Montaña de Oro that is dog-friendly--altho that doesn't seem to stop anybody. *Restrooms (Vault Toilets [i.e., hole in the ground with a toilet above it]) *Parking lot *Great place for tidepooling (check tide charts) *Sea caves! Again, check the tide charts. *Fascinating rock formations and some that are climbable--if you're brave enough, that is. *Picnic tables The Meh: *Large for a cove, but small for a beach The Ugly: *I'm not sure what it is about this beach, but we saw a bunch of people just grabbing tons of the rocks to take back home with them. One lady had a five-gallon bucket! Conclusion: Great place to stop, have lunch, and explore when visiting Montaña de Oro.

Moonstone Beach is gorgeous, calming, clean, and unique, with the perfect Central California vibes…read moreand views. The beach has several really cool driftwood structures that visitors have built and continued adding to over time. My 6 year old son had a blast running through them and adding a few pieces of his own. There are also actual moonstones along the beach. I spent some time collecting a few since they come in so many unique colors and shapes and make great little souvenirs. Make sure to bring your phone or camera because you will definitely take lots of photos! The restrooms and parking are also close by, which is a huge plus. Will definitely be back on future Central California trips!

My family loves this beach. The parking lot is small, but we usually are able to find a spot…read more There's a public restroom connected to the parking lot. I've never needed it, but I'm glad it is there. Beach access is down some stairs that can be hard if you have mobility or balance issues. They are sturdy, and if you are able to navigate them slowly, it is worth it. The beach itself has driftwood that has washed up, and other beach-goers have fashioned into makeshift structures that are fun to explore. The sand is soft, and has tons of rocks and pebbles to investigate. As the name suggests, there are moonstones to find, if you have a bit of luck. Several times when I've visited, I've found these transparent clear and purplish/blue velella velella all over the shore. Other wildlife seen at this beach include moon jellyfish, sea lions (off shore), pelicans, seagulls, cormorants, and cottontail bunnies along the cliffs. There is a creek outlet that washes into the sea that can be a bit stinky, and tends to make traversing the beach hard past that point. Also along the water's edge, there can be some unstable sand areas, so tread carefully. This beach tends to have a nice breeze, and is refreshing even on hot days. If you are in the area and you can find parking, check it out!

What an exciting experience! We were honestly a little reluctant to purchase whale watching tickets…read moresince there's no guarantee that we would actually see a whale. We found a Groupon deal, which brought the cost down a little. Before buying tickets I figured I should ask if any whales had been spotted recently and I was told that they have been seen almost daily since the whales are in constant migration throughout the year. Still a little reluctant, but bought tickets for 1:30 and I'm so glad I did. The crew was extremely knowledgeable, very friendly and informative. They knew exactly how far out to go (about 3 miles out) and floated us near multiple whales. Closest one was around 20 yds from the boat. This was our first whale watching outing for my whole family and Lost Isle definitely delivered. Well worth the money. Looking forward to doing it again for sure.

Despite experiencing some discomfort, my recent whale watching excursion was thoroughly enjoyable…read more The staff demonstrated exceptional professionalism and dedication, and I believe their contributions warrant recognition. I intend to participate in this activity again in the future. The opportunity to observe dolphins in their natural habitat was particularly captivating.

Leffingwell Landing is part of the San Simeon State Park providing access to Moonstone Beach and…read moretide pools, northern starting point to the Moonstone boardwalk (walking trail), picnic tables, restroom, and gorgeous bluff views. Absolutely gorgeous views. And get this...parking and access is free. FREE! I walked down to the tide pools. I didn't venture out too far. It was low tide and I didn't see much of any marine life. But still fun. Then I walked up to the bluff and looped around the walking trail and portion of the boardwalk. Terrific views. Pretty native flowers blooming. There are several benches and picnic tables to sit and look out to the ocean... well actually 360 panoramic view. Ocean, beach, tide pools, meadow, bluff, treeline, people watching. Breathing in all this beauty and calm. If you go into the tide pool area. Please do me two big favors. One is to be aware of the tides. Don't get so engrossed that you turn your back on the ocean and kiddos. Second is that observe and no need to harm the marine life. Take a picture (physical or mental) and leave everything as is.

Great tide pools! We walked down the stairs and found tide pools up high on the rocks with all the…read moretypical tide pool wild life! Came around 1 since low tide was set to be 1230 on June 24th