Girls Trip: Morro Bay, CA

Morro Bay, CA is a relaxed dog-friendly beach town 3.5 hours away from Los Angeles in the central coast, and since it was my first time here, my friend Melissa was my tour guide taking me to Embarcadero Road, where the smell of cooked seafood filled the air carried by an ocean breeze. We walked towards Morro Rock and heard so many loud sea lions and seagulls. We even saw otters nursing their babies and it was adorable. We also passed lots of seafood restaurants. This is a town I definitely want to come back to as I saw so many dogs and theres so many outdoor activities to enjoy including paddle boarding, hiking, and taking sunset boat tours. Here are some travel tips if you plan on visiting Morro Bay, CA.

Morro Bay, CA Travel Tips

Plan Your Visit:

Research Morro Bay's attractions, accommodations, and dining options in advance to create an itinerary tailored to your interests.

Explore Morro Rock:

Visit the iconic Morro Rock, a volcanic plug rising 576 feet above the ocean, offering scenic views and opportunities for photography.

Enjoy Water Activities:

Take advantage of water sports such as kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and fishing in Morro Bay's pristine waters.

Visit Natural Attractions:

Explore nearby state parks, such as Morro Bay State Park and Montana de Oro State Park, for hiking, wildlife viewing, and beach-combing.

Sample Fresh Seafood:

Indulge in fresh seafood at local restaurants and fish markets, showcasing Morro Bay's thriving fishing industry. Pro-tip: Get the barbecued oysters topped with garlic butter.

Discover Local Art:

Browse art galleries, studios, and public art installations in Morro Bay Village, featuring works by local artists inspired by the coastal landscape.

Take a Harbor Cruise:

Board a scenic harbor cruise to learn about Morro Bay's maritime history and observe wildlife such as sea otters, seals, and seabirds.

Relax on the Beach:

Spend leisurely days sunbathing, beach-combing, or picnicking on Morro Bay's sandy shores, including Morro Strand State Beach and Morro Rock Beach.

Attend Festivals and Events:

Check Morro Bay's event calendar for festivals, concerts, and art fairs celebrating the town's culture, heritage, and natural beauty.

Respect Wildlife and Environment:

Observe wildlife from a distance, dispose of trash properly, and follow beach regulations to protect Morro Bay's fragile ecosystem and wildlife habitats.

Trip Recap

We stayed in a town called Baywood-Los Osos, and after checking into our Airbnb, we took a short 10 minute drive through the Morro Bay State Park, ending up in Morro Bay near Morro Rock. During our 3.8 mile sunset walk, we saw multiple surfers and watched dogs on the beach.

It was so cute seeing otters nursing their babies. We had to stay very quiet.

Little did we know, this area of Morro Bay is prone to lots of sharks. The surfers here were fearless though. We learned this tidbit of info from our boat tour guide. More on that later...

Down the street from our Airbnb, we stopped by the Sweet Springs Nature Preserve. We saw a variety of birds and enjoyed the tranquil sounds of nature.

We saw these two huge birds on the bridge and decided to do a 180° turn and go around them. 😂

Once we were done walking around the nature preserve, we made our way back to our rental to relax before Captain Stews Sunset Bay Cruise at 6:45pm. Tickets were $20 per person for a 50 minute cruise around Morro Bay.

We learned about the volcanic magma that formed the Nine Sisters, a chain of mountains and hills. We also learned that the other side of Morro Rock contains sharks and a surfer had his longboard bitten a week ago. I was like, “Oh hell no!” 😂🦈

Pictured below is a sunken ship that wasn't maintained since a transient lived on it. The boat was made of steel instead of the more modern materials.

The sunset during this cruise was not as impressive as yesterday’s where the sun was a fire red color, but it still looked great as the sunset glistened over the water.

Our captain took us around the docks that were taken over by sea lions. We saw one that was bitten by a shark.🦈

Upon arriving, we were told we could purchase wine, beer or soda so we opted for canned wine from Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards called “Golden Delicious.” It was a fermented grape wine with apple juice, which was tasty and I finished the can so fast. Apparently, this wine was our captain’s family’s wine.

We sailed past a haunted sour beer brewery and restaurant called, Fish Bowl (apparently, it’s been renamed to The Libertine Pub). Supposedly, chairs would get knocked over by themselves around closing time and that’s why nobody wants to work late lol.

One of the highlights was seeing a pirate ship and meeting Pirate Steve who blew on a sea shell, which was his “shell phone.” 😂🐚

After the cruise ended, we were a bit tipsy so we went to Tagnazzini’s Dockside restaurant where bread with herbed butter soaked up the alcohol in our system. We opted for clam chowder and Barbecue oysters served with garlic butter and lemon wedges. Everything was so delicious and unfortunately, I was too tipsy and forgot to take photos. Whoops.

Wrapping up our Morro Bay trip, we got a late check out and headed to Dorn’s Original Breakers Cafe where we ate a delicious scramble for breakfast, while facing Morro Rock.

While I’m talking about food, a must stop before heading home back to Los Angeles is definitely the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. It felt like we were transported back in time where this restaurant is known for their cakes, crazy decor, and themed hotel rooms.

Unfortunately, outdoor seating was not available so we were given a booth, which felt very private. Ain’t nobody trying to catch the Delta variant. 😷

I ordered the shrimp cocktail and it was delicious.

Below is what we took to go: Champagne Cake and Banana Cream Pie! Both were so good but I think we liked the Champagne Cake better since it was so light and not overly sweet.