13 Best Things To Do In Morro Bay, California - Updated 2024

things to do in morro bay california
Wahidati Hamida
Wahidati Hamida 
Updated
| 4 min read

Spend your holiday by visiting a place with a sea view - in Morro Bay, California! If you love nature and outdoor adventures, Morro Bay could be the best place to visit. And since you’re already in the area, Morro Bay also has several Airbnb vacation rentals–some of which are pet-friendly–that are available for you to rent to extend your enjoyment. Visit during the summer months when you’ll find some interesting water activities, as this town has a beautiful coastal area. Here are some of the best things to do in Morro Bay, California.

1. See beautiful works of art at Morro Bay Art Association Gallery

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Located in Morro Bay’s historic downtown, Morro Bay Art Association Gallery takes pride in being the main hub for fine art in the California Central Coast. This Morro Bay attraction showcases a plethora of paintings, artwork, prints, sculptures, jewelry, cards, and so much more made by regional and local artists. Many of these pieces of art can even be purchased by visitors.

The gallery also offers networking and educational opportunities for aspiring artists like scholarships and funding art center programs. It also hosts eight to nine art shows every year.

Morro Bay Art Association Gallery

Address: 835 Main St, Morro Bay, CA 93442, United States

Website: Morro Bay Art Association Gallery

Opening hours: 12pm - 4pm (daily)

Visited this place?

2. Check out Bayshore Bluffs Park's fallen Monterey Cypress

Bayshore Bluffs Park
Source: Photo by Flickr user Fred Moore used under CC BY 2.0

Bayshore Bluffs Park is a 3.2-acre (1.2-hectare) natural meadow that has a roosting area for cormorant birds, which makes it a treat for bird-watchers. There is also a bike path that leads to an observation deck. It also showcases magnificent views of the area and wildlife. Those with kayaks and small boats can use the hand launch to park their vehicles. This area also offers a great view of abalone and oyster shells there though visitors are not allowed to take any of them.

One Morro Bay point of interest that the park has is the Monterey Cypress that was toppled over during the El Niño storm years ago. This toppled tree now forms a natural arch over the path.

Bayshore Bluffs Park

Website: Bayshore Bluffs Park

Visited this place?

3. Learn about Morro Bay on a private guided e-bike tour (from USD 95.0)

If you want to learn more about Morro Bay, this private guided electric bike tour has you covered. This bike tour takes you around Morro Bay’s tourist attractions, key landmarks, and coastal areas with the knowledge tour guide giving tidbits, fun facts, and/or tips about each location you visit.

Your journey will take you to Morro Rock where you will learn about this ancient volcanic plug. Another place you’ll go to is Estero Bay where you’ll be greeted by the wonderful sight of coastal birds, sea lions, and sea otters.

Visited this place?

Morro Bay Private Guided Electric Bike Tour

Duration: 2 to 3 hours

66 reviews

4. See Morro Rock

Morro Rock 1
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Kjkolb used under CC BY 2.5

If you want to see the iconic Morro Rock, make a trip to visit Morro Bay, where you can explore this beautiful place. You will find amazing scenery during your trip and you also can enjoy the sunset while taking a cruise.

Morro Bay

Address: 695 Harbor Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Website: Morro Bay

Visited this place?

5. Rent a canoe or kayak

Sea Kayak
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Thruxton used under CC BY 3.0

Enjoy your vacation by renting a canoe or kayak on Morro Bay. You’ll be able to see some of the ocean inhabitants of the area, such as birds, sea lions and otters. There are a lot of places in Morro Bay that rent kayaks and you can easily find them online. Moreover, some of these places also provide kayaking lessons.

Visited this place?

6. Sportfishing

El Morro bay 3
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Wilfredor used under CC0

Sportfishing has become one of the most popular activities you can do in Morro Bay. You can choose a private or day-long fishing tour through one of the local charter fishing companies. This activity can be enjoyed by your entire family and, if you don’t have any fishing experience yet, the guide will help you and provide you with some useful fishing tips.

Visited this place?

7. Get a closer look at Morro Rock from Morrow Rock Beach

morro rock
Source: Pixabay

Morro Rock is located near to Morro Rock Beach in Morro Bay. This sandy place is situated north of the rock. The rock itself can’t be climbed on and it is protected by a natural preserve that is part of Morro Rock State Park. However, you still can take some pictures at a distance and spend your time here feeling the serene atmosphere.

Visited this place?

8. Visit Morro Bay State Park

Morro bay state park marina boardwalk
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user docentjoyce used under CC BY 2.0

This place is quite popular for its picnic sites and there is a campground here that can be reserved in advance. Other than that, you can take part in many interesting activities here, such as jogging, fishing, windsurfing, and kite flying. Because of this, it is the perfect place for you to spend your weekend with your loved ones.

Visited this place?

9. Visit the Morro Bay Skateboard Museum

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

One of the interesting museums you need to visit in Morro Bay is the Morro Bay Skateboard Museum. Visiting this place will be fun, as you can find more than 300 skateboards on display. You can see the first steel wheel skateboards here and even the latest skateboards that have been made.

This museum is often the meeting place for skateboarders who are stopping by the city. If you are interested, you can come here and enjoy the free entry.

Morro Bay Skateboard Museum

Address: 699 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, CA 93442, USA

Opening Hours: 10AM–5PM (Monday - Friday),11AM–5PM (Saturday - Sunday)

Duration: around 2 hours required

Website: Morro Bay Skateboard Museum

Contact: +1 805-610-3565

Visited this place?

10. Visit the Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History

Morro Bay Museum of Natural History
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mike Baird used under CC BY 2.0

Try to visit Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History. This place was established in 1962 and it provides a view of the Morro Bay and Morro Rock. Inside the museum, you also can learn about the diverse ecology of the Morro Bay estuary and there are a lot of interactive displays for children where they can learn through responsive touchscreens. This place is recommended for a family visit and for nature lovers.

Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History

Address: 20 State Park Rd, Morro Bay, California

Duration: around 2 hours required

Website: Museum of Natural History at Morro Bay State Park

Contact: +1 805-772-2694

Visited this place?

11. Climb Black Hill Trail

Junction of Paths below Black Hill - geograph.org.uk - 685986
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Bob Embleton used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Black Hill Trail is a climbing trail located near Morro Bay, California. During your hike, you can see many beautiful wildflowers that grow well here. This trail is good for various skill levels and most people go here for hiking, walking, nature trips, and birding. It is accessible year-round and a perfect place for your first climbing experience. When you get to the top, you’ll be rewarded with incredible views of Morro Rock and the Morro Bay estuary.

Visited this place?

12. Visit the Morro Bay Maritime Museum

Avalon, Morro Bay 2015 2
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mike Peel used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Located on the Embarcadero, this landmark has drawn much interest from children and adults for a long time. The Morro Bay Maritime Museum is a fun place to visit as it provides a lot of educational information for visitors of all ages. This Morro Bay attraction also presents information and memorabilia about the history of the maritime industry along the central coast of California.

Morro Bay Maritime Museum

Address: 1154 Front St, Morro Bay, CA 93442, USA

Opening Hours: 10AM– 5PM

Duration: around 2 hours required

Website: Morro Bay Maritime Museum

Contact: +1 888-502-5115

Visited this place?

13. Capture the beautiful scenery of the Morro Bay Estuary

Morro Bay Estuary
Source: Photo by Flickr user docentjoyce used under CC BY 2.0

Located in the southern area of Morro Bay, this estuary has become a home for hundreds of animals and plants. The Morro Bay Estuary is around 2,300 acres (930.8 hectares) in area and has a lot of things to see. There are some lovely birds here, such as the Eared Grebe, Snowy Egret, Green Heron, Turkey Vulture and Anna’s Hummingbird. Furthermore, you also can see the sea otters that live around the bay. If you have time, don’t forget to capture these lovely views, as it just can’t be missed.

Visited this place?

The best things about Morro Bay

Morro Rock, Morro Bay, CA
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mike Baird used under CC BY 2.0

Morro Bay has its own charm that will captivate you. This small town has a lot of things to offer, from its nature to its outdoor activities. If you are a nature lover, you won’t’ want to miss a trip to this town. You’ll find many great places that will make you get closer to nature. Moreover, you can also enjoy a lot of fun water activities here, during the warmer months. Happy travels.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Hi! I’m Ida..I have interest in writing and I love to go for traveling during my spare time. Because of this, I want to share my experience and stories about my trip with you. In the near future, I...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Morro Bay
Looking for accommodation?
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.