I felt it was only appropriate to review one of my favorite state parks for my 1000th review…read more This park has an extensive history dating back to the Chumash Native American inhabitation. These people lived here long before European explorers arrived. The park was purchased in 1965 by the State of California and made a state park. Prior to it becoming a state park, the land was used for agricultural use as well as farming and dairy use. It consists of 8000 acres of cliffs, seven miles of shoreline, coastal plains, canyons and hills. There is such a peaceful and calm vibe that you feel as you enter the park. As you enter through this colossal Eucalyptus forrest, you are mesmerized with their size. Clouds flow through the forrest and open up to the mighty Pacific Ocean. I always feel like I am entering a different world when I come here. There are so many fun trails to hike at ocean level, mountain level etc. Abundant wildlife is everywhere. You can also just take leisurely walks and enjoy the beauty of the ocean. Plenty of places to picnic, and a small beach to hang out with family and friends. There is also a small campground but what a great place to camp! Dogs are allowed but need to be on a leash. My first time out here was back in 2021. I mainly walked the Bluff Trail and took in the wind shaped jagged cliffs, caves, and rocky shore. I then completed a long beach walk on the strand that led from the park to the shores of Morro Rock. I saw so many dead jellyfish which was odd. I also saw huge turkey vultures. The next summer I took a recommendation from a worker at a local coffee shop. He told me all about Coon Creek trail. I started on this trail but it was pretty flat and I wanted something a little more challenging. I saw a sign for Oats Peak Summit and I went for it. A steep climb but so worth it at the top. Views were incredible on this ultra sunny day. Last summer I took my hubby with me and we decided to hike Valencia Peak. Hiking from sea level up to 1,347 feet proved to be a challenge but such a fabulous reward at the top. I could have spent the day up there just taking in the 360 degree views of the ocean, Morro Bay, Los Osos, and the SLO valley in the background. We absolutely loved this hike! If you find yourself lucky enough to be visiting the central coast, be sure to check out this phenomenal state park. It's truly one of California's finest offerings. Most of all remember to pack in and pack out - LEAVE NO TRACE.

Gold Fashioned A…read moremere fifteen miles west of SLO sits Montaña de Oro, which is one of California's largest state parks at a whopping 8k-acres. And the cherry on top of all that acreage, is a nice seven-mile stretch of California coastline. The Good: *Shockingly--free admission! *Superlative views of rocky shores, cool ocean breezes, and plenty of vitamin sea for everyone. *Bluff Trail is the best way to take advantage of those aforementioned seven miles of shoreline; easy, flat and nonstop ocean views. *Spooner's Cove is a great little beach to have a picnic at (pit toilets available). *Restrooms throughout the park *Mountain biking trails *Campgrounds & environmental camps available The Meh: *Dogs only allowed at Spooner's Cove and campgrounds, but we saw plenty along the trails. I guess it's not heavily enforced, but you take your chances. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ *A few AC parking lots but it's gonna be mostly edge of the shoulder parking. Please pay attention to any signage to avoid tickets/tow. *Little to no shade along the trails, which normally wouldn't be an issue as it's along the coast, but even the coast can get warm. So bring ya waters. The Ugly: *Very popular place and can fill up fast, so don't dilly-dally and get here early. Conclusion: Amazing park with fantastic views, but with a bit of a people problem.

What better way to celebrate the end of summer than to dedicate review No. 3,000 to Los Osos's…read moremagical Elfin Forest? There may very well be elves who live here, but the name refers to the rare pygmy oaks that very definitely do live here. If you're ever in or near Morro Bay or Los Osos, this is a place you should surely visit, so I don't want to spoil too much of the surprise for you. It's about more than the oaks, though. It's the view and the bay and the wetlands and the feel and sound of walking on a handcrafted boardwalk. And what a boardwalk it is! Because of this labor of love, visitors don't ruin any of the vegetation, and it has the added bonus of allowing wheelchair users to experience the Elfin Forest, although there are some caveats.* The only real problem, and it's not that bad, is that there aren't that many places to park. You can access the Elfin Forest from any of the numbered streets from 11th to 17th, north off of Santa Ysabel Avenue, just be aware that these are residential streets without sidewalks. There are places to park at the end of each street, although there aren't marked spots or stalls except for the accessible parking on 16th Street, and even that is limited. Once you park, just walk on the path north until you hit the boardwalk. The two highlights for me are the pygmy oak area with benches perfect for photos and Siena's View lookout point. Depending on when you come and how nice the weather is, there may be a lot of other people on the trail/boardwalk with you. Be polite, and be mindful that certain areas don't have much room to maneuver, so if you're slow or are blocking something, let people pass. The boardwalk makes a big loop. Most people seem to travel counterclockwise, but other than what I wrote below, there's no real reason for that. The loop is not particularly strenuous, although it's simultaneously deceptively short and deceptively long, somehow. Unless you're really taking your time and/or stopping quite frequently, the entire loop and side paths won't take even an hour. I'm sure many locals walk these trails as a mindfulness exercise or just to get their steps in in a beautiful bay-side setting. *If you or someone you are visiting with has limited mobility, especially if you use a wheelchair or power chair, you should park at 16th Street. This will give you direct access to the boardwalk from the parking area. (From the other streets, you need to walk through sand and dirt to get to the boardwalk.) Almost the entirety of the loop is on the boardwalk, but be advised that the route is nowhere near flat. Traveling counterclockwise around the oval (turning right when you reach it from the parking area) is probably best for those with limited mobility. It's steeper going downhill that way and might be very difficult for people going clockwise and trying to do that steeper part uphill.

There are a couple of ways to mozy about this place, but the main boardwalk loop is a nice starting…read morepoint. Two nice vistas and Rose's Grove (a sanctuary space in the pigmy oaks) offer a nice place to pause. There are also ample benches throughout the walk if you want to take a break, or just enjoy the adjacent flora and fauna. It's one of my regular trails when walking, early morning or late afternoon. Both the sunrises and sunsets are beautiful!

I'm road tripping and happen to be in Morro Bay along the waterfront, Embarcadero Street. On the…read morefarthest side from Morro Rock is the Tidelands Park. "Aarr Matey" . Locals call the park, Pirate Park, due to the child's pirate ship play structure and nautical theme. The park is two acres advertised as having a children's play area, picnic tables with BBQs, green lawns, public parking lot (2), fish washing station, boater side dock with pump out for waste and access to fresh water, public restroom with showers, walking path towards the waterfront shops, boat launch, and stairs accessing the mud flats. The boat launch parking lot is not free anymore. Effective March 2026, ya gotta pay. Pay varies based on lot size. You can pay daily or get an annual pass. But it's free to launch your boat if that's any consolation. If you're looking for a place to launch your personal crafts (small skiffs, kayaks); this is the place. There are two parking lots. One on each side of the park. The lot furthest south has the boat launch and the lot has spaces large enough for trailers. Plus I gotta comment on the children's play area. It's not a typical park like playground, there are no swings or play equipment. They do have a sand filled area with a mini pirate ship and cute nautical themed concrete statues (octopus, seals, whale tail). What can go wrong with rambunctious kiddos and concrete climbable statues?!

I am so glad we discovered this park as it is my favorite park thus far…read more It had the best view of the Morro Bay rock as well as that boat. The kids can climb on with so much fun. It was clean with lots of little squirrels and places to sit.

This park is close to the burbs. It can be seen from Highway1. It was created as part of the…read moreCloisters housing development in 1989. It had a playground, restrooms, big green lawn areas, parking lot, and walking paths to the wetland and beach access. I was quite impressed with the green lawns. A lot of room to run amok. And the Morro Rock impressively stands in the background. Gorgeous! Can never get tired of that view. Another thing to note is that the park has no trees. This was done on purpose. The omission of trees was done per guidance from the Coastal Comminssion to protect the wetlands. Being from the Central Valley, the weather is much hotter and a park without trees is unimaginable. But the lack of trees at Cloisters Park didn't make my visit less enjoyable.

What a great little park! Clean facilities and wonderful walking trails that will take you all the…read moreway down to the beach if you'd like. Our daughter loved the swings and seeing all the wildlife (ducks, squirrels, seagulls). The playground looked clean and well maintained and safe for little ones to play around on. Although we did witness a seagull completely dig into someone's bag for an open bag of chips! So watch your food-these birds are aggressive! Haha! Restrooms were cleaned and stocked too. Plenty of parking and good midway between Cayucos and Morro- but closer to Morro. Short drive in either direction.

There is really few things in the world as nice as stopping by this Pier after having a fun time at…read morethe Baywood Farmers Market. One can find all sorts of seabirds, insects, and plants. Of course, it is best to photo them after having a great sandwich at High St. Deli.....along with a cold one. One my last photo session, I used my Sony A7RV plus some nice lens which while not macro, they do a good job. Lens Models: E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Lens Model: FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II

This is our family's go-to "sunset spot". I love walking here at all hours of the day, but sunsets…read moreare the best.

Exceptionally quiet and peaceful 32-acre coastal wetland…read more The preserve was created to protect bird habitat, which means you'll see an impressive variety of species year-round. The trails are flat and easy, and a boardwalk leads you out to a panoramic viewpoint. Along the way, the path winds through eucalyptus and cypress groves that make the most beautiful sound when a gentle breeze moves through them. The overlook gives you a wonderful view of calm waters and Morro Rock in the distance. It feels intentionally designed for reflection. I found this place while staying at a nearby hotel recently and ended up coming here every morning. I had it all to myself each time, and one sunrise I was lucky enough to see a family of deer moving quietly through the brush. It's small, yet magical. It's also free, with easy street parking right out front. Open from dawn to dusk. If I lived nearby, I'd probably be here every morning.

One of my favorite places to visit in Los Osos! I'm always…read morepleasantly surprised by the wildlife I come across here--birds, butterflies, and more. The people on the trail are also incredibly polite; I'd say 9 out of 10 will greet you, which is something I rarely experience elsewhere, especially compared to LA. The trail itself is fairly small--you can walk through it in about 20 minutes--but if you pause to enjoy the scenery or spot wildlife, it can easily take much longer. Part of the trail is a boardwalk, while other sections are uneven sand, so if you're wearing flip-flops, be prepared. On windy days it can get quite chilly, so bringing a windbreaker is a good idea. A peaceful little spot that feels welcoming and full of life. If you come early enough you might catch deers that run in the neighborhood. Its parking is plenty along the reserve , street parking .

I can absolutely see why this park is so highly rated within the city. Between the zip line, the…read morecardboard hill you slide down, the huge slides, the smaller toddler play area, wide open grassy spaces, walking trails, tennis courts, a baseball diamond, and clean bathrooms--this is easily one of the best parks I've ever been to. I was anticipating my brother coming into town early Saturday, but he arrived a bit later than planned. That actually worked out because my daughter and I were able to check the park out ahead of time. When we returned on Sunday with my nephew, both kids were completely enamored. My brother and sister-in-law were just as impressed--the park is truly amazing. It's not overly crowded, feels very safe, and there's plenty of parking. We brought our own snacks and enjoyed a little picnic, which made the day even better. The weather was beautiful, and we already can't wait to return. This will definitely be our go-to park whenever we have the time. Absolutely love this place.

Super fun park in SLO and definitely one of the best playgrounds. Located right next to the…read morebaseball field, this park has two different playgrounds, one for the little kids and a separate one of the bigger kids. Several large enclosed slides which are great for hotter days. There's a fun hill you can slide down on cardboard boxes as well as a small zip line. There's a number of benches and tables for adults to sit. Some are in the shade while others are not. There's some beautiful redwood trees on the periphery of the playground to do a nice picnic under. Parking lot is shared with a pool but there's plenty of space as long as there's no baseball game. There's also tennis courts next to the playground. The playground was redone in 2017 but it's held up pretty well. Overall very enjoyable place to bring kids with lots to keep them busy for a few hours of outdoor fun!

My enchanted forest!!!…read more ...and you don't have to travel far to the Fairy Tale Land, the Los Osos Oaks State Reserve is located right off Los Osos Valley Rd. with a small parking lot fits maximum maybe 10 cars. Look at the trail map, you will get a brief idea. Even though some reviews stated trails are not well marked, it's in fact very simple and hard to get lost. There's no scale on the map, it's smaller than I had anticipated though. The whole loop (started from Loop trail, connected to Oak View Trail and back from Los Osos Creek Trail) took me about 35 mins despite I stopped here and there to take photos and just enjoying the fresh smell of the wood after the rain. The more deep into the wood, where the Loop trail and Oak View Trail connects, the 800 years old Costal live oaks made me feel like everything would come alive when the sun goes down...and I absolutely love my solitude. Once you are closer to the entrance, you will start hearing the cars driving by Los Osos Valley Road and you know you are heading the right direction. I wouldn't consider it's a workout but absolutely good for all hiking levels and a short escape from the people. Side note: Poison oaks are natural part of the area, however, it's winter I was pretty much covered.

Located near Montana De Oro, Los Osos State reserve is a great place to hike trails and just enjoy…read morethe outdoor Beaty that the Central California Coast offers. I absolutely love those twisted oaks, they are gorgeous. Also a great place for family pictures

Life's a Beach Sorry…read moreto piss on the local gatekeeper's parade, but I have to extoll the virtues of this little beachfront park. While looking on a map Pasadena Park might be unimpressive, it is a great little plot of land with great views and access to the total flats and would be fantastic spot to launch a kayak. The parking is a bit dicey as there's no official parking lot or spots, but you should be able to find one *gasp* in front of someone's home. Sorry people, we all pay our taxes so the roads and beaches belong to everyone.

Why the low rating? Well, there is no need for excessive tourism in the Baywood area. There are…read moreseveral nice parks in the Los Osos-Baywood area, and this is one without anything in the way of services, nor parking beyond 2-4 cars. It is a nice place to take a walk & look at the view toward Morro Bay. Not too many people & most of those are local. Not really a beach that is good for walking barefoot nor swimming. The sand is very mucky & muddy....which is for the birds, not humans. It seems more marsh like. It is a nice stop if you are crusing around the area...especially on Mondays for the nearby Farmer's Market.

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.