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    Morro Bay Maritime Museum

    4.8 (16 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

    By appointment only

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    Morro Bay Maritime Museum
    Shawn A.

    If you are reading this you are probably heading to Morro Bay and the Maritime Museum. Morro Bay has a rich history in the maritime community. This is the training grounds for D-Day for the Normandy invasion. The fishery history is being preserved with outside displays. The docents are hilarious, good natured and knowledgeable. There is a lot of background volunteer work that has gone on to provide these displays for our history books. They have bigger plans for a large building to display all the artifacts and boating history from the Morro Bay harbor to the Pacific Ocean. Great interactive displays for children. Donations will help them along the way. On Saturday mornings check out the vintage cars in the parking lot! It is a must stop on your trip to Morro Bay, stop by Goddess Goods and grab a coffee before you do!

    Ana T.

    This is a cool place to check out towards the end of the Embarcadero in the Morro Bay. There are exhibits on maritime history and check out the vessels!

    Buoy
    Terry C.

    The Morro Bay Maritime Museum is located at 1210 Embarcadero, across from the T-Pier (Otter viewing area), on the Morro Bay waterfront. During the summer months, it is open every day, from 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM. There is no charge for admission. Parking is free & plentiful. When driving down the waterfront towards Morro Rock, the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) "Avalon" can be readily seen. The "Avalon", was launched in 1972. It is one of only two cold-war era rescue submarines developed by the U.S. Navy, and featured in the 1990 film "Hunt for Red October", and the 2018 film "Hunter Killer". Also on exhibit, is a Two-Person Submersible "Abalone Sub". One can not miss it by the bright yellow color, and it's notable configuration is quite unique. The vehicle was conceived by a resident & his son in the nearby city of Arroyo Grande. The prospect of locating and harvesting deep water abalone provided the original motivation for building this submersible. However, no abalone were ever taken using this vessel. Nevertheless, the craft is still referred to by some as the "Abalone Sub". The large red & black historic WWII tug, "Alma", is also on the grounds. Built in 1927, the "Alma" is a surviving example of a "gas boat" or "line boat". This type of wooden vessel was common to the California harbors well into the mid 20th century. After WWII and into the early 1990's, the "Alma" continued to work as a tug and line boat. It was retired in mid 1990's, and in 2002 it was restored and became a permanent land-based matritime display. Refer to the kiosk photos or the museum's website for more information on the vessels. There are many other maritime items on display inside and outside the museum. There is a public restroom available behind the exhibits.

    Marcus F.

    It's small, but it's only short walk from the main tourist area. Is it worth it? Sure, why not, it's free! There isn't much here and perhaps just driving by it will satisfy your curiosity, but it's really cool to see the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle up close. Open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The good news is you can freely walk the property everyday!

    Sign
    Valerie D.

    Very educational and nice to look at. History at it's finest. A must stop for historians or buffs.

    Retired Navy rescue submarine
    Michael H.

    The maritime museum is a treasure to the area. Even though the museum itself is small it was fun to go in and look around. The museum host was full of information and a joy to talk to. If you go in I recommend looking at the gift section area. If you like bottle openers I would get one from them they are 2.79 and they feel heavy in the hand giving a great feel. Don't miss out on the boats in the back lot which were an awesome sight, especially the coast guard boat which can self-right itself.

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    Ask the Community - Morro Bay Maritime Museum

    Review Highlights - Morro Bay Maritime Museum

    When driving down the waterfront towards Morro Rock, the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) "Avalon" can be readily seen.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Morro Bay Estuary Nature Center - Entrance

    Morro Bay Estuary Nature Center

    4.0(3 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    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.

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    Morro Bay Estuary Nature Center - Educational info

    Educational info

    Morro Bay Estuary Nature Center - Located on the second floor of Marina Square

    Located on the second floor of Marina Square

    Morro Bay Estuary Nature Center - View of Morro Rock

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    View of Morro Rock

    The Bees Knees Fruit Farm - Fresh picked garden salad

    The Bees Knees Fruit Farm

    5.0(4 reviews)
    7.9 mi

    Absolutely magical! Peaceful and relaxing "girlfriend" weekend getaway 5 miles from downtown San…read moreLuis Obispo. Gorgeous homestead with luxurious bedding, gourmet kitchen, spacious gathering areas, thoughtful personal touches throughout, wrap around porches and expansive views. Beautiful orchard and gardens - so close to everything but a world away from the madding crowds. Well located near hiking, wineries, shopping, restaurants. Pattea, the owner, went out of her way to be sure we had everything we needed and enjoyed every minute of our stay. We had planned to eat out a few times but chose to stay in and enjoy the sunsets from the porch, sunrises off the back deck with our coffee and cooking in the fabulous kitchen. Thrilled to be her "first" Yelp! review and hope to enjoy this special place again in the future - it truly IS the Bees Knees!!! Pattea- Thanks so much for sharing your little piece of heaven.

    If every writing project ended in a relaxing and sustaining residence like The Bees Knees Fruit…read moreFarm, Country House and Special Occasions, no one would ever complain about writing ever again. My friend Pattea Torrence once again created a space of such opulent beauty, yet grounded countryside in this Farm Stay. This is a place for weary souls to come to recover and find nirvana. Every tiny thought has gone into making it a temporary home. A well-stocked pantry, multiple coffee and tea options, many spaces to rest, and voluminous books to read. The inside boasted a cook's kitchen and an art museum quality to the furnishings. The feather bed- neigh every pillow, stuffed with soft down to encourage you to sit, read, recharge. Large country tables invited you to share nourishment and merriment with friends. The outside grounds are a combination of manicured plant perfection, while sprinkled with whimsy. And then a real farm. I made myself lunch from the leftover garden of summer. Plucked straight from the ground. I ate the apple off the tree as I had done as a child. I hugged a calf, took the ducks for a walk, and petted a purring rodent control system. This property was meant for strolling, I wandered by the seed barn, the playhouse, and the door that frames the distant mountains. I found a likeness in the garden. In the berry orchard, flanked by an ancient table with empty wine bottles. The setting was welcoming and capricious. Like everything here, such heart went into making each turn a surprise, yet sumptuous. A hawk screeched and circled above me as I tipped my hat to the woman who gives the world splendor and creativeness every day without regret. Her virtuosity and the magnificence she shares are pure magic. Book your visit NOW to The Bees Knees Fruit Farm, Country House and Special Occasions. #WritingRetreat #BeesKnees #Airbnb #farmstay

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    The Bees Knees Fruit Farm
    The Bees Knees Fruit Farm
    The Bees Knees Fruit Farm

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    Morro Bay Maritime Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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