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    Morro Bay State Park

    4.6 (178 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Lisa N.

    Parking was easy, and we went on a weekday, so it wasn't crowded at all. We were able to explore the rocks and the water, and the views were beautiful. You do have to walk a bit further down to reach the sandy beach area. The spot itself is nice, with lots of rocks to climb and a scenic view of Morro Bay's cliffs. There are even some cactus plants growing along the walls, which was interesting to see. It's a fun little place to bring kids -- my little one was nervous at first climbing the rocks but ended up enjoying the sand area. The only disappointment was that we didn't see any sea otters. We went around 2-3 in the afternoon and only saw a few birds flying around. It seems like the otters weren't out at that time, which was a letdown since we were hoping to spot some. Overall, it's a cute little beach to explore and relax at, just don't expect to see sea otters during the day -- there were none in sight when we went.

    David M.

    A nice spot a few minutes drive from the rock and the town. Spaces are nice and clean. A little too cozy to adjacent neighborhoods for my liking. It was the week after Memorial Day weekend and the place was sparsely occupied. The app showed the park as full though it was at least half empty. The restrictions were clean and it was a short walk to the beautiful trail. There was a restaurant very close by that we'd like to try next visit. The staff were super friendly. We had a knock on the door from park police. Apparently the staff at entry didn't have our tags marked for the appropriate days. A quick drive up front and all was resolved. Certainly a park worth repeating if our other preferred spots are full.

    Vikki V.

    We are in God's country. Beautiful magnificent creatures. If you haven't been to this place, come & visit. It's worth while to enjoy nature and scenery.

    8-14-23
    Nadine C.

    An easy stroll around Morro Rock, San Luis Obisbo, California... My friend, Niki, showed me where to park for free... closer to the base of the rock. We walked along the flat, paved pathway and continued on the sandy path to the rock formations made by humans. There are tall piles of rocks stacked upon each other... very cool! The cactus plants and other wildflowers add color and texture to the trail while the wildlife (sea otters, ground squirrels, seals, ducks, blue herons, pigeons, seagulls, etc.) add wonder and amusement! This is a very cool spot for tourists, photographers, and nature lovers! Check out the sculpture of a family waiting for their loved one to return home from a journey out to sea... If you like, take a rest at one of the benches along the way! Remember that human food hurts the wildlife...

    Monica H.

    Morro Bay Rock is an amazing place. It really reminds me a-lot of Haystack Rock at the Oregon Coast, only this rock is better because you can actually drive right up to it and touch it if you want. There is plenty of parking near the rock, but just know it's unpaved, so bring your beach shoes with you. There are also clean, convenient restrooms available near the parking lot. My kids and I walked 1/2 around the rock almost to the water. The waves were starting to get a little crazy, so we decided to hang out near the rock towers where it was safe. Watching the waves hit the rocks was very peaceful and serene. We were able to watch the beautiful sunset, then stayed until it was dark. Such a beautiful, magical place. I'll definitely come back this summer. Highly recommended!

    Jackie X.

    Came here on a Saturday night to watch the sunset. There's plenty of parking (some farther if you're willing to walk a few minutes from the marina). It was a little chilly and windy though. The beach is large and the sand is comfortable. The rock is a cool feature to look at! It was perfect to watch the sunset.

    Montage of images from Morro Rock
    Ed U.

    I guess our planet can get acne just like any adolescent on a regular diet of pizza and fries. It's called a volcanic plug, but the geological description of Morro Rock made me think it's really a pimple. I keep picturing a humongous pad of Stridex could wipe it out though it never worked for me. This was actually my second attempt to see Morro Rock because it was completely enshrouded in fog and hidden from view the first time Jamie W. and I visited. Maybe that was the Stridex pad. Well, we made it this time walking from the tourist-saturated town along the spit to the base of the rock. The perimeter trail doesn't reach around the entire rock, but you see plenty of squirrels and sea otters along the way as well as an elaborate and seemingly inadvertent rock garden. Nothing to scale here like the Rock of Gibraltar, but it's definitely a sight to see, especially in juxtaposition with the trio of smokestacks on the other side of the spit. It's more than Earth's zit. RELATED - Exploring California's Central Coast? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3zSyudU

    Morro Rock State Beach
    John D.

    Chip Off the Old Rock Little hesitant to write this because I feel like this beach is our ''Secret Spot" here along the Cali Central Coast. The Good: *Always plenty of free parking *Clean restrooms in the p-lot *After about a half-dozen visits at diff times of the year this beach never seems to be that busy. There's always plenty of room to grab your own slice of the beach. *Fantastic views of "The Rock" and Morro Bay's famous three smoke stacks. *The weather is always superlative. *Tons of great restaurants within walking distance. *It's a beach! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The Meh: *The showers outside the restrooms, to rinse off sandy feet and legs before going home, require coins to operate. The Bad: *Honestly can't think of anything bad at this time.

    surfers @ Morro Strand State Beach
    Martin T.

    I see it every day, rainy, foggy, sunny. Sunny is best for the short walk. Parking free but can be muddy and pit holes are everywhere. Take a sandwich and sit in the car and watch the surfers. Get out and take a walk. Watch the otters in the bay along the pathway out to the end. Great at sunset, or to watch a nautilus sub come in for some petrol or to drop off a spy. Lots going on at the Embarcadero this is the quite spot a Great spot if you're having a visit, enjoy! foodguy-martin

    Morro Rock across from Anchor Memorial Park 4/21/19
    Jenni M.

    Rocks rock! Especially Morro Rock. The city of Morro Bay is a charming small town and the people there are so nice, but keep in mind that Morro Rock is a popular landmark (now a California state Historic Landmark) for a flood of tourists. There is access to the lovely volcanic peak from the ever-popular Embarcadero Road. Parking is at the base, but don't expect to climb it or anything. It's protected - and rightly so! There is so much wildlife all around. If you aren't inspired by it all, you're not my kind of person. Standing at 576 feet, you can see it from Highway 1, but don't just drive by. Stay a while and visit some of the local businesses. More info: https://www.morrobay.org/things-to-do/outdoors/morro-rock/

    Phia S.

    Morro Bay is a cozy seaside town. It is usually less busy than Avila Beach or Pismo Beach so you can get a less touristy experience. Morro Bay has a ton of small town charm and friendly locals. The rock itself is massive and easily viewable from neighboring towns on the coast. If you want to get as close as you can to the rock, there is a parking lot right next to it with tons of parking. It is important to note that you are not allowed to climb Morro Rock. Native Americans in the area still consider Morro Rock a sacred site. If you go to the right from the parking lot, you walk directly onto the beach that spans all the way to Cayucos! It really fits the definition of a "long walk on the beach." The beach that is right next to Morro Rock is always full of surfers. It is great morning activity to pack a chair and watch the surfers while sipping on your coffee. Once a year or so they even have a surf competition here. This spot also has the best sunsets over the ocean! If you go to the left from the parking lot, you will walk along side Morro Rock and be able to watch the otters swim along the bay. Depending on the time of year, there are dozens of otters lazily swimming around. Just be careful to not get too close as they are federally protected.

    A happy couple we ran into at the Rock.
    David D.

    If you have never been to Morro Rock, you need to go to Morro Rock! Did you know that Morro Rock traveled from Palm Springs to Morro Bay over the past 25 Million Years. And some people think I move slow... And do you know why Morro Rock left Palm Desert? Have you ever been to the Desert in July? And it's still moving West at the rate of 2 inches per year. So you better go see it soon before it goes to Japan and you have to fly there to see it. They have a short bike trail to the Rock, but unless you have your own bike, not sure it pays to rent one for that. They have tons of birds at the Rock that like to also hang out on top on your car parked in the free Rock parking lot and pose for pictures. Some will leave you a little "present" on top of your car. It can be very windy at the Rock--have a jacket on hand. One local told me that gale force winds are the norm here. No hiking or climbing on the Rock are permitted as it is a wildlife preserve. But you can hike onto the jetty adjacent to the rock just watch out for high tide that will come over the rocks--better to just stay on the beach or path. They have a beach area with low waves because the Rock blocks them--but on the day we were there in late April, I needed 2 shirts and a jacket to stay warm. Now there is a guy that has a nice boat who gives water tours I would like to do next time. That seemed cool. He picks up next to the Galley Restaurant in town but there are other boat tours too. Definitely visit here. Its a close drive from San Luis Obispo. People in the town were nice.

    The rock bank.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Morro Bay State Park

    Review Highlights - Morro Bay State Park

    As for Morro Rock, this beautiful natural feature attracts all sorts of visitors each year--human and otherwise.

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    Cloisters Park - From the parking lot- you can see the playground with infant/toddler swings!

    Cloisters Park

    4.7(17 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    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.

    This community park truly has it all! There are wonderful paved trails that lead you out to the…read morebeach. If you prefer to stay on the trail you can easily walk miles walking the expanse off paths and spots where you can birdwatch or take a break on a bench and enjoy the view. There are BBQ pits around the large grass area where you can also bring the kiddos to play on the climbing structure. The park is always busy and active with people on bikes, rollerblades or simply out walking their pets on leash. Dogs are welcome to come enjoy the several grassy areas where they are encouraged to explore, always on leash! (Please clean up after your pet. Bags are located by bathrooms) Last, but not least, make sure you bring layers because it tends to get windy out along the coast. Cloisters park A++

    Photos
    Cloisters Park - Beautiful trails for walking, running, etc. leads to beach

    Beautiful trails for walking, running, etc. leads to beach

    Cloisters Park
    Cloisters Park - Cloisters neighborhood

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    Cloisters neighborhood

    Del Mar Park

    Del Mar Park

    4.7(12 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    Its been a great park to go to with my daughter. The tall structure is great to climb and the…read moreslides are fun. The grassy hills are great for running around and being adjacent to the ranch property makes it fun to see cows. However, like every other park in Morro Bay it is falling apart and a slide is now closed. The spiral slide always scared me since the stairs don't seem safe since a kid could easily fall off. But still a fun park, I just with the parks department would do a fundraiser or something so our parks could be properly maintained and repaired.

    I was visiting my friends, who live in Morro Bay. We decided to hit up Del Mar Park for their first…read morepickleball experience. Despite a busy morning and a wait to get on the court, everyone we met was incredibly friendly. We began in the beginners' court, but it turned out my friends were former tennis players who quickly adapted to the pickleball rules and techniques. So, we moved up to the intermediate middle court and had a fantastic time. The crowd, although a bit older, was warm and welcoming. We shared plenty of laughs, and my friends loved their first pickleball experience, planning to return the next time I visit Morro Bay. Although there were only three courts at the park, they were well-maintained. $1 per player. I can't wait to play pickleball with my buddies and these wonderful people in the community again.

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    Del Mar Park - Backside of the courts.

    Backside of the courts.

    Del Mar Park
    Del Mar Park

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    Coleman Park - Plaque commemorating the landing of the first Filipinos in the continental US

    Coleman Park

    4.1(7 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    We came to this area for the lovely view & to see the plaque that honors the first Filipinos who…read morelanded in the continental United States. Very cool! It had areas of easy parking along the way. The path with informative signs about Morro Bay is nice. There are some benches & restroom facilities. A basketball court & swing set are in the area, but there's not much else for activity here.

    Little ole Coleman Park, next to Morro Rock, is a teeny tiny park in the town of Morro Bay. The…read moreviews are gorgeous! Morro Rock in the distant that that is less than a 15 minute walk away on the trail, and the harbor is immediately next to the park. I'm sure in its hey day it was a fun place for visiting families to stop and enjoy the pretty views. Now the park is showing its age. It's a bit outdated and could use some peeking up. The restrooms are shuttered. The basketball court pavement is a bit neglected. The play area consist a a couple of old fashion steel swings, the swing set is on top of rough sand. There is a commemorative plaque recognizing the landing of the first recorded Filipino to set foot on American soil, which is super awesome. There is no immediate parking next to the park, that portion of the drive is closed off as well. The closest spots are less than a 5 minute walk from the paved trail. The walking trail runs right alongside the park. This park has potential to be revived. I'm hoping the current state is just temporary. The park is named after a local citizen, Arthur Coleman, who lead the effort in the 1950s to dredge the harbor and create Embarcadero Street to reach the Morro Rock.

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    Coleman Park - Napping sea otters

    Napping sea otters

    Coleman Park - Sea lions

    Sea lions

    Coleman Park - Group of sea otters

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    Group of sea otters

    Centennial Parkway

    Centennial Parkway

    3.7(3 reviews)
    1.3 mi

    Take a break during your visit to Morro Bay and rest your legs at the Centennial Parkway! This tiny…read morepark, if you can call it that, was conceived in 1970 to commemorate the city's centennial anniversary. The park's proximity to shops and restaurants along Embarcadero makes it a nice place to chill and kill a few minutes. Like playing chess? There are a few tables here with a chessboard built right in. Want something bigger? On the ground is a giant chessboard, one of the only two outdoor chessboards in the country, as recognized by the U.S. Chess Federation. The large wooden chess pieces are a little weathered, which just means they have character. They're normally kept locked inside a cabinet but are taken out when the chess club meets here - every Saturday from 10am to 2pm. There's also a small grassy area that's too small to do anything on, a couple benches and some metal frames on the ground for locking bike wheels to. Wooden stairs leading up to Market Avenue are nearby, as well as restrooms with hand soap that's not always stocked. Need WiFi? The Sun-N-Buns Bakery next door has you covered. But you'll have to be nice to them or buy something in order to get the WiFi password.

    I love unique photo opportunities. When I travel I'm always on the lookout for something that will…read moremake a unique photo. If you're a chess fan you'll definitely find this place interesting. In the little town of Morro Bay near the intersection of Front Street & Embarcadero you'll find a little park called Centennial Parkway. According to their website this is one of only two giant outdoor chessboards in the united states. Even if you're not a fan of chess it'll make for a unique photo opportunity.

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    Centennial Parkway - Giant chessboard

    Giant chessboard

    Centennial Parkway
    Centennial Parkway - Centennial Stairway

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    Centennial Stairway

    Morro Bay State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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