Magnificent Morro Meanderings

usfman

March 28

What's your favorite outdoor place to visit in California?

"Walk or wheel yourself outside if you can…. where furred or feathered things might be." (Emma Mitchell)

I'm not much of a "beach bum" in South Florida in spite of the fact that I live in such close proximity to prime oceanfront land. So it's interesting that I'm magically "drawn" to the Central California coastline, particularly in springtime, and thus make it a point to stay three or four days at favorite sites along this region on our road trips at this time of year. Thus it's fully expected that Ruth and I would again include on our latest Pacific Ocean based plans on this road trip the picturesque town of Morro Bay.

So you might wish to understand what makes Morro Bay so special every time we visit? For one, consider that its enticing midway location along our coastal driving route from Los Angeles to San Francisco regions makes it a convenient stopover point to reset our energies. It's also quite reassuring to know that there's reasonably priced lodging usually available within one or two blocks of the ocean where we can find peace and quiet. Then there's the stunning views! For we often book within sight of a massive volcanic landmark called "Morro Rock" which offers ease of free walking access to a profusion of marine life surrounding its vast perimeter.

Usually, the timing of our "Rock" visits means that we prioritize taking pleasant walks along the calmer inland bay lying on the south side of the rock. For nearby this shoreline, we usually find captivating photo opportunities of barking seals, playful otters, scurrying squirrels and aggressive sea gulls co-existing in their natural habitat conditions. As we also move to the opposite north side of this towering rock slab, we're directly facing the wild Pacific Ocean, whereby the surfing crowd will typically enthrall our attention us as both young and old participants challenge the big waves.

Hoping for sunny weather on our Morro Bay stopovers, we also set aside a morning for a scenic coastal drive north from Morro Bay on California Highway One. Along the way, we'll be looking out for Elephant Seal colonies humorously sunning themselves on the beach, lazily enjoying our picnic lunch at historic William F. Hearst State Park and gaping with awe at some steep cliffside views at the beginning sections of the famed Big Sur Highway.

Of considerable environmental interest to us as well a few miles south of Morro Bay lies Montana de Oro Park.Upon enjoying some easy trekking along the Bluff Trail there, we frequently pause for closeup observations of crashing waves along the jagged rocks as well abundant birdlife flying in and out of their spring nesting grounds.

The Morro Bay region might lack the sheer size and scale of natural grandeur that more notable California landmarks like Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park and Redwood National Forest definitely do. But its appeal to less experienced hikers like us makes it considerably more manageable to visit. We next make our way to the San Francisco Bay vicinity for four nights. Enjoy the photos.