A Perfect 3-day Morro Bay California Itinerary
Morro Bay is such an underrated coastal town in the heart of California. You may have heard of SoCal but have you heard of Slo Cal? San Luis Obispo County is a beautiful destination in the Central Coast of California. It is known for its amazing beaches, vineyards, great food as well as their sense of community.
Morro Bay is a place that you should visit to relax, slow down and enjoy a nice laid back vacation. During our visit to Morro Bay, we found everything from the walkable pier area where you can spot Otters and Harbor Seals to nice hikes, cute cafes and boutiques to be perfect for our little weekend adventure. Oh! Did I tell you that Morro Bay is also very dog-friendly? It was easy for us to find dog-friendly accommodation as well as take him on outdoor adventures with us.
Are you convinced to spend your next weekend at this coastal gem? If so, here is an amazing weekend itinerary for Morro Bay.
Best time to visit Morro Bay
We visited Morro Bay in January when the weather was mild and not too cold. Summer is one of the best times to visit Morro Bay if you want a guaranteed rain-free vacation. September is a great shoulder month when the summer crowds reduce but the weather still remains warm and comfortable.
Carry a jacket with you since mornings by the ocean can still be cold.
Accommodation in Morro Bay
Here are a list of great hotels to consider for your stay in Morro Bay.
- Harbor House Inn Morro Bay
- 456 Embarcadero Inn & Suites
- The Landing at Morro Bay
- Blufftop Inn & Suites
- HarborWalk Inn
- Beach Bungalow Inn and Suites
We booked a room at Harbor House Inn during our stay. It was simple, convenient as well as dog-friendly. They even left a little treat in our room for our dog 🙂
3 day Itinerary for Morro Bay
Day 1 in Morro Bay
Morning Hike at Black Hill
Start your day with some nice coffee and breakfast from Top Dog Coffee Bar. They open as early as 7am. We always love to spend our mornings hiking a nice trail during most of our vacations. We find it to be a great way to kickstart our mornings. Go on a hike on Black Hill Trail which is a short and scenic hike, has beautiful views of Morro Rock and the surrounding hills and it is one of 9 volcanic plugs in the area.
- Distance: 2.5 mi
- Elevation Gain: 620ft
- AllTrails Link: Black Hill Trail
- Dog Friendly? Yes
Grab Lunch at Chowa Bowl
Once you are back from the hike, nourish your body with a wholesome Asian bowl from Chowa Bowl. You can create your own custom bowl as well here.
Visit a cute Bookstore
Next visit the cutest bookstore in Morro Bay that has been around since 1973 – Coalesce Bookstore. They are open between 11am and 4pm every day. Morro Bay Downtown is lined with a lot of boutiques so spend some time checking out some of them.
Sunset at Morro Rock Beach Sand Dunes
At the end of the day, catch a sunset at Morro Rock Beach Sand Dunes. Morro Bay is known for its most dramatic and stunning sunsets. This spot has a very unique view of the Rock along with the sand dunes in the forefront. Dogs are allowed on leash here. It is quite a spectacle during sunset with a lot of seagulls along the shore.
Day 2 in Morro Bay
Breakfast at Frankie and Lola’s
On day 2, grab a quick breakfast at Frankie and Lola’s before heading out for the day.
Kayaking in Morro Bay
Kayaking in the National Estuary of Morro Bay where the freshwater and saltwater intersect is a one of a kind experience due to all the wildlife that you can see. You can see lots of Sea Otters, Sea Lions and Harbor Seals during your time out in the water. There are also many expert guided tours available. You can rent Kayaks or do tours at the following places.
Lunch at Morro Bay
There are several places to get lunch such as Shine Cafe, Thai Elephant Morro Bay, Grape Leaf, Pizza Port etc.
Walk along Embarcadero
Spend the afternoon taking a walk along Embarcadero and check out the local boutiques, eateries and galleries. This is a nice place to pick up a souvenir.
At Morro Bay T Pier, you can see the most adorable Otters with their pups floating around and Harbor Seals chilling on the ferry boats. This place also offers a different view of Morro Rock.
Evening at Morro Rock Beach
Relax at Morro Rock Beach while enjoying a beautiful sunset before heading back to your hotel.
Day 3 in San Simeon
Thirty miles North of Morro Bay is San Simeon, a place known for its beautiful coastal cliffs, ocean views, the Hearst Castle and Elephant Seals.
Tour the Hearst Castle
Visit this one of a kind Castle in San Simeon. George Hearst who was a wealthy miner purchased 30,000 acres of land from a Mexican land grant Rancho Piedra Blanca in 1865. His only son William Hearst expanded the land to be about 250,000 acres. Crazy right? From being a land for family and friends to be used on camping trips, Hearst later went on to build one of the most stunning castles “La Cuesta Encantada” aka “Hearst Castle“.
Reservations are recommended for the tours since same day bookings are harder to find especially during the weekend.
Lunch at San Simeon
You can get a nice lunch with ocean views at Cavalier Coastal Kitchen.
See the Elephant Seals of San Simeon
The Piedras Blancas Rookery is the only Elephant Seal rookery in the world that is free, accessible and open to the public throughout the year. This is about 7 miles north of San Simeon. These Elephant Seals are special because they were hunted for their blubber in the 1700s and were almost extinct in the 1900s. But after being protected, their population has now recovered.
Watch them from a safe distance. Dogs are allowed on leash but need to be kept at a distance. The view is even better if you come with Binoculars. You can learn more about the San Simeon Elephant Seals here.
Pick up or dine in for a nice dinner at Cambria or San Luis Obispo before you wrap up your vacation.
Hope you liked this relaxing 3-day itinerary in Morro Bay California. I would love to hear from you if you end up visiting Morro Bay. Let me know in the comments section. Have a lovely day!
Interested in more such trips? Maybe a Day Trip to Point Reyes in California or A Long Weekend in San Bernardino National Forest? For more such information, subscribe to my blog below.
