Mesmerized by Morro Bay, California

Sitting on an angular boulder white with splattered bird droppings, I sent a sweeping gaze northward along the coast, blue sky blending almost seamlessly into wheat-colored hills before melting into the turquoise waters of the Pacific. A flock of gulls squawked and shrieked overhead, their shrill calls nearly drowned out by the roar of waves carrying surfers toward the shore. I sat beneath the warm sun in the shadow of the giant mound of igneous rock dominating the landscape, growing intoxicated on the crisp ocean air and a deep sense of contentment.

Could Morro Bay have this effect on everyone or was it just me?

Located on the central California coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Morro Bay is an insanely charming and cozy hamlet worth a stop for travelers driving along the Pacific Coast Highway. There’s good food to be found–try the Brulée Soufflé Flambé French toast at Frankie and Lola’s Front Street Cafe and I’ve heard Pacific Gold Oysters, a breed grown right here in Morro Bay, have outstanding flavor. There’s a place to pitch your tent near the Pacific Ocean at Morro Bay State Park and lots of wildlife viewing and bird watching for nature junkies. Most important, Morro Bay is a place where you can actually slow down and allow yourself to relax.

Gorgeous balmy weather. Cool sea breezes. Waves made for surfing. Beachfront bungalows. Oceanfront campsites. An artistic community. People so chill they actually take time to talk to perfect strangers. More than any other place in I’ve been to in the Golden State, Morro Bay embodies the essence of California cool. 

As far as I could tell, the town has none of the big attractions you’d find in places more frequented by tourists but that’s precisely its allure. Morro Bay’s quiet grace comes in smaller doses: the wonder of Morro Rock, the otherworldly volcanic plug that dwarfs the landscape and holds sacred significance for the Chumash people of coastal California. A sea otter cracking open an abalone shell. A brief chat with a pair of octogenarians from San Joaquin for whom Morro Bay is a summer retreat. The working waterfront along the Embarcadero. A glimpse of a nesting peregrine falcon.

If you’re looking for more active pursuits, Morro Bay has that too: kayaking the bay, whale watching by boat, and hiking the Black Hill trail for coastal views from the peak. I’m almost glad I didn’t know about the hiking opportunities at the time because sometimes you really need to simply kick off your shoes and do nothing. And that’s exactly what I did. Morro Bay’s simple pleasures were more than enough for me and the memories I have of the few hours I spent there continue to be some of the most cherished I have from my west coast road trip.

Perhaps my favorite Morro Bay moment was  meeting local John Ramos, a well-known central California artist whose love for his hometown is obvious. He suggested that if the people of nearby San Luis Obispo are the happiest in America, then folks from Morro Bay must be ecstatic.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Would you consider visiting Morro Bay? Why or why not?