Things to do in Morro Bay

2026 Americas 50 - Night Attractions

CA-1

CA-1 is a highly iconic coastal self-drive route on the West Coast of the United States, stretching over 1,000 km along the Pacific coastline and connecting coastal towns from the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey, Big Sur, San Simeon, and Morro Bay all the way to Los Angeles. Its highlight is concentrated in the Big Sur section between Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and San Simeon: the road winds along steep cliffs, with the surging Pacific Ocean on one side and mountains and redwood forests on the other. There are many scenic parking areas along the way where you can pull over at any time to enjoy the sea breeze and watch the waves crash against the cliffs. There are several highly recognizable scenes along this section: the Bixby Bridge, which spans the canyon, is an elegantly designed concrete arch bridge, and there are almost always vehicles parked at the bridgehead for photos; McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park drops directly from the cliff top onto the beach in the cove, making it a rare beach waterfall in California; the sand at Pfeiffer Beach has a faint purple hue due to the weathering of manganese garnet in the cliffs; further south in the San Simeon area, groups of northern elephant seals can be seen sunbathing on the beach year-round, and you can also visit Hearst Castle on the mountain nearby. The Old Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey at the northern end and the town of Carmel-By-The-Sea also have their own unique charm.

Morro Bay T Pier

Morro Rock Beach

Montaña de Oro State Park

This is a great place to see wildlife, where you can watch waves breaking along the shore and observe animals such as deer and birds.

Cayucos State Beach

Morro Bay State Park

Picturesque place with a great campsite. There is a little harbor with boats and a café on the side. There are otters which might show up on the shoreline and the beaches are popular with surfers.

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Universal Studios Hollywood

Explore iconic movie sets, participate in immersive photo activities, experience tour upgrades, and enjoy themed food and collectibles. ·Explore large-scale movie sets in Hollywood and learn behind-the-scenes trivia about filmmaking ·Explore the mysterious Hogwarts castle as you journey through The Wizarding World of Harry Potter ·Step into the Super Mario™ world at Super Nintendo World and get ready to experience Mario Kart™ ·Enjoy thrilling roller coasters and experience realistic movie scenes

Cayucos Pier

Morro Rock

El Moro Elfin Forest