It’s impossible to mistake Morro Bay for any other California seaside town. Just off its shore, a massive, ancient volcanic plug known as Morro Rock rises 576 feet from the ocean, adding a dramatic exclamation point to this haven of natural beauty. Fishermen plied their trade in the shadow of Morro Rock for decades; today, the town in San Luis Obispo County maintains its sea-faring charm with a full menu of activities added.
You can’t climb Morro Rock, but you can look for the peregrine falcons that nest there. And it’s not just there you’ll see birds: So many of them love the Morro Bay area that the Audubon Society has dubbed it one of the country’s best places for bird watchers. There’s even a birding festival every Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. Nature lives in the water, too, of course—check it out by taking a whale-watching cruise or stopping by the free Estuary Nature Center, a popular hangout for otters and other sea creatures.