Morro Rock
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Home to flocks of Peregrine falcons, egrets and blue herons, the 50-acre Morro Rock is the last in a chain of extinct volcanoes.
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  • TheCollegeInvestor
    San Diego, California16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent stop for families with young kids
    Excellent place to stop with kids. Big dirt parking lot was easy to get in and out of - even in the summer. Kids loved to go out on the jetty at the end of the rock. When the tide is out it’s a giant tide pool and you can see crabs and all sorts of wildlife. Our family had a blast for a quick hour stop. Plus, it’s free!
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 July 2023
  • northernk
    Phoenix, Arizona12,659 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I got a Rock
    This sounds cool until you actually see it then you realize it's more that just cool it's pretty amazing to have a rock like this in your bay. Beautiful Bay and Morro Rock is certainly amazing'. So beautiful to view and see and made the sunset pretty amazing too.
    Visited July 2023
    Written 25 July 2023
  • MaryQ
    San Antonio, Texas361 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Morro Rock, something for everyone
    We spent a couple of hours at Morro Rock. There's so much to see on the way. My favorite sight is the wildlife, especially the sea otters playing in the water. There were sea lions fighting for a spot on the ledges of the boats that were docked there. Watch out for the squirrels though! They acted like they don't like tourists and will run towards you! We passed a PT boat, and walked along the boardwalk to the beach, then over to the rocky breakwall where we sat and watched the waves crashing over the rocks. The other side of the rock was calmer and you can spend some zen time with the Ocean there. It's totally worth it to walk out there and enjoy the sights.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 29 October 2023
  • John W
    Lostant, Illinois2,244 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cool, Interesting formation!!!
    I went with the inlaws to California for the week and we came to Morro Bay mainly to go on the whale watching cruise. The large rock (long extinct volcano), is hard to miss even in the fog. While we didn't get to see too much of it at first because of the fog, when we came back it cleared up. Definitely a cool thing to see and plenty of birds hanging around it.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,151 reviews
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Terrible
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John W
Lostant, IL2,244 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
I went with the inlaws to California for the week and we came to Morro Bay mainly to go on the whale watching cruise. The large rock (long extinct volcano), is hard to miss even in the fog. While we didn't get to see too much of it at first because of the fog, when we came back it cleared up. Definitely a cool thing to see and plenty of birds hanging around it.
Written 12 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MaryQ
San Antonio, TX361 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
We spent a couple of hours at Morro Rock. There's so much to see on the way. My favorite sight is the wildlife, especially the sea otters playing in the water. There were sea lions fighting for a spot on the ledges of the boats that were docked there. Watch out for the squirrels though! They acted like they don't like tourists and will run towards you! We passed a PT boat, and walked along the boardwalk to the beach, then over to the rocky breakwall where we sat and watched the waves crashing over the rocks. The other side of the rock was calmer and you can spend some zen time with the Ocean there. It's totally worth it to walk out there and enjoy the sights.
Written 29 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JBRetired
Apple Valley, CA473 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Nice easy hike along the boardwalk. First there are many places to walk. Also some great places to take a picture of both the rock and the water. Watch for the sea lions and otters in the water. If you are there on a windy day take a walk across the parking lot and watch the surfers on the north side. Finally a short walk past the power plant puts you at a number of water front Restuarants.
Written 13 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dcg86
Denver, CO188 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
Be sure to walk around the rock to the left of parking for incredible animal watching: sea otters asleep in the morning, seals, sea lions, and thousands of birds. Takes about 15 minutes, depending on how long you want to watch. They've done a good job protecting the area.
Written 9 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

northernk
Phoenix, AZ12,659 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
This sounds cool until you actually see it then you realize it's more that just cool it's pretty amazing to have a rock like this in your bay. Beautiful Bay and Morro Rock is certainly amazing'. So beautiful to view and see and made the sunset pretty amazing too.
Written 25 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheCollegeInvestor
San Diego, CA16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
Excellent place to stop with kids. Big dirt parking lot was easy to get in and out of - even in the summer. Kids loved to go out on the jetty at the end of the rock. When the tide is out it’s a giant tide pool and you can see crabs and all sorts of wildlife. Our family had a blast for a quick hour stop. Plus, it’s free!
Written 22 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

motorcar1
Dublin, Ireland8,159 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Couples
I have visited here on every trip to the West coast. It’s a beautiful area and the rock is the focal point. Great views, lovely walks and a quaint seaside town. If you are in the area stop here.
Written 25 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MozzyYorkshire
Yorkshire145 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022 • Couples
Lovely place.
Great to walk along the harbour. You may get to see some otters which often sleep in the harbour area.
Plenty to see and so hear.

Good bars, good food and easy to navigate
Written 15 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeffrey S
50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The rock was first mentioned by a westerner when Juan Cabrillo first sailed past it in 1540, and entered it in his ship's log, before proceeding down the coast to infect everyone with various diseases. You can understand why Morro Rock is considered a sacred spot by local indigenous peoples. Beautiful place, with lots of sea otters (8:30 a.m. is the best viewing time - they are still wrapped in the kelp beds, sleeping), and be sure to keep walking until you can't get any further. There's a wonderful, spiritual place where people have built more than 1000 rock towers. Be sure to build one yourself and thank the universe for the wonders of nature, except for the people who were screwing on the beach, clearly inspired by something or other.
Written 2 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Louise Masin Sattler
Los Angeles, CA1,099 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
It may seem that it is "just a rock" - but seriously - this is an amazing force of nature. Juxtaposed with an excellent background of the bay, home to flocks of birds, and then natural wildlife swimming about. Plus, the boats in the bay make this place a great area to visit. Bring your camera!
Written 13 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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MORRO ROCK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Morro Rock