Once the ski season is done, I am drawn to the coastal regions of California. The end of the white snow season means it’s the beginning of the yellow snow season. The pine pollen season starts in ernest in late May through June and it can get really nasty for those that have developed allergies. During the month of June, it seems that everything gets coated with that sticky yellow pollen every 6 hours or so. Generally I am washing my car more during the month of June than all of the other months combined. So far it has not been the worst season yet this year.
Fortunately, pine pollen is much less of an issue if you head to the coast. The last two years I have been drawn to the central coast region of Morro Bay, as it’s where I spent my preteen and teen years. This would explain why I had to wait until my retirement years to become a ski bum, as that part of the state is almost as far as you can get from skiing. But there’s much to like about the area.
The prominent features of Morro Bay, besides the bay itself, are Morro Rock and the three iconic smokestacks from the old Pacific Gas and Electric power plant. To the north lies miles of sandy beaches for surfing, wind sports and walking. To the south lies a rockier coastline, offering hiking, mountain biking and fishing opportunities.
There’s a myriad of motels and short term rentals in the area. In my mind they are all freakishly expensive. My family started camping in Morro Bay State Park when I was about 10 years old, so camping in the area just seems natural to me. The California State Park system offers three choices for camping in the area. Here’s my hot takes on each of them:
• Morro Strand Campground: Located about two miles north of Morro Rock and the town of Morro Bay is the Morro Strand campground. While the camping facilities are not great, it’s still my number one choice. The campground is really more of a beach parking lot that has now been converted to a campground. That’s pretty common within the state park system. On the beach side of the lot are basic non-hook up sites for RVs or tents. Often the tent spaces are very limited. About 1/3 of the sites have beach views. Others are blocked by dunes or brush. The hookup sites are on the other side of the lot, against the bluffs. They are dry and not all that scenic. The huge bonus is that there is easy access the beach, although it is not dog friendly. The other bonus is the easy bike access into the town of Morro Bay for sightseeing or dining.
• Morro Bay State Park Campground: Located just south of town, adjacent to the bay and a golf course is the Morro Bay State Park campground. In my childhood, this campground was a majestic forest of eucalyptus trees and offered easy access to exploring the tidelands and mudflats of the bay. More recently, eucalyptus was recognized as a non-native invader, meaning much of it has died off or been cut down. In its current state it’s quite a bit more dry, brushy and dusty. As a kid, no camping trip there ended without a half dozen ticks attached to my body. Biking access from this campground is also poor with no separate trails and a narrow road into town.
• Montaña De Oro campgrounds: Located about 7 miles south of Morro Bay, just past Los Osos is Montaña De Oro state park, offering a couple of campgrounds. While there’s not many sandy beaches, there are some nice rocky shorelines and coves. There’s also hiking and biking trails into the manzanita and oak woodlands. There’s some access to sand dunes, for non-motorized fun. Sand skiing and sand surfing is good here. From the dunes you can take a long beach walk all of the way to the tip of the sand spit at Morro Rock. It’s much more of a real camping experience at Montaña De Oro, but the price for that is you are away from everything. I spent a summer building trails in Montaña De Oro and my two largest memories are the daily exposure to poison oak and rattlesnakes, so bear that in mind.
If you’re traveling to the area in the summer time, know that you will likely spend at least a part of your time in the fog. It can be chilly if you are not expecting it. Generally speaking, the hotter it is inland, the more you can expect fog along the coast. Most days it will burn off around noon and come back around sunset.
Things To Do
Obviously I have already mentioned the beach walking, biking and water and wind sports. But there is more to do in the area. There several options for deep sea fishing in Morro Bay, mostly for rock cod with an occasional ling cod. Apparently there is a halibut season, but it’s not something I have done. Just kicking around the waterfront area, people watching, sea lion watching and finding some better seafood are also options. I find that my favorite seafood comes from the smaller little shacks along the bay that offer local rock cod “fish and chips”. The bigger restaurants often serve the same frozen Sysco fare you might find in the MidWest.
If you have not been to Hearst Castle at least once in your life time, it might be worth your time. The architecture is cool as is the artwork. The Hearst name is big in California and learning a bit about the family history is also interesting. Having gone to school in the county, I did countless school field trips there in addition to obligatory sightseeing trips with visiting relatives. There’s nearly a dozen different tours that are offered now to keep you coming back. As with everything else these days, reservations are required at ReserveCalifornia.com. Hearst Castle is near San Simeon, about 30 minutes from Morro Bay.
Just north of Morro Bay is the smaller and more trendy town of Cayucos. There’s a number of quaint shops and dining opportunities along the main street. Our two favorites are the Luna Cafe for coffee and breakfast followed by a trip to the Brown Butter Cookie Company next door for some of the most expensive, but delicious, shortbread cookies I have ever had. Next time I want to sample Duckies Chowder House at the foot of the Cayucos Pier, which seems to be a locals favorite. There is no camping in Cayucos, nor a bike route from Morro Bay that doesn’t require some travel on Highway One. It’s a worthwhile day trip.
Farther north is what used to be quaint village of Cambria. Suburban sprawl has taken over the town and even the central village is not all that appealing. But here we did find the delightful Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. This 437 acre preserve was originally a cattle ranch until it was sold to a conservation group in 1979. It offers more than a mile of ocean frontage and 8 miles of trails for hiking and limited biking. Some trails are right along the ocean bluff while others followed the ridgline into one of the few Monterey pine forests left on the California coast. There was no yellow pine pollen there, thankfully. There are 8 different access points to the preserve. I recommend starting on the south end on South Windsor Drive.
Thirteen miles inland from Morro Bay is San Luis Obispo, the home town of of Cal Poly SLO. San Luis Obispo is located on Highway 101, roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It’s also 3.5 hours from the nearest skiing at China Peak, east of Fresno. SLO town has a charming and bustling downtown scene, centered around one of the best preserved California missions and a central plaza along the creek. Also in SanLuis Obispo is the Madonna Inn, which is known for being a somewhat gaudy and eccentric inn with 110 uniquely individual guest suites. Then there’s the main dining room with a unique mixture of local rock work, pink and fake flowers. It’s worth taking a pit stop and trying out some usually fantastic baked goods.
So if you’re over the pine pollen in Tahoe or need a break from over tourism in the area, consider a trip to the coast. The Morro Bay region is a bit harder to get to from the major population centers of California, making it somewhat less crowded and chaotic than places further north or south.
Drawing tourists away from Tahoe is a lofty goal, yes?
Let me point out that we have already passed the summer solstice and the days are getting shorter. Your post makes me want to visit Morro Bay. The Basin is already getting crowded, the rafting has started again, and numerous road construction projects have also started, with the replacement of Fanny Bridge scheduled for later this summer. Luckily the neighborhoods in Alpine are pretty quite as usual. Have a great summer, Mark.
Ohhhh the title says Going “Coastal” not “Postal” i was worried for a millisecond or two. I guess sometime your brain sees what it wants to
The pine pollen, while a nuisance, is actually not generally allergenic because the molecule is too large to affect the nervous system. It can be an irritant though, just like any other dust particle.
Kind of pedantic when pine pollen irritation affects people just like a true allergy. The treatment is the same. Also people that have allergies to other pollens are more likely to have a reaction. I’ll give you that anaphylaxis is unlikely.
The afternoon T-storms of late have done a good job of keeping the pollen at bay. But glad you’re having fun. Crowds around here seem to be picking up. Shoulder season where you can make left turns in town and walk into a restaurant without a reservation is definitely over. But the waterfalls of Shirley Canyon are looking great.
And there’s still a nice tongue of snow from the top in The Palisades at NAW Valley.