Around Baywood Park

Golfing is close by at Sea Pines in Los Osos (see the video) or the Morro Bay Golf Club (18-holes). A little way south on Highway 1 in the scenic Chorro Valley is Dairy Creek.

The Los Osos Oaks State Reserve, sometimes called the Elfen Forest by locals, has dwarf oak trees growing on an ancient sand dune. Though they are common oaks, they rarely grow more than six to eight feet tall. See the video.

Drive up to Montana de Oro State Park for a view of the entire Morro Bay area. The beautiful park is a great place for an afternoon picnic, hike or beach walk. See the video.

Morro Bay

In nearby Morro Bay you can rent a canoe or kayak and paddle over to the sand spit for an enchanting afternoon. Just be sure to check out the tides and plan accordingly!

Ocean fishing boats leave regularly from the harbor and are especially popular during the albacore run in late summer and early fall.

Walk or drive around the harbor and embarcadero to Morro Rock to watch the waves at high tide. The embarcadero has tourists and trinkets and lots of restaurants.

A visit to the Morro Bay Natural History Museum is a good way to spend an informative afternoon learning about the local environment.

San Luis Obispo

Just 12 miles to the southeast, San Luis Obispo is built around the historical Mission San Luis Obispo De Tolosa. The lively downtown area has plenty of stores, restaurants and bars and the Performing Arts Center at the California State Polytechnic University is within easy reach.

You won't want to miss the SLO Farmer's Market on Higuera Street, which happens all year round on Thursdays from 6 to 9pm. There you can stock up on the best local fruit and veggies, while you enjoy barbecue beef ribs and take in a local band or two.

The world-renowned Madonna Inn is worth seeing and it’s even better if you like boulders. Let us be the first of many to say, "Try the bathrooms".

Cambria and San Simeon

About 20 miles north along Highway 1 is Harmony, a small and quaint village, "Population 18 and Not Growing".

5 miles further is Cambria, popular with tourists due to its art galleries and stores. It’s home to the world famous Linn's Pies and Preserves, whose honest to goodness homemade pies come from their own berry patch. It's kind of like Knott's Berry Farm in the beginning.

Just a little further on Highway 1 to San Simeon and Hearst Castle, the extravagant estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, which is a must see. There are four daytime and seasonal evening castle tours, each two hours long. In Summer reservations are needed, or you can go on a standby basis.