You may have heard of Pismo Beach or even Avila Beach but what about Morro Bay or Cayucos? We were able to spend a weekend exploring these lesser-known beaches and were so glad we did! Morro Bay and Cayucos are about three and half hours south of San Francisco and offer so much to do. We stayed in Cayucos which has a small town feel and a great beach. I loved that the town was not crowded and there was always plenty of parking and space on the beach. There were fun shops to explore in the downtown area.

One of the most popular spots in Cayucos was the Brown Butter Cookie Company. They are a block from the beach and great snack to bring with you while you go. The other highlight for us was the playground on the beach! There were swings and a play structure. We loved playing in the sand but also taking breaks to play on the playground. There is a pier on the beach as well which is fun to walk down. You will see some fishermen catching some fish! Memorial Day through Labor Day there is a local farmer’s market every Friday 10am-12:30pm.

We loved staying in Cayucos with a slower pace but having the ability to drive to other towns such as Morro Bay, which is a 10-minute drive from Cayucos. Morro Bay is well known for Morro Rock and Morro Strand State Beach. We went to explore around Morro Rock at low tide and were so glad we did. Within an hour we saw an otter, sea lions, star fish and crabs. You can drive all the way up to the rock and park. After you park, Morro Strand beach is on the right. It offers plenty of beach to play on and restrooms. Lots of surfers use this beach and are fun to watch!

To the left of the parking at Morro Rock there is a path to walk around the rock. This is where we were able to see all the ocean life! I wished we had spent more time here as well because there was a little beach that is protected by a sea wall that makes it great for kids! The waves here are very small and it makes it more like a pool than having to battle bigger ocean waves. At the end of the path there is a duckie garden. Duckies are stacked rocks used to mark hiking trails. We stopped here and added our own!

When you go to Morro Rock, make sure you stop at Crills Hand Made Salt Water Taffy. It is a walk-up candy shop and a must visit! When we went, we were able to see them making taffy and caramel through the window. We bought fudge, salt water taffy, hot chocolate and ice cream. Loved it all! Giovanni’s Fish Market came highly recommended in Morro Bay and is on our list to try next time.

During our weekend away we also spent some time exploring San Luis Obispo which is about 20 minutes from Cayucos. We loved walking the downtown area. Hearst Castle is also only 30 minutes away from Cayucos. I had the chance to visit Hearst Castle on another trip and it has been one of my favorite things I have done since moving to California. Hearst Castle is currently closed but make sure to keep an eye out for when it opens. If you are interested in visiting Pismo Beach and the sand dunes it is about 35 minutes south of Cayucos. If you want to travel a little farther, add in a day trip to Solvang. Solvang is about an hour and a half south of Cayucos and a fun California town that looks like a Danish village. As you can tell, there is plenty to do in this area. You will want to keep coming back!

xoxo, Amber

Getaway to Morro Bay and Cayucos