|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
The Embarcadero – |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 Rent
sea kayaks or canoes for a spin around sheltered Morro Bay. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At
Sub-Sea Tours, a bright yellow submersible boat provides an underwater
view of harbor seals, shiny schools of smelt, giant kelp and sea otters. |
|
|
|
| |
|
Or,
if the water isn't clear, take a wildlife tour of the estuary in
an electric launch to look for sea birds and otters. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
In
season (December to March), there are gray whale watching tours from
Virg's Landing. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
If
you're pressed for time, stop into the small Morro Bay Aquarium,
where you can see (and feed) sea lions, and get a peek at other marine life
such as brightly colored fish, pink sea anemones and orange eels. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Rent bikes – Bike out to Morro Rock or around
the Embarcadero. Morro Bay Cyclery on Main St. and Kites Galore have kids
bikes and surreys for rent. (If you're lazy, you can also drive out to the
base of Morro Rock.) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Tidelands Park – This is really fine playground,
with a tip-top pirate ship climbing structure, grassy areas and a nice walkway
along the harbor. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Morro Strand State Beach (South) – Buy kites to fly on the
wide sandy beach at Morro Strand State Beach (there are picnic
tables too, so bring a lunch). You can pick up kites at Kites Galore
on Front St. In the warm weather, rent boogie boards and hit the
waves, or just play in the sand. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Museum of Natural History (Morro Bay State Park) – This newly rennovated museum has hands-on exhibits about the local ocean
currents, tidal flats, sand dunes, volcanic activity that created Morro
Rock, and flora and fauna around Morro Bay. Afterwards, take a walk to Windy
Cove or White Point. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Montana de Oro State Park – Montana de Oro State Park has camping and miles of hiking trails – the highlight is shale rock formations in shades of gold and
silver, jutting out into the sea. From the cliffs, bring your binoculars
to look for harbor seals in the ocean and hawks in the sky. |
|
|
|
| |
|
At the Ocean Bluffs Trail, climb down to the beach to explore
the tide pools. You can't miss the giant-size flourescent lime green
sea anemones, plus turban snails, rock crabs and sea stars (resist the urge
to poke your fingers in the sea anemones). |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
From the Sandspit turnoff, it's a short walk down to the sand
dunes. Play in the dune,s run around piles of driftwood, investigate
clam shells and kelp washed up on the shore – it's a long sandy
beach that seems to go on forever. |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
Rhyming
descriptions and up-close illustrations of creatures you'll see
in the tidepools in around Morro Bay – barnacles, sea anemones,
tiny fish, snails, hermit crabs. " A group of snails with
spiral hats, glide across the bumps and flats." (Picture
book)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Kids can read for themselves how tide pools work, and snails, mussels, sea anemones, starfish, sea urchins, and barnacles that stick around for life. (Easy reader)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(More children's
books on other California pages) |
