Morro Bay & Pismo Monarchs
Monarch clusters through a telescope in Pismo, then sea otters napping in the kelp right off the Morro Rock parking lot. Easy, flat and free for most of it.
3.5 hrs drive · 2–3 days · Best for all ages · Nov–Feb
Day 1: Monarchs and Pismo
- 7:30 Leave SF on 101 south (about 3.75 hrs to Pismo)
- 11:30 Monarch grove: look through the docent scopes, noon talk on weekends
- 12:45 Clam chowder lunch a block from the pier
- 2:00 Walk the pier and the beach
- 3:30 Drive 30 min to Morro Bay and check in
- 5:00 Sunset, kites and rock climbing at the rock
- 6:30 Dinner with huge portions to split
Day 2: Otters and tide pools
- 8:00 Otters in the kelp across from the Morro Rock lot
- 10:00 Museum of Natural History on the bay
- 11:45 Fish tacos and chowder on the outdoor deck
- 1:15 Drive 20 min to Montaña de Oro: creek, sea cave and small tide pools (time it near low tide)
- 2:45 Stroller-friendly walk along the bluffs
- 5:30 Dinner and saltwater taffy on the Embarcadero
Day 3: Last otters, drive home
- 8:00 Second otter look at the kelp bed by the T-pier
- 9:30 Climb around the tugboat and rescue sub outside the free museum
- 10:45 Drive home on 101
- 11:45 Lunch and playground break
- 3:30 Home
From parents who have been
- The monarchs look like dried leaves until they warm up. Go late morning on a sunny day, since families who came early saw them start flying just as they left. Jones In For Taste family visit
- Recent visitors still saw clusters in December even with low numbers, but a March visit found only one monarch. Go December to early February. The roadside entrance is easy to miss, and a visit takes about 10 minutes. Wanderlog Pismo grove reviews
- For otters, pull into the lot on the left at Morro Rock and look at the kelp across from the rock. A family counted 20+ around 8 to 9 in the morning and none in late afternoon. Wear grippy shoes on the wobbly rocks. Tips For Family Trips
- The upper Bluff Trail lots at Montaña de Oro fill fast. The Spooner's Cove lot is closer and less crowded, and the calm creek there is good for toddlers. Hold little hands on the sharp tide pool rocks. The Brain and the Brawn
- At Spooner's Cove, keep kids off the slanted rocks above the waves and away from South Point at the south end, where big waves hit. Leave the turban snails, which smell. Lotsa Fun Maps Spooner's Cove
- Taco Temple portions are huge, so split plates. Kelli's Candies on the Embarcadero has arcade games in the back. Tinybeans Morro Bay family trip
Good to know
- Monarchs are in the Pismo grove from late October through February. Parking and entry are free, but parking is very limited and you may not park inside the North Beach campground. Docent talks are on weekends at noon in peak season, weather and docents permitting.
- Numbers are low right now. Pismo counted 235 monarchs early in the 2025–26 season and 471 later in the winter (statewide count 12,260, the third-lowest ever). 2024 hit a record low of 197. The 2026–27 counts are not posted yet.
- Montaña de Oro is open 6 to 10. Corallina Cove access is closed indefinitely because of storm erosion, and Pecho Valley Rd dead-ends at Coon Creek. Dogs are allowed only on roads, in the campground and at Spooner's Cove beach.
- Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History is open daily 10 to 5. Adults are $3 and kids 18 and under are free. State park day use is $8 per car.
- The Morro Bay Maritime Museum (1210 Embarcadero) is free and open daily 10 to 3.
Sources: Experience Pismo Beach: Monarch Grove · KSBY monarch count (Jan 2026) · KEYT record low count (Dec 2024) · CA State Parks Montaña de Oro · CA State Parks Morro Bay SP · Morro Bay Maritime Museum