Our breakfast in hotel was, as expected, American, quite hectic and crowded. But we're used to that, and it didn't bother us. It just made us get to the road faster. :) So off we went, continuing along the dream road. Highway No. 1 towards our first destination of the day: Garrapata State ParkThe weather seemed to be kind to us today, as the sun was shining. You can find yesterday's post, where we drove Highway No. 1 from San Francisco to Marina, here. here.
Garrapata State Park - Highway No. 1
Arriving at the state park, despite the sunshine, a stiff breeze gusted around our faces. We walked along the small path and then down the wooden steps to the beach. The waves crashed loudly against the rocks in the water. Between waves, Christian ran and stood on the nearest rock. The surf crashed around him, looking truly spectacular! On the way back to the car, there was, of course, a geocache by the side of the path.
Bixby Bridge - Highway No. 1
Afterwards we went on to Bixby BridgeHere, the same fate caught up with us as the day before: the clouds were clinging stubbornly to the coast. One moment it was bright sunshine, and now everything was shrouded in fog. We still had a good view of the 86-meter-high, world's tallest single-arch bridge.
What we found truly remarkable on our journey were the places where some people built their houses. Some were on steep slopes even below the highway. Sometimes we didn't even know how to get there, because there wasn't a road leading off Highway 1?!
Pfeiffer Big Sure State Park – Highway No. 1
We drove to the Pfeiffer Big Sure State ParkThen I felt the natural urge to go, and luckily there are always a few ranger stations in state parks with restrooms, so I quickly drove over. A cleaning guy was standing there and told me I couldn't go in now, I couldn't go again for two hours. I thought I was going to explode, and I really did!!! Then he started laughing and said it was just a joke. I can go and he'll start cleaning afterwards. Everything fell off my face, especially the relief. :D What a joker!!!! But I had to laugh so hard myself.
Pfeiffer Beach
Then we went on to Pfeiffer BeachHere, you have to drive down a narrow road into the valley to the ocean. What we didn't expect was a $10 entrance fee. I hadn't read that anywhere before, so here's the hint: $10 entrance fee! So we handed over our last cash to the friendly ranger and parked our car. We quickly changed our clothes, because it was warm and the sun was shining; maybe we could take a quick dip in the waves.
We walked the short way to the beach, and a beautiful little bay opened up with a river flowing into the sea and large rocks standing in the surf. The sand was so incredibly soft underfoot, so we immediately spread out our towels and lay in the sun for a while. That was a good thing, because the fog was already hanging just offshore, slowly drifting over the bay.
As the sun slowly disappeared, we set off on an exploration tour along the beach. We discovered that the water was much too cold for swimming! The rocks, which were half in the water, half on the beach, were beautifully pockmarked by the surf and provided a great photo opportunity Off we go! After about an hour, we set off again, as we still had a lot to do today. So we drove up the narrow road back to the highway, where the sun unexpectedly shone again.
McWay Falls – Highway No. 1
Along the beautiful route we went to the McWay Falls. Here we are still in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. This place is the most idyllic we have seen so far. McWay Falls is almost 25 m high and plunges into a bay that looks almost Caribbean. You cannot enter it; at least there is no official path leading down. But a small hiking trail along the top of the cliff offers a beautiful view of the waterfall. The information boards explain that there used to be a house on the spot where the observation deck is now, with a direct view of McWay Falls. You can still make out the foundations. It also explains how a landslide along the highway changed the water level, especially in the bay.
Elephant Seal View Point – Highway No. 1
The journey continued past steep cliffs and, at times, through small valleys, a little further inland. Unfortunately, the fog had us firmly in its grip, but this did not diminish the natural beauty.
Directly on the street is the Elephant Seal Viewpoint, which was our next stop. Once there, the sun was shining again, and hundreds of elephant seals awaited us. Some were lazing around on the beach, others were fighting over territory. It was a spectacle, almost rehearsed for tourists. You could watch them for hours as they shovel sand onto their backs and crawl toward the water. You completely forget that these animals weigh tons.
Morro Bay & Morro Bay State Park – Highway No. 1
Afterwards we drove to our final destination of the day: Morro BayHere, Morro Bay State Park awaits us. The small harbor town and the bay were named after the volcanic cone, which rises 176 meters (570 feet) out of the Pacific Ocean at the harbor. Morro Rock is a nature reserve and home to many bird species. We had planned to take a short walk here, but the fog, which was beginning to thicken, didn't invite us to linger. So we drove a little further out of Morro Bay to take a short walk on the Bluff Trail in Montaña de Oro State Park.
Bluff Trail in Montaña de Oro State Park
I had actually planned to enjoy the sunset here, but to repeat: the fog! (I know, I'm repeating myself.) We walked a bit anyway and retrieved another cache. I thought it was really cool that you could go down a staircase along the cliff and then walk onto the flat rocks, which were still filled with seawater in the grooves. Anemones and small hermit crabs lived there and were wonderful to observe. I felt like a little kid and couldn't stop marveling. It was simply fascinating. Montaña de Oro State Park has many beautiful trails for all abilities, and there's also a campground.
Are you still looking for a suitable hotel in Morro Bay?
You can find a hotel to suit your budget via various online travel agencies such as Agoda, Booking.com, ebookers.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, lastminute.com, otel.com or Venere.com.
After this lovely tour, we drove to our hotel. Days Inn Morro Bay Apparently, it's been recently renovated, because the rooms look very new, but the hotel itself isn't. Our room is quite large, and everything is super clean. We're looking forward to breakfast tomorrow, which will be served in the small reception area.
The next day, we continued along Highway No. 1 from Morro Bay to Simi Valley. You can find the post here.
