Morro Bay Attractions

San Luis Obispo County

Location and general

This peaceful bay, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, was discovered in 1769 by the same Spanish expedition under Father Juan Crespi which had earlier founded the first mission in San Diego. It is dominated by the 560ft/170m-high volcanic rock known as Morro Rock ("morro" is Spanish for a rock rounded at the top). The township itself did not come into being until the second half of the 19th century. A large fishing fleet is based here.