With July 4, Independence Day (a 4-day weekend) rapidly approaching, Inna and I were considering various travel options. We really wanted to get away from San Jose, but the increased incidence of COVID-19 made planning for a getaway difficult.
Considering various alternatives, including Mendocino, Lake Tahoe, Bear Valley, and Morro Bay, we decided on Morro Bay. Having never visited Morro Bay, we liked exploring new locations, hiking new trails, and surfing at newly discovered beaches.
We were immediately brought freshly baked bread and water when we sat down. I ordered a Clam Chowder (delicious) and a Turkey/Avocado/Bacon sandwich with french fries. The sandwich was recommended by our waiter and was delicious.
After dinner, Inna walked to Dorn's Cafe and ordered hot, black tea for everyone (and some lemon cheesecake dessert). The cheesecake was delicious!
Returning to our room, we decided to relax after our long day of walking and hiking. Although The Landing Hotel is newly refurbished, its walls are paper thin, and we could hear our upstairs neighbors walking. It brought back memories of dorm living at Lehigh University.
Saturday, July 4, 2020
I woke up early, at around 05:50, to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 06:20. The whole area was enveloped in thick fog, though the parking lot was already quite packed at this early hour.
While surfing, Inna decided to walk over to Morro Rock, taking photos of birds and some of the last minutes of our surfing session.
At around 09:30, we packed our car and returned to The Lodge to change, check out of the hotel, and eat breakfast at Dorn's Cafe.
Our last breakfast in Morro Bay was delicious, and I enjoyed my Denver Omelet with a side dish of buttermilk pancakes.
Considering various alternatives, including Mendocino, Lake Tahoe, Bear Valley, and Morro Bay, we decided on Morro Bay. Having never visited Morro Bay, we liked exploring new locations, hiking new trails, and surfing at newly discovered beaches.
Inna found a reasonably-priced hotel - The Landing at Morro Bay - with an excellent cancellation policy (cancel anytime); we decided to book it for the July 4th weekend (July 3 to 6th).
Friday, July 3, 2020
On Friday morning, after packing our Toyota Sienna minivan with surfboards, beach chairs, and clothes, I drove the 180 miles (3 hours) to Morro Bay, mainly on Highway 101. The drive was not challenging, and the traffic was not heavy (with only a few slowdowns on the way). Arriving at 12:15, we proceeded to The Landing and checked in early (the usual check-in is at 16:00), but our room was already prepared.
Since we were hungry from our long drive, we walked to the Dorn's Cafe next door (also highly recommended by Ellen Miller) for lunch. We decided to sit outside on the patio, but we ended up shivering. Even the firepit on our table did not provide sufficient warmth. Morro Bay was much colder than San Jose, and we did not anticipate the lower temperature.
Friday, July 3, 2020
On Friday morning, after packing our Toyota Sienna minivan with surfboards, beach chairs, and clothes, I drove the 180 miles (3 hours) to Morro Bay, mainly on Highway 101. The drive was not challenging, and the traffic was not heavy (with only a few slowdowns on the way). Arriving at 12:15, we proceeded to The Landing and checked in early (the usual check-in is at 16:00), but our room was already prepared.
Since we were hungry from our long drive, we walked to the Dorn's Cafe next door (also highly recommended by Ellen Miller) for lunch. We decided to sit outside on the patio, but we ended up shivering. Even the firepit on our table did not provide sufficient warmth. Morro Bay was much colder than San Jose, and we did not anticipate the lower temperature.
We were immediately brought freshly baked bread and water when we sat down. I ordered a Clam Chowder (delicious) and a Turkey/Avocado/Bacon sandwich with french fries. The sandwich was recommended by our waiter and was delicious.
Inna ordered the Fish Sandwich (made with Red Snapper) and a cup of Clam Chowder soup. She also liked it a lot. Alex ordered the Fish & Chips with Clam Chowder. We were all very happy (though a bit cold). Inna and I also drank some freshly dripped coffee (which helped to revive us).
After lunch, we decided to walk along Embarcadero to Morro Rock. Along the way, we explored multiple shops. We found out that Kayaks and SUPs could be rented for $15/hour, and many restaurants had patio dining open.
We also found a few cuddly sea otters sleeping in the calm waters near us, and Inna took hundreds of photos! Walking to Morro Rock, we found another set of sleeping/frolicking sea otters, and Inna took even more photos.
We made our way to Morro Rock beach, where we observed a few surfers riding some of the smaller waves there. The surf looked confused, but many longboarders were surfing well. We decided to try surfing on the morning of July 4.
While Alex and I watched the surfers, Inna rested her foot (which began to hurt). Once she felt better, we returned to The Landing Hotel and decided to visit the Estuary or the Morro Bay State Park boardwalk. Inna hoped to catch closer glimpses of various native birds. Although we saw some egrets in the distance, we never saw any birds nearby.
Since we still had time (before dinner), we decided to visit the nearby Black Hill (which has spectacular views of Morro Bay and surrounding areas).
The hike to the top of Black Hill was short but steep, and we ascended quickly to the peak. The views from the top of Black Hill, the golf course below, and Morro Rock in the distance were magnificent.
We returned to The Landing Hotel and rested a bit before eating dinner. Since I had an uneaten portion of my turkey sandwich left, I decided to eat it for my dinner portion. Inna and Alex, however, ordered some take-out from The House of Juju restaurant. Alex selected the "Athena" burger (Angus Beef cooked medium, served with our Homemade Kalamata Olive Aioli, Feta Cheese, Lettuce, Red Onion, & Sliced Tomato). At the same time, Inna ordered a Shrimp Taco with Italian salad. Alex liked his burger but did not say whether it was better than his usual SuperDuper.
After lunch, we decided to walk along Embarcadero to Morro Rock. Along the way, we explored multiple shops. We found out that Kayaks and SUPs could be rented for $15/hour, and many restaurants had patio dining open.
We also found a few cuddly sea otters sleeping in the calm waters near us, and Inna took hundreds of photos! Walking to Morro Rock, we found another set of sleeping/frolicking sea otters, and Inna took even more photos.
We made our way to Morro Rock beach, where we observed a few surfers riding some of the smaller waves there. The surf looked confused, but many longboarders were surfing well. We decided to try surfing on the morning of July 4.
While Alex and I watched the surfers, Inna rested her foot (which began to hurt). Once she felt better, we returned to The Landing Hotel and decided to visit the Estuary or the Morro Bay State Park boardwalk. Inna hoped to catch closer glimpses of various native birds. Although we saw some egrets in the distance, we never saw any birds nearby.
Since we still had time (before dinner), we decided to visit the nearby Black Hill (which has spectacular views of Morro Bay and surrounding areas).
The hike to the top of Black Hill was short but steep, and we ascended quickly to the peak. The views from the top of Black Hill, the golf course below, and Morro Rock in the distance were magnificent.
We returned to The Landing Hotel and rested a bit before eating dinner. Since I had an uneaten portion of my turkey sandwich left, I decided to eat it for my dinner portion. Inna and Alex, however, ordered some take-out from The House of Juju restaurant. Alex selected the "Athena" burger (Angus Beef cooked medium, served with our Homemade Kalamata Olive Aioli, Feta Cheese, Lettuce, Red Onion, & Sliced Tomato). At the same time, Inna ordered a Shrimp Taco with Italian salad. Alex liked his burger but did not say whether it was better than his usual SuperDuper.
After dinner, Inna walked to Dorn's Cafe and ordered hot, black tea for everyone (and some lemon cheesecake dessert). The cheesecake was delicious!
Returning to our room, we decided to relax after our long day of walking and hiking. Although The Landing Hotel is newly refurbished, its walls are paper thin, and we could hear our upstairs neighbors walking. It brought back memories of dorm living at Lehigh University.
Saturday, July 4, 2020
I woke up early, at around 05:50, to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 06:20. The whole area was enveloped in thick fog, though the parking lot was already quite packed at this early hour.
We waited to see if any surfers would enter the water, and a few went surfing (though we could not know whether they were surfing). At around 07:15, the fog cleared considerably, and we decided to try our luck at surfing there.
Alex chose his old shortboard - the Kym Thompson 6'6"- while I chose my trusty Wavestorm 8'. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.
Waves were quite disorganized, coming from different directions. I managed to catch a few waves. They were not as powerful as the ones we are used to surfing at The Hook in Santa Cruz. Catching waves took much more effort, and Alex and I missed many opportunities. By 09:15, the ocean calmed down, and the wave height and frequency decreased. We decided to head back to shore and return to The Lodge for a quick shower and breakfast.
Returning home at around 09:45, we cleaned our wetsuits, took showers, and changed into fresh clothes. Inna made breakfast reservations at Dorn's Cafe for 10:45, and we headed there (once we were ready).
I selected the Denver Omelet (ham, cheese, and green peppers) and 3 buttermilk pancakes, while Inna and Alex chose Harry's Scramble (ground beef, eggs). Alex selected buttermilk pancakes for his side dish, while Inna chose the hashbrowns). We really enjoyed our breakfast and stayed on until 11:45.
With breakfast/lunch over, Alex returned to our hotel room to study Calculus while Inna and I headed for a few hikes.
Our first hike was in Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve. We hiked along small (elfin) trees with moss growing over them. There was a lot of poison oak on the trail, and we even got lost for a bit (as the trail is not well marked).
However, it was a relatively short hike with many interesting tree formations.
However, it was a relatively short hike with many interesting tree formations.
For our second hike, Inna explored the Bluff Trail in the Montana de Oro (Montana de Oro State Park). After finding parking (quite full), we started our hike, overlooking the California continental shelf and the beautiful cliffs that stare back at the cold Pacific Ocean.
We enjoyed the multiple overlooks, birds, and squirrels that inhabit the bluff. In one part of the hike, we walked down to the beach, looking at tide pools, mollusks, and oysters that washed up onshore. The hike was relatively flat but long, requiring about two hours.
We enjoyed the multiple overlooks, birds, and squirrels that inhabit the bluff. In one part of the hike, we walked down to the beach, looking at tide pools, mollusks, and oysters that washed up onshore. The hike was relatively flat but long, requiring about two hours.
After we returned home, we rested and decided to eat some delicious local ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy. We were lucky to arrive in time to order (as Crill's closes at 17:30 on Saturdays). I liked the rocky road, cookies' n' cream, and mint chocolate chip flavors. Crill's purchases Burnardoz Ice cream (which tastes homemade).
Since Inna had a horrible migraine, we rested indoors in our hotel room until dinner at 20:00. Inna made dinner reservations at Dorn's Cafe at 20:00 (we wanted to eat at Ventura Grill in Pismo Beach, but it was unavailable.)
Dinner at Dorn's Cafe was delicious as usual (but this time, we sat inside). I ordered a cup of the delicious clam chowder and Fish & Chips (with exquisite tartar sauce). Inna ordered the "Shrimp Scampi," which was also outstanding. Alex enjoyed his "Pasta Pomodoro". For dessert, we shared a delicious mousse.
Sunday, July 5, 2020
I woke up early, at around 06:30, to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 07:00. This time, the day was clear, and no fog was present. Many surfers were already in the water.
Alex chose his old shortboard - the Kym Thompson 6'6"- while I chose my trusty Wavestorm 8'. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.
Waves were disorganized but bigger than on Saturday, coming from different directions. I caught 7 other waves, with the first being my best and longest ride. By 09:30, the ocean calmed down, and the wave height and frequency decreased. We decided to head back to shore and return to The Lodge for a quick shower and breakfast.
Returning home around 10:00, we cleaned our wetsuits, took showers, and changed into fresh clothes. Inna made breakfast reservations at Dorn's Cafe for 12:00, but we tried the "walk-in" method and were seated at 11:30 for breakfast/lunch.
After our brunch, we decided to go kayaking in Morro Bay.
We were able to paddle close to both seals and sea otters. Many sea otters were sleeping, and others were playing around.
After our brunch, we decided to go kayaking in Morro Bay.
We were able to paddle close to both seals and sea otters. Many sea otters were sleeping, and others were playing around.
When approaching the seals, they made a lot of seal noises.
After kayaking, we decided to cool off by eating ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy. I enjoyed the strawberry & rocky road flavors, while Inna and Alex stayed with their favorites: cookies' n cream and rocky road.
With plenty of time left on this warm summer day, we decided to hike around and explore Morro Rock. Near Morro Rock, we noticed a lot of man-made rock formations and large boulders, which we had not seen before.
With plenty of time left on this warm summer day, we decided to hike around and explore Morro Rock. Near Morro Rock, we noticed a lot of man-made rock formations and large boulders, which we had not seen before.
We had to carefully step and climb around them to reach the ocean nearby.
After returning to our hotel (The Landing), Inna thought it might be fun to hike at Elfin Forest. With a short 10-minute drive, we quickly parked our van and started on a fast, 1-mile hike.
We saw many miniature trees, with overlooks of the ocean and the salt-water ponds around.
Walking on the wood-covered road was pleasant and enjoyable. After the short hike, we returned to The Landing for rest before dinner at our favorite Dorn's Cafe.
Inna ordered a cup of the clam chowder and Sauteed Scallops while I enjoyed a bowl of the delicious Clam Chowder and the Spinach Salad with Blackened Salmon. Alex tried the Steak Sandwich with a cup of Clam Chowder.
After returning to our hotel (The Landing), Inna thought it might be fun to hike at Elfin Forest. With a short 10-minute drive, we quickly parked our van and started on a fast, 1-mile hike.
We saw many miniature trees, with overlooks of the ocean and the salt-water ponds around.
Walking on the wood-covered road was pleasant and enjoyable. After the short hike, we returned to The Landing for rest before dinner at our favorite Dorn's Cafe.
Inna ordered a cup of the clam chowder and Sauteed Scallops while I enjoyed a bowl of the delicious Clam Chowder and the Spinach Salad with Blackened Salmon. Alex tried the Steak Sandwich with a cup of Clam Chowder.
Monday, July 6, 2020
We woke up around 06:30 to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. We were also considering surfing at Pismo Beach (which may have had more organized waves). Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 07:00. There were only a few surfers in the water.
I debated whether or not to drive to Pismo Beach. Since it was our last day, and we needed to return to San Jose for Alex to take his MITx Computer Science mid-term, I decided to surf at Morro Rock.
I debated whether or not to drive to Pismo Beach. Since it was our last day, and we needed to return to San Jose for Alex to take his MITx Computer Science mid-term, I decided to surf at Morro Rock.
Both Alex and I chose our trusty pair of Wavestorm 8' surfboards. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.
Waves were very disorganized, coming from multiple directions. Some waves were forming, and others collapsing; selecting the proper wave for surfing was hard. Both Alex and I tried to choose the best wave with limited success. I caught a few waves, but they either closed out early or died on me, so my rides were not memorable. Alex had better success and managed a few longer rides.
While surfing, Inna decided to walk over to Morro Rock, taking photos of birds and some of the last minutes of our surfing session.
At around 09:30, we packed our car and returned to The Lodge to change, check out of the hotel, and eat breakfast at Dorn's Cafe.
Our last breakfast in Morro Bay was delicious, and I enjoyed my Denver Omelet with a side dish of buttermilk pancakes.
Morro Bay Trip Report
Highlights
- Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Dorn's Cafe
- Watching Cute Sea Otters sleeping in Morro Bay
- Surfing at Morro Rock
- Savoring delicious ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy
- Hiking the Bluff Trail in the Montana de Oro
- Hiking Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve
Lowlights
- Three-hour drive to San Jose
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