Morro Bay + Taco Temple

Home of the infamous rock!

We are huge fans of the central coast and Morro Bay is a must stop on any given trip!

240 miles south of San Francisco, 15 miles West of SLO, and 25 miles North of Pismo, is where you'll find it and it's famous rock - one of quite a few volcanic plugs found along this breathtaking part of the California coastline.

What is there not to love about a paddle here?! Expect to be immediately greeted by a large population of sea life including harbor seals, sea lions, pelicans, otters, among others! In the winter, you're also likely to see migrating birds not found here in the summertime.

As soon as we hit the water, this little guy appeared.

Regardless of time of year the coast is cool so wear layers. 50's in the winter, average in the 60's in the summer.

While you may be tempted by the map to head south, the tide makes this tricky and not recommended.

We tend to head out toward the far side of harbor's edge along the sand bar. Mid harbor you'll see a floating pier where sea lions like to hang out, bark and bask. Worth a paddle for some entertainment, then return back toward the sand barge shoreline until you reach the channel.

Depending on conditions, and your kayaking experience, you may or may not choose to enter the ocean. Do so at your own risk! You may even see SUP's take it on and yet having an understanding of currents, tides and conditions is critical for safety.

Find your comfortable distance and plan to hang out a bit. It can be completely mesmerizing and meditative with the fog horn and multitude of sea life contributing to complete AWE.

Once you cross the channel over to the rock you can roll right up to where you'll find many tourists and locals walking the trails and taking in the views. All in all it's approximately 5 miles from launch to rock.

When you're ready, a good path is to paddle along the roadway, back toward town and then along the main street restaurants and shops where there are a couple of docking options if you want to take a walk, grab a coffee or lunch. However easier is to access all of this from land as everything, including from the the launch lot, is walkable.

BOTTOM LINE: We rate this paddle 5 out of 5 paddles. Another magical spot full of sea life, ocean breeze and positive energy!

LAST VISITED: February 2019

SEASON: Year Round

TRAFFIC: Depends on the time of year. You're sharing space with the harbor boats heading out to sea, SUPers, fishermen and kayakers.

TOTAL KAYAKING MILEAGE: The map makes it appear that south of the ramp there's more ample kayaking distance however tide changes make this dicey while a trip to Los Osos appears tempting.

GETTING HERE: The Morro Bay launch facility can be found at 301 Embarcadero Morro Bay off Hwy 1.

2018 PARKING/LAUNCH FEES: The Launch Ramp is located at the southern end of the Embarcadero. There is no fee for boat launching however, there IS a $5 fee for parking your vessel and trailer. The parking station takes cash and credit cards. Follow directions on the screen and remember to place your permit on your windshield before heading out of the harbor. Please ensure you have the necessary safety equipment and check local weather information before launching your vessel. A single lane coin-operated boat rinse down station is located at the north end of the Launch Ramp parking area. Only fresh water rinses are allowed. Please do not use detergents or soaps.

INSPECTION: N/A

RENTALS? Yes! Check out A Kayak Shack right on Main Street offering rentals and tours at affordable rates.

LAUNCH TYPE: Boat ramp and dock launch available.

FACILITIES: Nice restrooms available in the main lot.

OTHER ACTIVITIES: Morro Bay is an active seaside town with lots of shops, galleries, and eateries. Hiking the xxx area for amazing views is also highly recommended.

WEBSITE: http://www.morrobay.org/

Nearby trips are Lake Nacimiento, Lake Margarita (we've paddled both, reviews coming!).

Hiking: Check out Black Hill Rock trail - off leash dog friendly, and another of the 9 volcanic plugs in the area.

On our last visit - February 2019 - we stayed at the new 456 Embarcadero Hotel in Morrow Bay which was really nice and super convenient. Huge rains cleared for calm wind and waters on a sunny Sunday morning.

Taco Temple - not to be missed!

We were left a little speechless at this one as the tacos experienced are truly like no other, and they feature the FRESHEST FISH offering the best of all worlds! Self described as "California Fusion" this is another beach town meets Mexican style restaurant.

Super nice people work here and the taco menu choices seem endless, given they have their ongoing offerings plus the 'what's fresh from local fisherman' choices.

We had the shrimp, snapper and salmon tacos which provided 2 of us with 2 full meals. Huge pieces of fish atop mounds of fresh vegetables atop corn tortillas make for a delectable filling meal.

Yes - that's a taco, Temple style! There's a couple buried corn tortillas in there somewhere.

BOTTOM LINE: 5 out of 5 tacos! A must try when in Morro Bay!

GETTING HERE: A few miles north of the rock @ 2680 Main St, Morro Bay

ADULT BEVERAGES: Beer + Wine + Cider, including wine based margs and sangria.

SALSA BAR: Yes!

WEBSITE/MENU: https://tacotemple.com/ .