Review Of Morro Bay State Park Campground

Morro Bay State Park is the perfect campground choice for those who want to spend a few days relaxing on the California coast. Here, visitors can stay in quiet campsites just steps from the ocean and serene hiking trails.

With plenty of activities to keep you entertained, Morro Bay State Park should be on anyone’s radar when looking for a fun camping getaway on the Central California Coast! I especially love to visit Morro Bay in the winter to escape the cold, as the weather in this part of California stays temperate year-round.

Read on for my detailed review of staying at Morro Bay State Park Campground in Morro Bay.

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Table Of Contents:

Morro Bay State Park Campground Location

Morro Bay State Park campground is located just south of Morro Bay town, next to the Museum of Natural History and Bayside Cafe. It’s easy to confuse it with Morro Strand State Beach, another State Park in Morro Bay that’s located north of the town.  

To reach Morro Bay State Park campground, you can take Highway 1, turn off onto S Bay Blvd, turn right onto Park View Road, and take Main Street all the way to the campground.

It can be a bit hard to spot the campground entrance, so I recommend setting directions on your phone ahead of time. Once you reach the entrance booth, you will need to check in and get a parking slip for the windshield.

If you need to stock up on camping supplies, I like to stop by Albertson’s in Morro Bay for food, water, and other camping necessities. This grocery store is just a few minutes from the campground and is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Google Map Location: Morro Bay State Park Campground

About Morro Bay State Park Campground

Morro Bay State Park offers 140 campsites that are designed to accommodate a variety of different camping setups, including RVs, campervans, tents, bikers, and hikers.

The Morro Bay State Park campsites cost:

• $35 for regular sites
• $50 for RV sites with electric hookups
• $10 for walk-in hike/ bike campsites
• $165 for group sites

We stayed at one of the dry sites in our Promaster campervan. Other campsites come with RV hookups, including electric and water. Keep in mind that if you have a trailer, the maximum vehicle length allowed at the campground is 35 feet.

The campsites are spacious and can accommodate two vehicles, but if you plan to bring a second car, additional vehicles cost $10/night.

The campsites are located pretty close to each other, but there is some vegetation and trees for separation and privacy. Some of the campsites are more hidden among eucalyptus trees, while others are more open.

There is an $8-day use fee for those who plan to visit friends or family staying at the campground. If you have a larger group, you can hang out in the common picnic area during the day.

Many people visit Morro Bay State Park for hiking opportunities. The campground borders Black Hill along the property where you can go on serene walking paths in a forest or climb up to a lookout point of Morro Bay.

Morro Bay State Park Campground does allow dogs (on leash), so we brought our pup along. In general, Morro Bay is very dog-friendly, and dogs are allowed on many of the hiking trails and restaurant patios. There is even a designated dog beach in Morro Bay, just a 10-minute drive north of the campground.

There are multiple bathroom and shower facilities throughout the campground, and you’re never too far away from a restroom, no matter which campsite you end up staying at.

If you have an RV and need to use the dump station, the dump fee is $10.

Read Next: 15 Best Places To Go Camping On Central California Coast

Things To Do At Morro Bay State Park Campground

For those who enjoy hiking, Morro Bay State Park offers a variety of trails for different fitness and difficulty levels. One of the best parts about staying at this campground is that you’re just steps away from trailheads and walking paths.

Here are a few popular trails to hike nearby:

Exercise Trail – an easy trail that starts next to the campground and leads to multiple stations with prompts for various exercises.

Black Hill Trail – a moderate 3-mile-long hike that you can easily reach from the campground. The hike starts off in a forest and then climbs up along a dramatic volcanic landscape to an overlook of Morro Bay and Morro Rock. On a previous visit to Morro Bay, we hiked the entire Black Hill Trail, and the views from the summit were simply stunning!

Morro Bay State Park Boardwalk – a short loop that starts by the marina and follows a flat boardwalk next to the bay. This is a great spot to go for a short walk, stretch your legs in the morning, and enjoy a bit of wildlife and bird watching.

This park is also situated next to the 18-hole Morro Bay Public Golf Course, mountain biking trails, and kayaking routes within the Morro Bay Estuary and the Morro Bay lagoon.

If you don’t have a personal kayak, you can rent a kayak or paddleboard from A Kayak Shack, which is located in the marina next to the campground. A single kayak or paddle board rental costs $18 for the first hour and $9 for an additional hour. A double kayak costs a bit more, starting at $26 for the first hour and then $13 for an additional hour.

From the campground, you can easily walk down to the marina where you can enjoy various water activities, including boating, fishing, bird watching, and swimming, just to name a few.

There is also a Museum of Natural History in the marina where you can learn more about this region’s history and Native American life, or go for a walk in the Chumash Garden.

It’s safe to say that you won’t get bored on a camping trip to Morro Bay, as there are plenty of activities to enjoy nearby! Or if you’d rather hang out at the campsite next to a fire pit with a book in hand – that’s a great way to spend the weekend too. The choice is yours!

Morro Bay State Park Campground Amenities

One of the best parts about going camping is making a fire pit at the end of the day. If you forgot to bring camping supplies, don’t worry! The campground sells firewood for $10 and fire starters for $1 that can be purchased from the campfire center between 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in cash or by credit card.

Each of the campsites comes with fire rings, picnic tables for eating, and storage boxes for storing dry items. If you’re visiting with a larger group, there is a common area with picnic sites and family-style tables that offer excellent views of the surrounding mountains.

The one downside to staying at this campground was the outdated bathrooms. Most State Parks that we’ve stayed at in California have nice bathrooms, but these ones could use some upgrades.

The restrooms had flush toilets, but the sinks had no soap or hot water for washing hands.

For a couple of bucks, you have the option to get tokens for showering, which we tried out. For $1, you can get 2 tokens, which will give you a couple of minutes of running water per token. We camped here in the winter, so we were hoping for warm water, but after running it for a while, the water got lukewarm, and I took a very quick shower just to rinse off.

Tip: Be sure to bring sandals for showering, as there can be a lot of mud and sand on the ground.

Camping in camping. It’s supposed to be a ‘rough’ outdoor activity. But from reading through previous stays and comments, the outdated bathrooms are one of the most common topics brought up for this campground.

Morro Bay State Park Campground Reservations

Reservations for Morro Bay Campground can be made on Reserve California here. You can search reservations by park name ‘Morro Bay SP’, enter the arrival date, select the type of site you’re looking to book (tent camping, group campsites, hook-up camping, etc), and select ‘Show Results’. You can browse through all available sites and select the ones that best fit your needs.

Morro Bay State Park Campground typically stays open year-round, unless there are park closures due to poor weather or fires.

If you plan to go camping during the week, there are usually plenty of campsites available, especially in the winter. The weekends do tend to sell out, so be sure to book the campsites ahead of time.

Campground check-in is at 2 p.m. and check-out time is noon.

Where To Eat In Morro Bay

One of the best parts about visiting the Central Coast of California is all the drool-worthy seafood that you can try out! Whenever we travel to Morro Bay, we like to check out new seafood spots in town.

Here are some of my favorite restaurants in Morro Bay:

Dorn’s Breakers Cafe

Dorn’s Breakers Cafe is one of our favorite brunch spots in town! This iconic Morro Bay restaurant is situated slightly uphill, facing the ocean with picture-perfect views overlooking Morro Rock.

On weekends, they have a special weekend brunch menu that includes mimosas and Bloody Mary’s along with delicious Eggs Benedict plates.

Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant

If you’re looking for a place to eat with a view, head over to Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant. This restaurant is located on the Embarcadero boardwalk and offers an excellent view of Morro Rock from the patio.

The clam chowder bread bowl, oysters, and grilled shrimp are a must-try!

Bayside Cafe

Bayside Café is located in the marina, just a short walk from the campground. This is a great place to go get food if you don’t feel like cooking your own.

They serve a mix of American and Mexican plates in a serene setting overlooking the water.

Things To Do In Morro Bay

Here are a few of the most popular things that I recommend doing on a trip to Morro Bay:

Morro Bay T Pier

Whenever I visit Morro Bay, I always try to stop by the Morro Bay T Pier for some wildlife and bird watching. The Morro Bay Pier offers excellent views of the marina and is one of the best places for sea otter viewing in the town.  

At this pier, you can often spot adorable sea otters floating in the water with small babies on their stomachs. Truly, nothing is cuter than these little guys!

Read Next: 15 Best Places For Viewing Wildlife In California

Morro Rock

The biggest attraction of Morro Bay is Morro Rock. Morro Rock is a towering volcanic plug that can be best seen by walking down the Embarcadero or the beach.

Morro Rock is connected to the shoreline, so you can walk or drive to the rock itself and spend some time at Morro Rock Beach.

Elfin Forest

The Elfin Forest Natural Area is a beautiful hidden gem in Los Osos, just a short drive south of the campground. Situated next to the Morro Bay Estuary, Elfin Forest Natural Area consists of 90 acres of wilderness and hiking trails.

With a thriving bird population and many beautiful natural features, I love visiting the Elfin Forest for a leisurely afternoon walk and some bird watching. This nature preserve offers plenty to explore, including hundreds of different plant species and various animals.

Coastal Access Monarch Butterfly Preserve

If you visit this area in the winter months, be sure to stop by the Coastal Access Monarch Butterfly Preserve in Los Osos to see clusters of Monarch Butterflies resting in the eucalyptus trees.

In the spring, Monarch Butterflies start migrating north, so the best times to visit butterfly preserves are from December to February.

Read Next: 10 Top Places To See Monarch Butterflies In California

Morro Bay Dog Beach

If you have a pup, you’ll be glad to know that Morro Bay has its own designated doggie beach where they can run wild and free!

I love to stop by the Morro Bay Dog Beach before heading to the campground to tire my dog out so he sleeps for the rest of the night.

Read More: 20 Best Things To Do In Morro Bay, California

What To Bring Camping In Morro Bay

Here are a few things that I recommend packing for a camping trip on the Central California Coast:

• Lightweight Helinox Chair. Foldable chairs are great for eating, hanging out, or enjoying a campfire. I have a couple of foldable chairs that I can easily put together at a campsite and store at the back of my van after.
• Foldable Camping Table. I have a small camping table that I can prop up for eating meals. This table has foldable legs that are easy to set up and are made of aluminum material that doesn’t rust.
• AeroPress Coffee Press. Using an AeroPress is one of the easiest ways to make coffee while camping. I love this coffee press because it can fit into small storage spaces, and it won’t break if you accidentally drop it.
• Travel Towel. A travel towel is great for camping because this type of towel is light and dries quickly, which is perfect after swimming or showering. It’s also very compact and folds small into the included pouch – perfect for limited storage spaces.
• Packing Cubes. Staying organized while camping can be a challenge. These travel packing cubes not only keep everything nice & tidy but also help save a ton of space.
• Down Hoody. When traveling to Morro Bay, it’s always colder and windier than expected. I have a lightweight jacket that I can easily bring in my daypack on hikes or to the beach.
• Headlamp. I don’t go on any camping trips without a headlamp. Having a headlamp is essential in case you need to find your way to the restroom at night.

I hope this guide has helped you prepare for a wonderful camping trip to Morro Bay State Park! Here you can enjoy a few leisurely days by the beach, disconnect from daily life, and enjoy a bit of time off the grid.

Morro Bay is one of those places that you can visit many, many times and not see it all. There are always new fun activities that keep bringing me back!

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This post is written by Laura. Hi, I’m a California local and the founder of the California Wanderland travel blog. I currently live in Ventura County and help 50,000 readers a month discover things to do in Central California! Read more about me here.

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