Morro Bay State Park

The campground forest at Morro Bay State Park was planted in the 1930s — that's the first thing worth knowing. The 2,840-acre park borders the Morro Bay estuary, and Morro Rock, a volcanic plug at the harbor entrance, is a designated peregrine falcon reserve where climbing is prohibited. The Museum of Natural History covers the area's geology, cultural history, and early Chumash life, with a Chumash garden outside. An 18-hole golf course and boat and kayak rentals round out what is, by any measure, a serious park.