Things To Do

What’s black and white and visible from Highway 1? Believe it or not, zebras are a common sight for drivers passing Hearst Castle, between San Simeon and Ragged Point. The gorgeously striped species is native to Africa, but the herd here descends from zebras in William Randolph…

Imagine a seaside community surrounded by a wealth of wildlife in its own habitat, and you’ve probably imagined a place like Avila Beach. The sound of waves crashing, birds singing, and seals barking is the soundtrack to any day spent here. All creatures great and small inhabit and…

The stretch of coastline along San Simeon sees some of the most diverse sea life of all of Highway 1. Here, whales spout and breach within full view of the San Simeon Pier at William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach. Dolphins’ dorsal fins dip in and out of the…

Along Cambria’s craggy, dramatic shoreline, witness the lives of thousands of tiny creatures in their watery habitat. These tide pools offer the opportunity for curious minds to discover a whole world of life at the ocean’s surface.

The stretch of Highway 1 between Oceano and Nipomo is some of the most beautiful and biologically diverse coastline in the state. Here, 15 miles of dunes make up one of the largest coastal dune systems in California.

With several miles of coastline, including plenty of bays and channels composed of craggy terrain, Los Osos is an area perfect for tide pools.

With 100 miles of Pacific coastline, our stretch of Highway 1 boasts abundant sea life including marine mammals, tide pools, and kelp forests.

Wherever you roam along Highway 1, the ocean never lies far away. In the 57 miles of coastline between Ragged Point and Nipomo, the Pacific Ocean defines the landscape.

Ideal climate, terrain, and proximity to the Pacific Flyway makes the SLO CAL stretch of Highway 1 one of the finest birding regions in the world.

Cute, furry, and playful, Southern Sea Otters make their homes just offshore along the SLO CAL stretch of Highway 1. Sea otters are native to the north Pacific Ocean, with Monterey Bay, Big Sur, and the Central Coast as hubs of activity.

Located on beautiful San Simeon Bay, the Coastal Discovery Center celebrates the connection between land and seas.

When it comes to whale watching, the Central Coast boasts an embarrassment of riches, especially along the Highway 1 Discovery Route. Here, whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals and seabirds play within full view of the shoreline.

The site is part of an Audubon Nature Preserve, featuring a vegetative restoration project and access trails to monarchs and other scenic areas within the preserve.

Find Elephant Seals on the beach, just off Highway 1. The rookery is easily accessible, free, and open to the public, year-round.