Morro Bay

Morro Rock—the Gibraltar of the Pacific

Morro Bay is a fishing community and resort on the California Central Coast halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, dominated by Morro Rock, an extinct volcano. It rises 576 feet (175 meters) above the shore, and has been an important navigational aid to seafarers for centuries.

Morro Rock is the last in a string of nine peaks known as the Nine Sisters that stretch in a row from nearby San Luis Obispo. It's a bird sanctuary, so it's closed to climbers.

Stretching from the foot of Morro Rock is a crescent-shaped beach of golden sand that's popular with surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers alike.