Cayucos is a great beach town just off State Highway
1 on the Central Coast in San Luis Obispo County Cayucos, five miles
north of Morro Bay, at the foot of Cayucos Drive. A bed and breakfast
inn and several hotels, including one with ocean views, greet travelers
seeking a quiet getaway.
Local activities include walking
along the beach, bicycle touring, flying a kite, fishing off the pier
and shopping. Historic buildings with the old-West flair located on or
near the main street of Ocean Boulevard, are home to restaurants, a saloon,
half a dozen antique shops and gift boutiques.
Where to stay: There are several
great Cayucos Hotels you can check out.
Beachwalker Inn has fireplace rooms and is located only one block to
the beach.
Cayucos Shoreline Inn is located on the beach in Cayucos, and
overlooks the pier. Conveniently located to the downtown shopping and dining
area, this hotel is in the heart of it all in this mellow town with its
serene atmosphere.
The Dolphin Inn is a block from the beach and pier and is a
home-style atmosphere, with some rooms offering jacuzzis. As you can see,
this small community that's about a half hour from Hearst Castle on Highway
1 and located just north of Morro Bay, offers a fun getaway. A couple cute
restaurants, antique stores, an old-fashioned tavern / bar, and some great
artsy boutique and wine shopping make this a great LA or San Francisco
getaway, which is exactly what it's known for.
Evening strolls offer adventures such as scouting the
local restaurants for a dinner meal and listening to the sound of frogs
as you walk on the bridge near the pier. Some hotels rent VCRs and movies
so you can catch up on your favorite flicks. If this sounds boring, don't
go to Cayucos. It is a place for relaxing and you'll get your money's worth.
Cayucos Pier is located near the north end of Estero Bay,
with a creek to the north. The shoreline which is a mix of sand and
rocks frames a 953-feet-long pier. Popular as a fishing spot, surfperch,
skate, white croaker, occasional starry flounder, halibut, sardines and
mackerel have all been caught from this location. Cayucos State Beach,
adjacent to the pier, is the northernmost beach in California with grunion
runs. The sandy beach has picnic facilities and the
pier is lit for night fishing. Telephone: (805) 781-5200
The name Cayucos came from the Spanish word cayuco which
means a fishing canoe. It is the Spanish version of the word "kayak".
Aleuts hunted sea otter along the California coast in their bidarkas or
kayaks but the Spanish name has stayed with the town ever since it was
founded around 1875.
That same year saw the construction of a 940-foot-long
wharf by Captain James Cass, and the location became a regular stop for
the Pacific Steamship Company vessels. The current pier is not the original
one but was built in the same location.
Open all the time, free parking near the pier includes
handicap spaces with public restrooms and showers also available. Highway
1 exits Ocean Boulevard or Cayucos Drive to the pier.
