NATURE EVENTS

Connect • Learn • Volunteer • Explore

There’s always something happening in nature along the Central Coast!
From wildlife tours to native plant sales, guided hikes, clean ups and seasonal celebrations — there are endless ways to get outside!

Many are free and family-friendly... click on the links to learn more!

🗓️ Daily Offerings

California State Parks PORTS Program
Free 45-minute live educational videos with California Park Rangers — a new topic and park expert each day. 🔗 View Schedule

📅 Weekly Offerings

Pecho Coast Trail to Lighthouse – Port San Luis, Avila Beach
Docent-led hikes every Wednesday & Saturday at 8:45 AM (Lighthouse 3.75 mile hike and Rattlesnake 8 mile hike)
🔗 https://trails.pge.com/

Piedras Blancas Light Station – San Simeon Tours of the Historic Park on Tues, Thurs, Sat. 🔗https://www.piedrasblancas.org

🦋 Welcome to Monarch Butterfly Season

Monarch butterflies overwinter along the Central Coast each year from October to February. Explore these local viewing spots: Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, Hearst San Simeon State Park Monarch Butterfly Grove, Monarch Dunes Butterfly Grove – Nipomo, San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens, Sweet Springs Nature Preserve – Los Osos

🌳 December 2025 Events

Please note: Some events require advance registration or tickets — click on the event link for details and sign-up information.
Many are free and family-friendly, while others may have a small fee or age guidelines.

Dec 1–Dec 27 (5-8PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Nature Lights Celebration
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/

Dec 29 (5:30-6:45PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Sound Healing and Nature Meditation
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/

Dec 30 (11:30-2PM) – CA State Parks: Tide Pool Walk at Hazard Canyon, Montana de Oro
🔗 https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31276

Dec 31 (12PM) – Central Coast Zoo – Noon New Years Count Down
🔗 https://www.centralcoastzoo.org/events/

🌳 January 2026 Events

Please note: Some events require advance registration or tickets — click on the event link for details and sign-up information.
Many are free and family-friendly, while others may have a small fee or age guidelines.

Jan 1st–3rd – King Tides on the Central Coast
Learn more through the California King Tides Project
🔗 https://coastal.ca.gov/kingtides/learn.html

Jan 1 (10–11AM) – CA State Parks: First Day Guided Bluff Trail Hike, Montana de Oro
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/

Jan 1 (10–11AM) – CA State Parks: First Day Guided Marina Peninsula Trail Hike, Morro Bay State Park
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/

Jan 1 (10–11:30AM) – CA State Parks: First Day Guided Hike at Elephant Seal Rookery, San Simeon
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/

Jan 1 (12PM) – Polar Bear Plunges in Cayucos & Avila
🔗 https://www.cayucoschamber.com/polar-bear-dip
🔗 https://www.avilabeachpolarbearplunge.com

Jan 1 (1:30–3:30PM) – CA State Parks: First Day Hike: Mindful Walk on San Simeon Creek Trail, San Simeon
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/

Jan 1 (2–4PM) – Morro Coast Audubon Society: First Day at Morro Rock Beach
🔗 https://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/

Jan 3 (9:30–11AM) – City Farm SLO: Community Tour
🔗 https://www.cityfarmslo.org/community-tours

Jan 3 (10–12 PM) – Latino Outdoors: Fungus Fun at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, Cambria
🔗 https://latinooutdoors.org/eventbrite/

Jan 6 (9–11AM) – EcoSLO: King Tides Cleanup at Cayucos Pier
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events

Jan 7 (9:45–11AM) – Central Coast Aquarium: Big Fish Little Fish Educational Program (Ages 2–5)
🔗 https://www.centralcoastaquarium.org

Jan 9 (9–12PM) – CA Native Plant Society SLO Chapter: Black Lake Volunteer Restoration Day
🔗 https://cnpsslo.org/events/

Jan 10 (9–12PM) – Dunes Center: Chumash Shell Midden Community Hike, Rancho Guadalupe Beach
🔗 https://dunescenter.org/events/

Jan 10 (10–12PM) – Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve: Guided Forest Walk
🔗 https://www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org/explore/docent-walks/

Jan 10 (11–2PM) – Surfrider San Luis Obispo: Over/Under Bay Cleanup
🔗 https://slo.surfrider.org/volunteer

Jan 11 (4PM) – Greenspace: Speaker Series – Snapshot USA: Nationwide Mammal Tracking Project, Cambria
🔗 https://greenspacecambria.org/

Jan 14 (5:30–7:30PM) – EcoSLO: DIY Worm Composting Workshop at SLO Public Market
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events

Jan 14 (6–8PM) – SLO Climate Coalition: Climate Change Kickoff Party
🔗 https://sloclimatecoalition.org/events/

Jan 15–19 – Morro Bay Bird Festival
🔗 https://morrobaybirdfestival.org

Jan 17 (9–12PM) – EcoSLO: Johnson Ranch Tree Planting
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events

Jan 17 (9:30AM) – El Moro Elfin Forest: Third Saturday Walk – Black Brant Geese, Los Osos
🔗 https://www.elfin-forest.org/visiting/Walks

Jan 17 (10–12PM) – CA Native Plant Society SLO Chapter: Rice Ranch Open Space Field Trip, Orcutt
🔗 https://cnpsslo.org/events/

Jan 17 (10–12PM) – Earth Shine: River Walk Cleanup, Paso Robles
🔗 https://earthshineorg.com/

Jan 17 – Morro Bay Bird Festival: Family Day- Live Critter Encounters, Activities and Crafts
🔗 https://morrobaybirdfestival.org/community-family-day/

Jan 17 (5PM) – Central Coast Astronomical Society: Star Party at Santa Margarita Lake Park
🔗 https://www.centralcoastastronomy.org/category/events/

Jan 18 (4–5:30PM) – Surfrider San Luis Obispo: Young Professionals Monthly Avila Beach Cleanup
🔗 https://slo.surfrider.org/volunteer

Jan 21 (6:30PM) – Central Coast State Parks: Mind Walk Lecture – California’s Biodiversity with Michele Roest, Shindig Cider
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/mind-walks/

Jan 23 (9:30 AM–12PM) – The Land Conservancy of SLO County: Santa Rita Ranch Milkweed Planting
🔗 https://lcslo.org/events/

Jan 24 (9AM) – Greenspace: Annual Monterey Pine Tree Planting, Hearst San Simeon State Park
🔗 https://greenspacecambria.org/

Jan 24 (9–12PM) – EcoSLO: Santa Rosa Park Tree Planting
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events

Jan 24 (10–12PM) – CA Native Plant Society SLO Chapter: Mushroom Walk at Fiscalini Ranch
🔗 https://cnpsslo.org/events/

Jan 24 (10:30–12:30PM) – The Land Conservancy of SLO County: Garden Workday with Learning Among the Oaks, Santa Margarita
🔗 https://lcslo.org/events/

Jan 24 (5:30–8:30PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Astronomy Night & Stargazing with Central Coast Astronomical Society
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/

Jan 25 (10–12PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Nature Sunday – Condor Country
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/

Jan 30 (2–4PM) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Visit a Beaver Pond, Salinas River, Atascadero
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/events/

Jan 30 (6:30–8:30PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Mushroom Discovery Lecture
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/

Jan 31 (9–12PM) – EcoSLO: Tree Planting at Santa Rosa Park
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events

Jan 31 (9:30–11AM) – Latino Outdoors: Tour of Nipomo Native Garden
🔗 https://latinooutdoors.org/eventbrite/

Jan 31–Feb 1 (10–4PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Mushroom Discovery Two-Day Workshop
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/

🌊 Ring in the New Year with King Tides

Happy New Year! The arrival of 2026 brings King Tides to the San Luis Obispo County coastline January 1st through January 3rd, delivering some of the highest and lowest tides of the year—perfect for tide pooling and coastal exploration.

⚠️ Explore safely: Extra-high tides can mean strong waves, flooding, and slippery rocks. Visit tide pools only at low tide and keep a safe distance from the ocean.

🕒 Check tide times: NOAA is a reliable resource 🔗https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html?gid=1393