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 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 Tues, Thurs, Sat at 9:45AM 🔗https://www.piedrasblancas.org
🌿. May 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 fee or age guidelines.
May 1 to May 31st – One Cool Earth: Move-a-thon- community movement challenge supporting kids garden-based education
🔗 https://www.onecoolearth.org/2026-move-athon.html
May 1 (9:30–12PM) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Guided Tour of Walters Creek Beaver\ Project, Morro Bay]
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/events/
May 2 (9–12PM) – EcoSLO: Bob Jones "City to Sea" Trail Cleanup, San Luis Obispo
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
May 2 (8:30-12:30PM) – NOAA Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Snapshot Day – Annual Water Quality Monitoring Event
🔗 https://montereybay.noaa.gov/monitoringnetwork/welcome.html
May 2 (9–12PM) – The Land Conservancy of SLO County: Eagle Ranch Member Hike, near Atascadero
May 2 (9:30AM) – City Farm SLO: First Saturday Community Farm Tour
🔗 https://www.cityfarmslo.org/community-tours
May 2 (12–4PM) – Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary: Brushstrokes & Burros – Paint, Sip & Support
🔗 https://ranchoburrodonkeysanctuary.org/event-calendar
May 2–4 (8–5PM) – SLO County Dept of Agriculture: Sudden Oak Death Blitz (Community Science Volunteer Event)
May 5 (10–1PM) – EcoSLO: Johnson Ranch Open Space Maintenance Project, San Luis Obispo
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
May 6 (8–10:30AM) – Central Coast State Parks: Guided Tide-Pooling & Sea Slug Search at Hazard Reef, Montana de Oro
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
May 6 (9:45–11AM) – Central Coast Aquarium: Big Fish Little Fish – Sharks (Ages 2–5)
🔗 https://www.centralcoastaquarium.org/calendar/
May 6 (11-12:30PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Founder’s Tour with Eve
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
May 8 (10–12PM) – Central Coast State Parks: Guided Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
May 8 (11–3PM) – Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary: World Donkey Day – Open House
🔗 https://ranchoburrodonkeysanctuary.org/event-calendar
May 9 (9–11AM) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Guided Tour of Beaver Habitat on the Salinas River, Atascadero
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/events/
May 9 (9–12PM) – EcoSLO: Neighborhood Tree Planting, San Luis Obispo
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
May 9 (9:30–12PM) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Guided Tour of Walters Creek Beaver Restoration Project, Morro Bay Watershed
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/events/
May 9 (10–12PM) – Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve: Docent Walk – Invasive Plants, Cambria
🔗 https://www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org/explore/docent-walks/
May 9 (10–2PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Family Free Day- 4th annual Faerie Festival
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
May 9 (12–4PM) – City Farm SLO: 5th Annual Sheep Shearing Shindig & Ag Festival
🔗 https://www.cityfarmslo.org/events
May 15 (10:30–12PM) – Central Coast State Parks: Guided Hike at Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
May 16 (10–12PM) – Central Coast State Parks: Coon Creek Native Plant Walk, Montaña de Oro
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
May 16 (9–12PM) – EcoSLO: SLO Creek Restoration Project, Mission Plaza, San Luis Obispo
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
May 16 (8–11PM) – Central Coast Astronomical Society: Star Party, Santa Margarita Lake Park
🔗 https://www.centralcoastastronomy.org/
May 16 (8:30AM) – Latino Outdoors: Pecho Coast Trail Hike, SLO
May 16 (8–5PM) – California Native Plant Society (Monterey Bay & SLO Chapters): Vicente Flat Trail Hike, Big Sur Coast
May 16 (9:30AM) – El Moro Elfin Forest: Third Saturday Walk – Bees with Cindy Roessler, Los Osos
🔗 https://www.elfin-forest.org/visiting/Walks
May 17 (12–1PM) – CA Native Plant Society: Walking Presentation, Gardening w/ Native Plants & Pollinators, Los Osos Valley Nursery
May 17 (3–5PM) – EcoSLO: Regenerative Food Systems with Zero Foodprint
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
May 17 (5–7PM) – Surfrider SLO: Sunset Beach Cleanup with YPNG, Avila Beach
🔗 https://slo.surfrider.org/volunteer
May 17 (Noon departure) – Central Coast Astronomical Society: Mt. Wilson Overnight Observing Field Trip, Pasadena
🔗 https://www.centralcoastastronomy.org/
May 22 (10–12PM) – Central Coast State Parks: Guided Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
May 22 (2–4PM) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Guided Tour of Beaver Habitat on the Salinas River, Atascadero
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/events/
May 23 (10–12PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Birds and Bloom with Morro Coast Audubon Society
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
May 23 (10–12PM) – Central Coast State Parks: Tide Pool Walk at Hazard Canyon, Montaña de Oro
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
May 23 (11–3PM) – Coastal Discovery Center & Cambria Fishing Club: Sanctuary Recreation Program, W.R. Hearst Memorial Beach 🔗 https://montereybay.noaa.gov/vc/cdc/
May 24 (10–11:30AM) – Central Coast Nature Journal Club: Let’s Explore with Color!, Los Osos Valley Nursery
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/groups
May 24 (11–12:30PM) – Central Coast State Parks: Guided Tide-Pooling & Sea Slug Search at Leffingwell Landing
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
May 25 (10–1PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Painting Pollinators- Watercolor Workshop
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
May 26 (9–11AM) – EcoSLO: Post Memorial Day Cleanup at Pirates Cove, Avila Beach (18+ only)
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
May 26 (5:30–8PM) – Central Coast Aquarium: Science After Dark featuring Morro Bay National Estuary Program, Avila Beach
🔗 https://www.centralcoastaquarium.org/calendar/
May 27 (10–11AM) – Central Coast Aquarium: Quest Discovery Labs – Creeks to Coasts & Ocean Issues (multiple grade levels)
🔗 https://www.centralcoastaquarium.org/calendar/
May 30 (9–12PM) – EcoSLO: Neighborhood Tree Planting, SLO
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
May 30 (10–1PM) – Central Coast Aquarium: Children's Business Fair, Avila Beach
🔗 https://www.centralcoastaquarium.org/calendar/
May 31 (10–12PM) – Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve: Docent Sunday Walk, Cambria
🔗 https://www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org/explore/docent-walks/
May 31 (10-12PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Nature Sunday – Plants that Eat!
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