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 and Weekly 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
Central Coast State Parks: Junior Ranger Programs every T, W, F and Sat. Visit https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/ for details.
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
🌿 October 2026 Events
Please check event links for current details, as dates, times, and locations may change.
Some events require advance registration or have age guidelines.
Oct 2 (10:00 AM–noon) – Central Coast Parks: Guided Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
Oct 2–3 (8:30 AM–4:30 PM) – Ecologistics: Central Coast Bioneers Conference – Pavilion on the Lake, Atascadero
Oct 3 (8:00 AM–noon) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Arroyo Grande Creek Restoration Day – Centennial Park
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/events/
Oct 3–24 (1:00–4:30 PM) – UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County: Victory Garden Workshop Series – Paso Robles
🔗 https://ucanr.edu/site/uc-master-gardeners-san-luis-obispo-county
Oct 3 (1:50–3:20 PM) – Central Coast Parks: What The Land Knows: Fire Ecology on the Central Coast – Piedras Blancas Light Station, San Simeon
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
Oct 3 (7:00–9:00 PM) – SLO Botanical Garden & Central Coast Astronomical Society: Astronomy Night & Stargazing – SLO Botanical Garden
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
Oct 4 (9:00–10:00 AM) – Surfrider SLO: October Microplastics Sampling with MPTF – Avila Beach
🔗 https://volunteer.surfrider.org
Oct 6 (10:00 AM–noon) – ECOSLO: Johnson Ranch Open Space Maintenance Project – SLO
🔗 https://www.ecoslo.com/events
Oct 7 (11:00 AM–12:30 PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Founders Tour with Eve – SLO Botanical Garden
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
Oct 7 (2:00–5:00 PM) – Dunes Center: Rancho Guadalupe Beach Cleanup
🔗 https://dunescenter.org/events/
Oct 8 (4:30–7:30 PM) – Central Coast Aquarium: Tidepools on Tour at the Ancient Owl – San Luis Obispo
🔗 https://www.centralcoastaquarium.org
Oct 9 (4:00–6:00 PM) – Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County: Member Apple Picking – SLO
Oct 10 (8:30 AM) – Fiscalini Ranch Preserve: Autumn Bird Walk – Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, Cambria 🔗 https://www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org/explore/docent-walks/
Oct 10 (9:00 AM–3:00 PM) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Salinas River Day Celebration
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/
Oct 10 (9:00 AM–2:00 PM) – Cal Poly: Pier Open House + Central Coast Aquarium Open House, Avila Beach
🔗 https://marine.calpoly.edu/pier-open-house
Oct 10 (9:30–11:30 AM) – California Native Plant Society : Family Sketch and Plant Hike – Three Bridges Oak Preserve, Atascadero 🔗 https://cnpsslo.org/event/
Oct 10 (3:00–5:00 PM) – Central Coast Parks: Guided Tidepool Adventure at Hazard Reef – Hazard Reef
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
Oct 10 (6:30 PM) – Central Coast Astronomical Society: Public Dark Sky Star Party – Santa Margarita Lake
🔗 https://centralcoastastronomy.org
Oct 11 (10:00–11:30 AM) – Central Coast Nature Journal Club: Nature Journaling – El Chorro Regional Park
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1511488382951816/
Oct 14 (6:30–8:30 PM) – Greenspace Cambria: Bat Experience at the Creekside Reserve – Cambria
🔗 https://greenspacecambria.org/events-calendar
Oct 15 (7:00–9:00 PM) – Central Coast Astronomical Society: Astronomy Talk – Exploring the Origin of Life on Earth – SLO
🔗 https://centralcoastastronomy.org
Oct 16 (10:00 AM–noon) – Central Coast Parks: Guided Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
Oct 16 (5:00–7:00 PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Member’s Happy Hour – Birds of the Central Coast
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
Oct 17 (9:30 AM–12:30 PM) – California Native Plant Society : Irish Hills Natural Reserve Hike – SLO
Oct 17 (10:00 AM) – Earth Shine: River Walk Cleanup – Paso Robles
Oct 17 (10:00 AM–noon) – UC Master Gardeners of SLO County: Native Plants to Support Wildlife – SLO
Oct 17 (12:00–2:30 PM) – Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary: Sanctuary Sound Journey –SLO
🔗 https://ranchoburrodonkeysanctuary.org
Oct 18 (10:00 AM–2:00 PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Family Free Day – Boo-tanical Garden
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
Oct 18 (5:30–7:30 PM) – Surfrider SLO: Sunset Beach Cleanup with YPNG – Every 3rd Sunday
🔗 https://volunteer.surfrider.org/
Oct 22 (10:00 AM–1:00 PM) – SLO Botanical Garden: Holiday Succulent Pumpkins
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
Oct 23 – Creek Lands Conservation: State of the SLO Creek Watershed – Historic Octagon Barn, SLO
Oct 24 (10:00 AM–noon) – Fiscalini Ranch Preserve: Autumnal Walk on the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Bluff – Cambria
🔗 https://www.fiscaliniranchpreserve.org/explore/docent-walks/
Oct 24 (9:00 AM–noon) – SLO Beaver Brigade: Paso Robles Salinas River Community Cleanup
🔗 https://www.slobeaverbrigade.com/events/
Oct 25 (10:00 AM–noon) – SLO Botanical Garden: Nature Sunday – Life in Extreme Environments – SLO Botanical Garden
🔗 https://slobg.org/calendar-of-events/
Oct 26 (10:00–10:45 AM) – Central Coast Parks: Owls are a Hoot Webinar
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
Oct 29 (5:30–6:30 PM) – Central Coast Parks: Virtual Mind Walk – From Patient to Planet: How Nature Heals & How We Heal Nature w Sydney Williams
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/mind-walks/
Oct 30 (10:00 AM–noon) – Central Coast Parks: Guided Walk at Morro Strand State Beach
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
Oct 30 (1:30–3:30 PM) – Central Coast Parks: Owl Pellet Dissection – William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach, San Simeon
🔗 https://centralcoastparks.org/calendar/
Oct 31 (9:00 AM–noon) – ECOSLO: Neighborhood Tree Planting – SLO
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