Elephant Seal Vista Point

I want to keep them! hahaha. If you’re in the area, YOU HAVE TO STOP BY. they’re so funny and so cute! some of them get really close to the fence so it’s totally worth it.

This is a fabulous place to see elephant seals in all their glory.
The large parking area is a few miles north of San Simeon on Hwy 1. The site is well marked, you can’t miss it. On either end of the parking area are walkways that overlook the beach. You look down on the seals who lounge on the sand. It is fascinating to watch them grunt, Unilocal and occassionally nip their fellows.
If you are there in the late fall, you can watch as the 2 ton males spar to establish domminence over the best beaches. In December, the females arrive to give birth– and visitors have front row seats! By February, the dominant males are mating with the females, who then swim off, leaving their 4 – 6 week old pups behind. What a show!
The signs in the parking area and along the walkways give you a great overview. And there are almost always volunteer doscents around who love to answer questions. Overall, a great experience.

Wow, we were surprised that we could get so close to the elephant seals. However, these are by far the ugliest mammal that we have seen. It was a quick run outside after circling the parking lot. It was easy to get a parking spot since people were coming and going. I do have to say a lot of people ignored some of the signs further away from the parking lot. Some even hopped over the fence but that’s on them. We were amazed how fast the seals moved when they wanted to go into the ocean. So, just imagine if you annoyed them… A must-​see if you are passing through since it is a rare sighting of these mammals up close.

January is the time to visit if you want to see new born pups, nursing mothers, and beach masters vying for harems all on the beach at the same time. The beach is so packed, the elephant seals are expanding up and down the coast from the vista point parking area. A new trail north of the parking lot takes you up close and personal with the seals. Docents and signage are available along the trails, explaining the success story of the elephant seals who were on the brink of extinction.
The elephant seals are very vocal, males are posturing, pups suckling, quite an exciting scene, with waves crashing on the scenic coastline, and a lighthouse in view. Hearst Castle is just three miles south so take an elephant viewing and a castle tour for a memorable day. This area really is a must-​see.

Holy seals. Where’s the beach? I can’t seem to find the sand with all of these seals here.
Rain or shine, these enormous creatures will not disappoint.
A must-​see in San Simeon.

This is a great place for anyone. My family and i got here on Christmas Day, and everyone loved it. The volunteers/​guides were very nice and would love to answer any questions the tourists want to know about the elephant seals. We got here during the breeding season, some pups are born and much more to come. It’s really cool watching the babies weaning. Definitely recommend this to people.

I just gotta say that watching these elephant seals just lounge around, snark at each other, and whip sand up onto their bodies is so entertaining!!! There are so many of them and I think some of them are sea lions? I’m not sure but not all of them looked like elephant seals. Anyways, worth the stop from traveling thru the pacific coast highway!

S U M M A R Y:
Cruising along the California coast on the scenic Hwy 1, this site is not to be missed! Best months to visit are November — February, with the peak of mating season being around Valentines Day (no joke).
Northern elephant seals also known as Mirounga Angustirostris, can be found laying out in the sun, cuddling in packs, mating, breeding, and making some of the silliest noises with a combination of grunts, burps, and snorts. The males are popularly recognized for their large snouts resembling the snout of an elephant, hence, the name. I also watched two male elephant seals displaying dominance and strength as they pushed each other fighting over what appeared to be a female elephant seal. Very interesting! All in all, these mammals are adorable and watching them in their natural environment exceeded all expectations. So cute!
C O S T:
Free free free!
P A R K I N G:
Also free! The parking lot is somewhat small, but the wait shouldn’t take long.
T I P S:
Handicap accessible. Easy short walk (more like a viewpoint close to the parking lot). Bring warm clothes, a camera, and stay in designated areas! It’s important to keep the seals protected. Make sure to keep an eye out for the docents on-​site who will answer all your questions. Give yourself at least 30 minutes to relax and enjoy these rare mammals.

What a life these Elephant Seals have.
Sprawled out. Basking in the sun. Playing in the sand. Looking extra cute for all the paparazzi like me to see and snap pictures of the cute, adorable, playful, sleepy heads.
This is definitely a sight to see if you are taking the scenic route on our beautiful California coast. Here are some tips:
In no particular order:
— Free :)
— Parking can be pretty scarce. Patience is a virtue. It is worth it.
— Best times to visit are said to be late January, April and October.
— Bring a windbreaker or a jacket. I went in September and it was pretty chilly.
— Docents on site to answer any questions you may have.
— Take plenty of pictures and videos!
***selfie sticks are awesome***
— You can also buy souvenirs.
Definitely a worthwhile stop.
Enjoy!

They are big, smelly, make burping noises, and are rather rude to one another. There are, depending on the season, hundreds or thousands of them, and they are fascinating!
Not many touristy things are totally free. There’s free and ample parking – there are a few lots, but for some reason one gets much fuller than the others. Just experience the natural habitat without any gift shops or vendors.
There is a nice path that even young children can safely hike. We’ve driven out of our way to visit a few times and always leave satisfied!

Location: Approximately 4 miles northbound (towards to San Francisco direction) away from the Hearst Castle. You can’t really miss the GIANT parking lot on the left side of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and it is located BEFORE the lighthouse.
This viewing point is somewhat similar to the Sea Lions Marina at Pier 39, but a lot more interesting. One of the elephant seals used «sand attack» (flipped sand on itself) and the gusty wind blew the sand all over my face (it was super effective!)
Few random facts:
* Breeding season: December ~ February
* This is a resting place (to conserve energy) for these elephant seals and they can survive without food for days.
* Male can weigh between 3,000 to 5,000 pounds and female can weigh between 900 to 1,800 pound
Guides are available and you can ask them for any questions about these giant elephant seals. In addition, they also passed out free pamphlets and you can learn more about these elephant seals.
An excellent place to stop by if you are near the Hearst Castle or San Luis Obispo (approximately one hour away).
P. S. — The location listed on the Unilocal page for the Friends of the Elephant Seals (
) is technically the OFFICE location and not the actual viewing point. This is where you need to be if you want to see the real actions.

So my Unilocal mom told me to take a picture for her of sea otters holding hands.
I got close. It was either going to be the Elephant Seals or Monterey Bay Aquarium, but it would be hard to get that to happen in a closed, protected environment.
Located 5 miles north of San Simeon… actually check that. It’s around 5 miles. I need to stop writing reviews a month past: P. but ~5 miles north of San Simeon, you will see a sign that says Vista Point. Don’t worry, there are bunch of signs that will guide you here (they’re brown) and they’ll tell you that this one is for the Elephant Seals. So either you’re gonna be the person that comes here before/​after seeing the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, or along the route of Hwy 1, it’s for everyone to see.
You get to see a bunch of elephant seals sleep and just not care about the other people staring at them. They’re gonna have fun– they’re a good size! You take pictures with them– be careful though, as there is a huge breeze so it will be windy. Great pictures, if they’re there!
ALSO this is NOT the one located in the town of San Simeon. That is their office, so it is not there! Make sure! Follow VISTA POINT.
After this point heading North, you get to learn how Hwy 1/​Cabrillo Hwy is. Oh gosh I shudder right now.

Pretty incredible place even at the end of the season when there were less than 100 elephant seals on the beach. I can only imagine what it is like when there are thousands. Very entertaining watching them just lay there flipping sand on themselves and scooting about for a better spot. Learned a lot about these giant animals from the signs and the pamphlet — who knew?
This is worth a stop. Also entertaining is watching the mainly forgeign tourists taking even more photos of the super tame squirrels in the parking lots — do they not have squirrels elsewhere?

How often do you get to see a sight like this? Apparently not often, because you’ll find lots of other people, much like yourself, fighting for parking at this vista, pressing up against the fence and crowding the best viewing spots, just to check out the strange looking elephant seals and possibly get a good picture of them laying out in all their blubber and glory.
The elephant seal viewing area is right alongside Highway 1. There is ample parking and plenty of opportunities to get a glimpse of the seals because, more likely than not, they’ll just be lying there, napping. The best part about this is that it’s FREE!
Make sure to stop by here on your way out of Cambria/​San Simeon.

Two highways that I enjoy driving through whenever I get a chance are the PCH on the west coast, and the US 19 on the Gulf side of Florida on the east coast. I can’t even being to explain how relaxing and resplendent the views are.
This particular early summer, we were cruising down the PCH early enough that we didn’t have to rush to make it by nightfall to Santa Barbara. This time around, we got started early enough so that we could enjoy all the sights that this highway had to offer, without me having to drive like a F1 driver through all the twisting roads.
We happened upon the Elephant Seal Vista Point a little later in the afternoon, and we just decided to take in the sights of nature, and enjoyed watching these seals in their natural habitat.
Loafing about, enjoying the sun and the sand, without a care in the world. The weather was just absolutely gorgeous, and we really just got an opportunity to hang with the seals, and enjoy the ocean.
I can’t tell you how many times I have traversed this road by myself, or with my wife and family, and we rarely if ever just enjoyed a lazy trip down this magnificent highway.
For those of you that always find yourself rushing about your life (like me), take the time to enjoy life. Stop! Enjoy and relish the scenery and you’ll find yourself wondering (as I did) what the heck you are doing all this for anyway!

About halfway through my trip from LA to Nor Cal via the scenic route (101 & PCH), I came across this awesome nature spot. I kept seeing the signs for it and debated if I should pull over. But once I came closer and saw the crowded parking lot, I knew I had to pull over to see what is drawing all the attention!
The parking lot is super spacious and cars are coming and leaving all the time so you won’t have trouble finding a spot.
To the left of the parking lot, there were at least 15 – 20 elephant seals napping on the sand. Once in awhile, you’ll see one waking up to dig some sand and continue to lay back down. They look dead but they’re just sleeping.
As you walk further north along the coast, it is a beautiful view and if you’re lucky, you might see several elephant seals playing in the water.
There are lots of informational signs around the area that you and your kids can read to educate yourself about this animals.
Definitely a great pit stop to check if your in the area. It’ll allow you an opportunity to stretch your legs, too since the road gets windier and trickier (if you’re driving north).

SO INCREDIBLE. This is a MUST visit. I don’t know where else you can see elephant seals sprawled all across the sand giving no care in the world. It’s such a view & something that you don’t want to miss. When driving down the coast, pay attention to the signs as it looks like just another vista point and it’s easy to drive by.
We spent more time here than we anticipated. It was just so intriguing to watch all of the elephant seals chill out, and interact. FYI it’s cold so bring a jacket!

Tons of seals here! You can get really close to them too. They are literally covering the entire beach sun bathing and covering themselves in dirt. Occasionally you may see a couple play fighting. There is a small walkway here to get away from the rest of the crowd and snap your pictures.
The parking lot is a dirt lot and there is plenty of room for many people to park here for free. You can check out the seals on both sides of the lot. There are information handouts in little boxes along the railings. There is also a small bin for donations next to the handouts.
It is windy and smelly here. We saw one person vomiting in the parking lot. Not sure if it was from the windy roads or smelly seals. We then saw birds eating the emesis so the circle of life continued in front of our eyes.
Took 10 min to stop here and take some pictures and be back on the road.

This is a MUST if you are within 100 miles of this vista point. Mind-​blowing!
Park your car at the vista point 4 miles north of Hearst Castle, get out and walk a short ways south along the coast on the beautifully maintained boardwalks. Don’t forget your camera! You will be within just a few feet from the elephant seals in all their glory.
Our lovely and wonderful docent today explained the history and biology of these animals. Once so endangered that there were only 50 left on the planet, they are making a strong comeback! And there’s no better place to witness their progress than right here.
Check the website for current news about the elephant seals:
.
Free! No facilities.

Seal of approval!
As we were driving up the PCH taking in the scenery, we saw a sign for the Elephant Seal Vista Point. We weren’t in any hurry so of course we wanted to stop.
We pulled in during the afternoon. It was crazy busy but happy to see there is a large parking area. It’s mostly dirt parking which is rustled up by the ocean breeze. I wouldn’t open the camera shutter until you’re away from this area to avoid any specs getting in the lens.
It’s definitely a beautiful stop along the coast. And then when you see the 100’s of elephant seals basking in the sun, it’s pretty amazing. At this time most of the seals were laying in the beach occasional flipping up sand on themselves. Some were a little more playful in the water.
They are fun to watch and so happy we stopped.