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Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center and Gift Shop, San Simeon

4.8
#1 of 63 in Parks in San Luis Obispo County
Must see · Wildlife Area · Nature / Park
Driving along Highway 1 in California, close to San Simeon and four miles north of the Hearst Castle, you can see Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center and Gift Shop. With over 5000 births per year, the estimated total colony size of 25,000 seals makes this site the largest mainland rookery (birthing place) for the Northern  Elephant Seal species. Protected from storms and predators, with wide sandy beaches and shallow rocky areas, this location is ideal for the seals. Depending on the time of year, you can witness the birth of baby seals, hear the iconic roar of male seals during the breeding season, or watch young seals spar with each other on the beach and in the surf. Using our international travel planner, San Simeon attractions like Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center and Gift Shop can form part of a personalized travel itinerary.
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Tours to Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center and Gift Shop

FROM $163 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hearst Castle Tour with pickup from Paso Robles, CA
5.0
Duration: 7 to 8 hours
Tours from $163 »
FROM $171 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hearst Castle Tour with pickup from San Luis Obispo, CA *
Duration: 7 to 8 minutes
Tours from $171 »
FROM $182 BOOK WITH VIATOR Hearst Castle Tour with Pickup from Pismo Beach
Duration: 7 to 8 hours
Tours from $182 »

Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center and Gift Shop reviews

Rate this attraction
TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 5.0
3,092 reviews
Google
4.7
TripAdvisor
  • By YVArtist
    Fascinating....! There is nothing like bringing a chair, sitting on the wooden walkway and watching the Elephant seals. So interesting how they interact and move, scratch themselves with their...  more »
  • By Derek W
    Went in December. Many males lying on the beach, some females, some cute seals. Heavy croud of onlookers. Hard to get a decent view without waiting. Still a must-see for anyone in this area.  more »
See more on TripAdvisor »
Google
  • By Chybreena Miller
    Had a great visit
  • By Viktoria A
    Thousands of lazy seals. Babies in the spring! A fun but loud and a bit smelly stop.
See more on Google »

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