Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center, San Simeon

About Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center

Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center operates the Elephant Seal Viewing Area at Piedras Blancas, where visitors observe northern elephant seals at a rookery spanning eight miles of beach near San Simeon, California. The second-largest seal species in the world, northern elephant seals gather seasonally on the shores, with adult males reaching 14 to 16 feet long and weighing 4,000 to 5,000 pounds. The viewing area features wheelchair-accessible platforms positioned above the beach, offering close perspectives of the animals. Docents are present during designated daytime hours to answer questions. Visitors bring binoculars and telephoto lenses to observe seals on beaches both north and south of the parking area. The site sits within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and California's Marine Protected Area Network. Quiet leashed dogs are welcome, and the viewing area opens daily from sunrise to sunset.