Tidelands Playground

Right on the waterfront, this park has one of the better setups in the area — a nautical-themed climbing structure rising out of a sandbox, with Morro Rock sitting right there in your sightline the whole time. It’s the kind of place where kids disappear into the sand while you’re still setting up at a picnic table. The BBQ area gets used hard on weekends, and honestly the restrooms are cleaner than they have any right to be for a public park. A walking path loops near the water where you’ll likely catch herons or, if you’re lucky, a sea otter doing its thing. Locals bring the whole family here and stay way longer than planned.