Lauren's Locales: Piedras Blancas Lighthouse

By Lauren Bonney

Interested in seeing some Animal Planet in action? Then take a trip down to Point Piedras Blancas, just a few hours south of Santa Clara, and observe the elephant seals. These creatures annually swim all the way from Alaska to the sandy beaches of California. February is the peak of their breeding season, when thousands of these incredibly large animals come to this particular stretch of beach.

Walk along the designated elephant seal viewing point and watch as two-ton males lay claim to their domain. They lie comfortably on the beach unless another male comes to challenge, at which time they use their jarringly loud calls to ward them off, or sometimes fight. 

Meanwhile, the female seals and their pups lounge and snooze in the sand, quite relaxed compared to the territorial males.

Friendly and informative volunteer docents can be found along the walkway, dedicated to educating people about marine life.