Rancho del Oso Nature and History Center & State Park

The Center occupies a ranch-style house and grounds which were once the home of Hulda Hoover McLean. It now consists of an intimate, protected courtyard surrounded by a main meeting room, exhibit rooms, gift shop, and a large deck overlooking Waddell Valley and the Pacific Ocean. Waddell Beach, located across Highway 1 from the park entrance, is known worldwide as one of the best spots for windsurfing. The steady strong northwest winds and good surf provide ideal conditions for this demanding sport. For those interested in birding, botany, intertidal marine life and riparian habitat, the Waddell Beach and the many Rancho del Oso trails offer superb recreation for the amateur or professional naturalist. Regular surfers, boogie boarders, and surf fishermen also find it an ideal spot to pursue their activities.