Sea-lion Beach, aka "Condor overlook," is Hotspot containing two access pull-oust on the ocean side of Highway 1 about 1.9 miles south Torres Canyon and 0.4 miles south of the Hotspot called "Grimes Point."  In the 1990s, Grimes Point was considered the single best overlook for seeing condor, but a private home was built there and this alternate site, located above a California Sea-lion beach, has since become the famed "Condor overlook." Highway 1 is very curvy at this location, so drive slowly and carefully and look for the upper, paved, pull-out, and the slightly larger, but gravel pull-out, just below. There is room for only about 4 cars in the upper pull-out, with 6 or so cars possible in the larger gravel lot. These pull-outs are used by sight-seers, especially on weekends, but during the week sometimes both pull-outs are empty. Just below the second, larger, pull-out is milepost 41, and just 0.2 miles later, Coast Gallery and Cafe will be on the left (inland) side of Highway 1.  If you see Coast Gallery, you "just missed" the Hotspot.

From the upper pull-out, with due care, you can look down on Sea-lion Beach. The sea-lions use the breach for resting year-round, but pups are born there in season. Turkey Vultures and condors with sometimes land on rocks adjacent to the beach, and will feed on any dead mammal or placenta. The cliff face is goes straight  down to the sea, so be very careful near the edge; one can get vertigo here. More often the vultures and condors will be above you, over the ridge on the inland side of the highway, or at eye level flying by. The updrafts here are good to ravens and various raptors.

The best conditions are typically during a sunny mid-day when there are updrafts and plenty of vultures in flight. Cold and rainy weather, or heavy fog (not infrequent), is not good for condors. You need a bit of luck in hitting good weather. Ventana Wilderness Society is the non-profit that re-established breeding condors on the Big Sur coast, and their empoyees or volunteers may be at this look-out (or at Grimes Point just to the north), with antenna "trackers" used to locate where the tagged condors may be in real time.

California Condor, of course, but other raptors and ravens are frequentingly seen. The mostly bare, rocky hillsides with bits of grass, opposite the pull-outs, are home to resident Rufous-crowned Sparrows. They tend to be shy, and more likely heard than seen. Listen for their anxious "dear, dear" call-notes if traffic permits. Hearing birds from these overlooks is negatively effected by Highway 1 traffic noise.

This Hotspot, and Grimes Point just 0.4 miles north of this site (and easily seen from here), are meant to be "condor watch" sites. Typically, an eBirder will do a "stationary" checklist from this site. Please do not "dump" your list of birds seen along the entire Big Sur coast here -- we have to make those checklists non-public as they include a multitide of habitats (such as redwood forests) that do not exist at this site, or at Grimes Point. It is interesting to learn what other birds may be seen from this overlook while awaiting a condor -- rather like noting passeine migrants at a hawk-watch -- but if eBird include birds from other places on the Big Sur coast, these interesting data become lost.