How to Spend a Weekend in Cambria, California

During our time living in California, we spent a lot of weekends exploring the coastal communities between San Francisco and Los Angeles. One of our favourites was Cambria, a small town on the Central Coast that we came back to more than once.

Cambria sits roughly halfway between San Francisco and LA, around three to four hours’ drive from either city. You’ll find it at the southern end of the Pacific Coast Highway, or as a short detour off US-101. It’s the kind of place where the main activities are walking on beaches, eating well and slowing down for a few days. Which is exactly what we did.

If you’re planning a California road trip or looking for a relaxed weekend away from the city, this guide covers everything we got up to during our time in Cambria, along with practical tips for planning your own trip.

Things to Do in Cambria

We spent a three-day weekend exploring Cambria and its surrounds. Here’s what we’d recommend.

Walk on Moonstone Beach

I love walking on beaches, and it’s probably no coincidence that Jess and I first really connected on a walk on a beach in Italy, and got engaged on a beach in California. So when I learnt Cambria is home to one of California’s most beautiful beaches, we put this right at the top of our list.

Moonstone Beach gets its name from the semi-precious gemstones scattered across the sand. They glitter in the sun in all kinds of colours, and while they’re not worth much, you’ll find people out collecting them to make jewellery. There’s a mile-long boardwalk that runs along the coast here, and it’s a particularly good spot for sunsets.

We walked the full boardwalk and then clambered down to the sand to hunt for moonstones ourselves. My tip: go early in the morning or late afternoon for the best light, and park at any of the signed pullouts along Moonstone Beach Drive. You won’t need to move your car to explore the whole stretch.

Visit Hearst Castle

A highlight of any visit to this part of California has to be Hearst Castle, an extraordinary hilltop construction just six miles north of Cambria in San Simeon.

The castle was built by William Randolph Hearst, the original American media mogul, who at his peak ran the largest newspaper and magazine publishing empire in the world. He and architect Julia Morgan spent nearly three decades building this place, and Hearst wasn’t short of a bob or two.

He brought art and antiquities from all over the world to fill it: entire hand-carved Italian ceilings, church naves, Roman sarcophagi, and more. The result is 165 rooms across the main house and three guesthouses, plus two famous swimming pools, a private movie theatre, and 127 acres of landscaped gardens.

Hearst also had a private zoo, which he stocked with exotic animals. Many were sold off when his empire hit financial trouble, but you can still see herds of zebra roaming the grasslands near the castle. Which isn’t weird at all.

When the castle was in its heyday, this was the place to be. Film stars, politicians and sporting legends all visited, and after a few drinks, Hearst often got the scoop for his next newspaper headline from his own guests.

Today the castle is owned and operated by the California State Park Service, and you can only visit on a guided tour. There are several tour options: the Grand Rooms Tour is the best starting point for first-time visitors, covering the main social rooms, gardens, Neptune Pool and Roman Pool in about 70 minutes. If you have time, the Upstairs Suites and Cottages tours go deeper into different parts of the estate.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $18 for children aged 5 to 12 (under 5s free). You book through ReserveCalifornia.com, and I’d strongly recommend booking in advance, particularly in summer. Tours do sell out.

Our tour took us up the hill along what was once Hearst’s private drive (an experience in itself), before a guided walk through some of the highlights. My mind was fairly blown by the sheer scale of it all. After the guided portion, we were free to wander the grounds, which we did for another hour or so, admiring the views over the Pacific and the guesthouses dotted around the estate.

Go early, before it gets too busy. And if you want more detail before your visit, check out Jess’s guide to Hearst Castle, which is stuffed full of information.

Explore Downtown Cambria

No visit to Cambria is complete without a wander around the downtown area, which is split between the East and West Villages along Main Street. We found antique shops, galleries, a micro-brewery, and plenty of restaurants. It’s not a big town, but it’s a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.

There’s a bike hire shop in the centre of town if you want to cover more ground, and the Cambria Farmers’ Market runs on Friday afternoons in the Veteran’s Hall parking lot on Main Street (2:30pm to 5:30pm in summer, closing at 5pm in winter). It’s a good market with proper local produce.

Walk the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve

Right behind Main Street is Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, a 437-acre wilderness area that you can walk straight into from the town centre. Within minutes you’ll be in green meadows and wooded hillsides.

The highlight, for us anyway, was the Coastal Bluff Trail, which runs about a mile along the clifftops with views up and down the California coastline. We visited at the peak of wildflower season, and despite it being fairly breezy, we very much enjoyed the walk. If you only go on one walk in Cambria, this is the one. It’s flat enough for pushchairs and well-signed, and dogs are welcome on leash.

For a longer outing, head inland on the East West Ranch Trail through the Monterey pine forest. It’s quieter and shadier, and you’ll likely see deer and red-tailed hawks.

See the Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas

When we visited Hearst Castle, we drove a few miles further up the coast to the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, about seven miles north of San Simeon. It’s free to visit, right off Highway 1, and there’s a boardwalk with viewing points along the beach.

I’d actually stopped here on a road trip through the area years earlier, but this time we visited during breeding season, and there were thousands of elephant seals taking up every available spot of sand. Amorous males were duelling in the surf, largely ignored by the females on the beach, who seemed very busy napping or lazily throwing sand around. It was quite the sight.

Elephant seals are present at the rookery year-round, but the peak times are December to March for birthing and breeding, and April to May for moulting. Even outside those windows, you’ll usually see at least a few dozen animals on the beach.

Tour the Piedras Blancas Light Station

Visible from the elephant seal rookery, the Piedras Blancas Light Station has been here since 1875. We didn’t manage to get on a tour during our trip as the timing didn’t work out, but it’s on the list for next time.

Tours run at 9:45am only (no other time slots), on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from September through mid-June, with an expanded schedule in summer. They last about two hours and cover the lighthouse, the historic buildings and the wildlife along an easy half-mile trail. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for ages 6 to 17. Book through Recreation.gov. You meet at the former Piedras Blancas Motel (not at the lighthouse itself) and follow a lead car in.

Walk San Simeon Pier

On the beach opposite the Hearst Castle entrance is San Simeon Pier, on William Randolph Hearst State Beach. That chap has his own beach, of course.

The pier itself isn’t notable for its length or age, but it’s a pretty spot and the beach is lovely. There’s also a Coastal Discovery Center in the parking area with very enthusiastic staff who told us all about the marine life in the area. It’s free to visit and they run activities including beach walks and geocaching adventures. Worth popping into, especially if you have kids.

Nitt Witt Ridge (Now Closed to Tours)

During our visit we also took a tour of Nitt Witt Ridge, a folk art house built over 50 years by Arthur “Art” Beal using whatever materials he could find: beer cans, abalone shells, car rims, driftwood, and (allegedly) a few bits he may have liberated from Hearst Castle up the road.

The tour, which was just the two of us and the owner Michael, was a fascinating insight into Art’s life. He clearly polarised opinion during his lifetime, and the house is a California Registered Historical Landmark (#939) for good reason. It was one of our favourite experiences in Cambria.

Update: Nitt Witt Ridge was sold in 2022 and is no longer open for tours. You can still see the exterior from the street (it’s on Hillcrest Drive, off Main Street), and it’s worth a quick detour if you’re curious, but the guided tours that made the experience special are no longer running.

Ride Clydesdales at Covell’s Ranch

We haven’t done this ourselves yet, but Covell’s California Clydesdale Ranch comes up in just about every conversation about Cambria, and we can see why. The 2,000-acre ranch is home to a herd of around 100 free-roaming Clydesdale horses, and you can explore on horseback or take a ranch tour in an open-air trailer. The property has ocean views and Monterey pine forest, and it’s been operating since the 1800s. If you go, let me know how it is.

More Things to Do Near Cambria

Sensorio (Paso Robles)

About 30 minutes east of Cambria on Highway 46, Sensorio is an immersive light installation by British artist Bruce Munro. The centrepiece, Field of Light, covers 15 acres with over 100,000 fibre-optic spheres that glow after dark. It’s the kind of thing that sounds a bit gimmicky until you’re actually standing in the middle of it. Check their website for the current schedule, as it’s not open every night.

Pacific Coast Wine Trail

If one winery isn’t enough (and it usually isn’t), Cambria sits on the Pacific Coast Wine Trail, a cluster of small wineries along the coast between San Simeon and Cayucos. You don’t need to drive 30 miles to Paso Robles for good wine here. Several tasting rooms are in downtown Cambria itself, including Black Hand Cellars and Moonstone Cellars.

Cambria Events and Festivals

Cambria has a surprisingly busy events calendar for a small town. A few worth knowing about:

The Cambria Art and Wine Festival runs in late January and fills the town with wine tastings, art exhibitions and food.

The Pinedorado Days festival in early September is a three-day celebration with live music, a parade, a car show and food stalls.

The Cambria Christmas Market, which runs from late November through New Year’s Eve, draws big crowds with over three million lights, a German-style vendor market and seasonal food and drink. If you’re visiting during the Christmas Market, book accommodation well in advance.

There’s also a smaller Scarecrow Festival in October where local businesses and residents create elaborate scarecrow displays throughout town, and the weekly Farmers’ Market every Friday afternoon on Main Street.

Where to Eat and Drink in Cambria

We were very well fed during our time in Cambria. Jess goes into more detail in her post on Cambria, but here are our highlights.

For dinner, the Black Cat Bistro was intimate and homely, with a seasonal menu and a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. It only has 45 seats, so book in advance. Madeline’s Restaurant was more of a classic fine dining experience, and they also have their own wine label and tasting room that’s open during the day. Both are on Main Street in the East Village.

We also had two meals at Linn’s, which started as a fruit grower in the 1970s and has since expanded to restaurants, bakeries and more. The two things you have to try: a slice of Olallieberry Pie at Linn’s Easy as Pie Cafe (it’s the berry Cambria is famous for), and breakfast at Linn’s Restaurant, where the pancakes are excellent.

For wine, we visited Stolo Vineyards (now part of Parr Collective), just a few minutes up Santa Rosa Creek Road from downtown. Their estate-grown Syrah and Pinot Noir are particularly good, and the setting is lovely: a restored farmhouse at the base of the vineyard with a meadow for picnicking. I’m not a wine expert by any means, but we enjoyed the tasting enough to buy a bottle to take home.

Other restaurants that come well recommended by locals and readers include Robin’s Restaurant (eclectic comfort food in a restored adobe home in the East Village), Boni’s Tacos for a quick, cheap lunch, and Red Moose Cookie Company in the West Village for dessert.

Where to Stay in Cambria

We stayed at the El Colibri Hotel and Spa, a boutique hotel on Moonstone Beach Drive that’s a short walk from the boardwalk and a two-minute drive from downtown. The rooms were comfortable, with fireplaces and deep soaking tubs, and they have a small spa with an outdoor hot tub, steam room and massage treatments. Our two nights there were quiet and relaxing.

If you’re looking for other options, we’d also recommend checking out the J Patrick House B&B, the Cambria Palms Motel for a budget-friendly option, or the Bluebird Inn.

For a full list of places to stay, take a look at the Booking.com listings for Cambria. They have a good range of hotels, motels and B&Bs, and we usually find they’re competitive on price.

How to Get to Cambria

Cambria is a driving destination. The nearest airports are San Luis Obispo (about an hour south) and Monterey (about two hours north). From San Francisco or Los Angeles, it’s roughly a three to four hour drive depending on traffic and which route you take.

The most scenic approach is via Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, which is one of the great American drives. If you’re coming from the south, you’ll pass through San Luis Obispo and along the coast. From the north, you’ll drive through Big Sur (check road conditions first, as Highway 1 can be affected by landslides in winter and spring).

The fastest route from either direction is US-101, turning off at San Luis Obispo (from the south) or at Paso Robles on Highway 46 West (from the north), then connecting to Highway 1.

If you need a rental car, we’d suggest checking prices on Discover Cars, which compares rates across multiple providers.

If you’re also exploring the wider Central Coast and Pacific Coast Highway, Jess has written a comprehensive Pacific Coast Highway road trip guide that covers the whole route.

How Long to Spend in Cambria

We spent three days (two nights) and felt like we covered the main things without rushing. A two-night weekend is ideal if you want to explore Cambria town, walk Moonstone Beach, visit Hearst Castle and see the elephant seals. If you add Piedras Blancas Light Station, Sensorio in Paso Robles, or more wine tasting, a third night would be comfortable.

You could do Cambria as a day trip from San Luis Obispo, but you’d miss the evening atmosphere and the sunsets, which are half the point.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cambria

What is Cambria, CA known for?

Cambria is a small coastal town on California’s Central Coast, roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It’s best known for its proximity to Hearst Castle, the Moonstone Beach boardwalk, and the elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas. The town itself has a thriving food scene, local wineries, art galleries and access to some excellent coastal walking trails.

Is Cambria worth visiting?

Yes, particularly if you enjoy coastal scenery, good food and a slower pace. It’s not a big-attraction destination, which is part of the appeal. A weekend here is more about walking on beaches, eating well, touring Hearst Castle and relaxing. We’ve visited several times and always enjoyed it.

How many days do you need in Cambria?

Two to three days is the sweet spot. Two nights gives you enough time to see Hearst Castle, walk Moonstone Beach and the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, explore downtown and eat at a few good restaurants. A third night is worth adding if you want to do a wine tasting tour, visit Piedras Blancas Light Station, or just have a day with no agenda at all.

What is the best time to visit Cambria?

Cambria is pleasant year-round thanks to the mild coastal climate. Spring (March to May) brings wildflowers and green hillsides. Summer (June to August) is the busiest and warmest, though morning fog is common. Autumn (September to October) is often the best weather with fewer crowds. Winter is whale-watching season and prime time for elephant seal breeding at Piedras Blancas, plus the popular Christmas Market runs from late November.

Is Hearst Castle still open?

Yes. Hearst Castle is open daily (except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). Several guided tours are available, starting from $35 for adults and $18 for children aged 5 to 12. Advance booking through ReserveCalifornia.com is strongly recommended, as tours do sell out, particularly in summer.

Can you still visit Nitt Witt Ridge?

Not for a guided tour. Nitt Witt Ridge, the folk art house built from recycled materials, was sold in 2022 and tours are no longer offered. You can still see the exterior from Hillcrest Drive in Cambria. It’s a California Registered Historical Landmark.