Cambria Travel Guide

Tourist Guide
Photo provided by Highway 1 Discovery Route
With the sometimes turbulent Pacific Ocean to the west and mountains to the east, this coastal town has a beautiful setting and many exciting things to do.

Visit Cambria for a perfect mix of relaxing location and stimulating activities. Take a scenic drive along the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline or hike numerous trails between headlands and beaches. Away from the coast, pursue activities ranging from antiquing to zebra watching.

Cambria’s biggest attraction is the long coastline, perfect for hiking, picnicking, observing sea creatures and enjoying sunsets. Stroll along the boardwalk at Moonstone Beach and watch surfers and sea otters. The nearby Fiscalini Ranch Preserve offers docent-led tours of varied habitats of shoreline, grasslands and pine forests. Along the highway near San Simeon is the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Vista Point, where over 20,000 elephant seals are visible during their annual migration.

Enjoy outstanding food and drink in this fertile part of California. Fresh produce is available for your own cooking from the Cambria Farmers Market. Area restaurants serve delicious seafood accompanied by local vegetables. Sample excellent vintages at wine cellars in town or tour wineries in the hills a few miles inland. Try an olallieberry pie made with blackberry-like fruit fairly unique to this area. Visit several antique stores along the main shopping streets of Cambria.

About 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Cambria in San Simeon is one of the region’s top points of interest, Hearst Castle. Drive past zebras grazing in fields along the winding road leading to this impressive mansion. Join a tour of the grandiose castle built by William Randolph Hearst. Although it was not quite finished when Hearst died, during the extended construction period Hearst hosted famous Hollywood celebrities in its more than 160 rooms and ornate indoor and outdoor pools. Look for the Neptune Pool where Lady Gaga filmed a video surrounded by its imposing marble pillars and statues.

Reach Cambria by driving north from the Los Angeles area or south from San Francisco along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. Enjoy an unforgettable vacation in this fascinating spot.

Where to stay in Cambria

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Park Hill

While visiting Park Hill, you might make a stop by sights like Moonstone Beach Park and Fiscalini Ranch Preserve.

Park Hill
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East Village

If you're spending some time in East Village, Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and Cambria Center for the Arts are top sights worth seeing.

East Village
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Marine Terrace

While visiting Marine Terrace, you might make a stop by sights like Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and Cambria State Marine Park.

Marine Terrace
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Pine Knolls Estates

Though Pine Knolls Estates may not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and Moonstone Beach Park.

Pine Knolls Estates
Castle Inn
Castle Inn
2.5 out of 5
6620 Moonstone Beach Dr, Cambria, CA
The price is NZ$250 per night from 12 May to 13 May
NZ$250
per night
12 May - 13 May
Stay at this motel in Cambria. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the convenient parking in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,002 reviews)
"The facility was lovely. Nice pool and hot tub. Great options for sitting around the property in Adirondak chairs by a fire or facing the ocean. All of the succulent landscaping was beautiful. Location was across from the beach and dining options were walkable. Staff were friendly, helpful and informative. ..."

Reviewed on 9 May 2024

Castle Inn
Cambria Pines Lodge
Cambria Pines Lodge
3 out of 5
2905 Burton Dr, Cambria, CA
The price is NZ$259 per night from 12 May to 13 May
NZ$259
per night
12 May - 13 May
Stay at this 3-star spa hotel in Cambria. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the pool and the restaurant in our reviews. ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,000 reviews)
"the motel facilities were great. The only complaint is the that the television was terrible. It was difficult to turn on and almost impossible to change channels. I understand that the entire area has the same problems."

Reviewed on 6 May 2024

Cambria Pines Lodge
Sea Otter Inn
Sea Otter Inn
3 out of 5
6656 Moonstone Beach Dr, Cambria, CA
The price is NZ$296 per night from 27 May to 28 May
NZ$296
per night
27 May - 28 May
Stay at this hotel in Cambria. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the breakfast and the pool in our reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,002 reviews)
"Everyone we delt with were very polite and easy to talk to. A very pleasant experience and would stay here again."

Reviewed on 6 May 2024

Sea Otter Inn
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Romantic Get-away that doesn't disappoint!
Romantic Get-away that doesn't disappoint!
Cambria
Stay at this vacation home in Cambria. Enjoy balconies and an in-room coffeemaker. Popular attractions Moonstone Beach Park and Fiscalini Ranch Preserve are ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (25 reviews)
Great place awesome views
"We really enjoyed the stay here. I liked how it was secluded into the forest and every window had views of the trees and deers really close drive to the coastal access! The kitchen was well equipped and the house was really clean. The highway sound wasn't bad at all but I like a little noise when ..."

Reviewed on 23 Apr. 2024

Romantic Get-away that doesn't disappoint!
Beachfront home directly across from beach & park! Close to everything!
Beachfront home directly across from beach & park! Close to everything!
Cambria
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in Cambria. Enjoy free WiFi, patios, and cable/satellite TV service. Our guests praise the comfy beds in our ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (62 reviews)
View can’t be beat!
"Loved our stay. The house was clean, comfortable, and well equipped for our extended family group of 6 adults. The stand-out mention is for the great location with spectacular, unobstructed views. Communication with host, Melinda, was easy. She was so helpful and quick to respond to a couple of questions ..."

Reviewed on 9 Apr. 2024

Beachfront home directly across from beach & park! Close to everything!
Month Long - The Holiday
Month Long - The Holiday
Cambria
Stay at this vacation home in Cambria. Enjoy tennis courts, patios, and cable/satellite TV service. Popular attractions Moonstone Beach Park and Fiscalini Ranch ...
Month Long - The Holiday
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Activities

Reviews of Cambria

4.6
Top destination
5 - Excellent
8
" "5 - Excellent 61.53846153846154%
4 - Good
5
" "4 - Good 38.46153846153846%
3 - Okay
0
" "3 - Okay 0%
2 - Disappointing
0
" "2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
5 Jan 2020

Clean and tranquil spot along the coast

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
2 Oct 2019

We can only really comment on our stay at our accommodation as we arrived an hour before sunsendand left early the next day. We did visit Hearst castle before checking in and this was great.

Cities near Cambria