A Travel Guide to Cambria, California
A Travel Guide to Cambria, California (Things to Do, Where to Eat + More)
My love for the Central Coast of California runs deep so it should come as no surprise that I absolutely adore Cambria. This quaint and sleepy little coastal town is just about as perfect as it gets when it comes to a cozy and relaxing place to be by the sea. It’s slow and quiet without much going on, in the best way possible, while simultaneously having more than enough going on if you’d prefer to fill your days. At about 4 hours from either Los Angeles or San Francisco, it could not be a better weekend (or longer) escape from the city (or wherever you happen to be coming from).
Dubbed as the place where the pines meet the sea, this town may be tiny but it’s sure got a whole lot of natural beauty and charm. Think sweeping untamed coastlines, rolling green hills, cozy abodes, a walkable village, friendly locals, stunning hikes, farm fresh locally sourced provisions, mom and pop restaurants and shops, and did I mention that it’s oh so relaxing and peaceful?
While Cambria can often be overlooked in favor of Big Sur to the north or Paso Robles to the east, if you’re looking for a quiet, under-the-radar spot to slow down, relax and take in California’s coastal beauty, don’t skip this town on your next drive up (or down) PCH.
Below, I’m sharing how to make the most of your own getaway to Cambria.
A GUIDE TO CAMBRIA, CALIFORNIA
HOW TO GET TO CAMBRIA
DRIVE (THE BEST + MOST DIRECT OPTION)- Cambria is about equal distance from Los Angeles and San Francisco, about a 3.5-4 hour drive from either spot. While you can make it a shorter journey, I definitely recommend the scenic routes because the views are truly stunning. From Los Angeles, you follow the 101. From San Francisco, you take PCH down through Big Sur (permitting if the route is open, as at the time of writing, PCH was closed from Big Sur down to Gorda).
FLY- If you’re coming from farther away, the closest airport to fly into is San Louis Obispo County (Alaska, American Airlines and United all fly here), where you can then rent a car for the short drive up to Cambria. However, I’d say if you’re coming from out-of-state or another country, it’s easier to fly into LAX or SFO and then drive to Cambria. Not only will flights be more accessible, you’ll also then get to enjoy a beautiful scenic drive to your destination, or make a whole road trip out of it.
BY TRAIN- Another option is the train. Amtrak stops in both San Louis Obispo and Paso Robles, but you will then need to rent a car for the remainder of the journey to Cambria.
WHERE TO STAY IN CAMBRIA, CALIFORNIA
HOTEL and B+B RECOMMENDATIONS
WHITE WATER- if you want to stay on the beach
Beautifully designed boutique property situated directly across from Moonstone Beach (Talk about an ideal location!). It’s clean, the staff are friendly, there are fireplaces in the rooms, the bathrooms boast Aesop products and the mini bar is well stocked. Breakfast (consisting of fresh local pastries, hot coffee + the makings for mimosas) is delivered to your door every morning, there’s a great lobby to hang in with a bar and small bites available, and a fire pit right outside. There are even complimentary bikes for you to cruise around on! It’s also an easy walk right down the road to some favorite eateries in town (Sea Chest Oyster Bar and Main Street Grill). It’s a perfect location whether you want a launching point for various sights and activities in the local area or you just want to relax and chill.
THE SQUIBB HOUSES- if you want to stay in town
Quaint and charming B&B located right in the center of town; the main house was originally built in the 1880’s and the current proprietor as done such a great job keeping up the charm of the place; we stayed in (and loved) the garden room as it has a private entrance, cute little porch complete with rocking chairs, views of the lovely gardens and a fireplace; breakfast is also included (ours included things like fresh berries, yogurt, granola, toast, everything to make eggs benedict and breakfast potatoes)
HOME RENTAL
AIRBNB and VRBO have some great home rentals in the area. If you’re looking for something a bit more private or secluded, or planning to stay more than a night or two, this is definitely the way to go.
WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN CAMBRIA, CALIFORNIA
Great spot for a nutritious and healthy breakfast/brunch; they’re known for their light and fluffy blue corn waffles (that are naturally gluten-free) with a variety of sweet and savory toppings (my favorite was the morro melt) but their smoothies are also amazing!
Location: 2164 Center St, Cambria, CA 93428
I think this might be my favorite spot in Cambria. A great little market with fresh produce, healthy eats and local provisions (think California wines and cheeses, local bee pollen and honey, fresh baked bread from nearby Los Osos, etc). They also have a great kitchen in the back with pretty much anything you could want (soups, sandwiches, sushi, wraps, pizza, tacos, bowls, salads) that you can order then continue to shop while they make it, but if you’re short on time they also have some pre-made options that you can just grab and go. Everything is super fresh and flavorful and made right there in-house so it’s a great spot to pick up things for a picnic or post-hike lunch, if you need food for the road or even to grab something for a quick dinner after a day of exploring. Also don’t skip their cookies (the PB chocolate chip was a real winner!)
Location: 2244 Main St Cambria, California 93428
Hidden away in an industrial part of town known as “Tin City” during the week, or at a small food truck in the town center on weekends, this place is a must stop whether you’re visiting Cambria for a few days or just stopping through for food on your way to or from Big Sur. They’re known for their al pastor, which are great for sure, but trust me when I say that the taquitos and chile verde tacos are must orders, too! And don’t skip on the rice and beans + a side of their salsa verde, either! We didn’t get to try them this time (but plan to next time we’re in the area), but they also have burritos (including a breakfast burrito), available in 3 different sizes. And you can order in person, on-line or over the phone. There are a few seats at their location in “Tin City” so you can eat there if you want, however everything is packaged up nicely so it’s definitely a good option for grab and go (to the beach, an overlook, a picnic, on the road, you get the idea).
Location: 2405 Village Ln, Suite F, Cambria, CA 93428 (during the week), 2253 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428 (the taco truck location on the weekends)
A classic local spot that is kitschy and exactly what you’d expect at a seaside spot in a small town; people line up early to get on the list for a table so expect to wait, especially on weekends and during the summer (even though it was a Saturday when we went, it was also rainy and cold, during the off-season and on the later side of the evening so we were seated right away), sit at the oyster bar if you can and get the oysters fresh or rockefeller, and instead of one of the main entrees, I’d suggest the mussels and an order of the garlic bread. They also have a some great local wines on their wine list (at decent prices) and serve an assortment of desserts from the local French Corner Bakery. As an FYI, it is cash only but they do have an ATM on site.
Location: 6216 Moonstone Beach Dr, Cambria, CA 93428
If you’re looking for baked goods or dessert, this is a good spot to grab something from. We enjoyed their scones (at the hotel) and carrot cake (at the Sea Chest).
Location: 2214 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428
A few other spots to check out- Brydge (one of Cambria’s newest restaurants which looks great for lunch or dinner), The Sow’s Ear (I’ve got my eye on the flower pot rolls, lobster pot pie and the ultimate mud pie), Robin’s (such a cute space and a diverse menu that sounds delicious), Black Cat Bistro (I mean, how can we not want to go here since we have a black cat?!), Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough (they have brunch, lunch and dinner, patio looks cute and they have live music Friday + Saturday at dinner, and jazz every few weeks on Sundays), Main Street Grill (great location, especially if you’re staying at White Water),The Cow Tipper, Mozzi’s Saloon (old school saloon vibes + they have happy hour and live music)
WHAT TO DO IN CAMBRIA, CALIFORNIA
WANDER MOONSTONE BEACH
A beautiful and easy walking path right along the water with easy access down to the beach throughout the walk; if you’re staying on Moonstone Drive (chances are high that you probably are as that is where the majority of the hotels are located), you’ll have the entirety of Moonstone Beach stretched out in front of you just steps from your accommodations
EXPLORE FISCALLINI RANCH
Another easy and beautiful walk along the water; this one is higher up along a bluff which makes it great for sunset watching; it’s short and sweet, so it’s perfect if you don’t have a lot of time, but there are some additional trails on the hillside that can turn this into a longer walk; the lower path is also wheelchair accessible. There are also tons of benches throughout the trail so it’s a great place to take some time to pause, reflect, slow down and soak in nature or enjoy a picnic, a good book or even take some time to draw or paint (if that’s your thing). Pro tip- if you’re staying at White Water, bike to the trail as one of the entrances (there’s one on either side) is mere minutes away and you can easily walk the bikes along the trail or lock them up at the entrance
BOP ABOUT TOWN
Town is divided into an east and west part (separated by a short drive); each has a few little shops (Slabtown was one of my favorites but I also like Terracotta and Thrift by the Sea is great for, you guessed it, thrifting), antiquing spots, restaurants, etc. so it’s cute to walk around and pop into them, but it’s very small so you definitely don’t need a lot fo time to do this; I’d recommend an hour or two after you grab breakfast or lunch or before dinner.
GO WINE TASTING
Paso Robles isn’t far from Cambria and certainly has tons of amazing wine options but if you want to stay local there are a few options-
STOLO VINEYARDS (located in Cambria)- you can book a tasting any time but they have happy hour with special pricing and live music on Friday and Saturday afternoons
HEARST WINE TASTING (located a short drive up the road in San Simeon State Park, across from Hearts Castle and right by the beach; can be done on it’s own, but would also be fun to do after exploring the park or touring Hearst castle)
TOURS + CLASSES
Go CLYDESDALE HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDING AT COVELL RANCH (reservations required and only taken via phone; rides available Monday-Saturday)
TAKE A KELP CLASS WITH KELPFUL to forage and learn all about kelp in the local area (reservations required)
GO ON A FARM TOUR AT STEPLADDER CREAMERY to hang out with goats (OMG YES PLEASE!) and taste test their cheeses (AKA MY DREAM TOUR)! (reservations required)
TAKE A PILATES CLASS IN THE VINEYARD
THINGS TO DO NEAR CAMBRIA
LOS OSOS
Chill little town on the other side of Morro Bay; be sure to grab sandwiches at High Street Deli and stock up on wine in their wine shop
MORRO BAY
I’d say this is the largest of the seaside towns in the area and has the most to offer as far as amount of restaurants and shops; it can be a bit touristic and kitschy, but it’s a great spot to go for fresh oysters (Morro Bay Oysters are the oysters that got me to love oysters, so if that doesn’t tell you that they’re good then I don’t know what will haha) and seafood by the water; I’d recommend Tognazzini’s Dockside, super fresh, right on the water, live music on the weekends, but definitely expect a bit of a wait (especially on Saturdays and Sundays, summers and nice weather) or Grassy Bar Oyster Company
CAYUCOS
cute spot with a few restaurant options, lots of good thrifting/antiquing and, of course, the Brown Butter Cookie Co.; there’s also a beautiful hike, the Harmony Headlines Trail, that goes out to the ocean, it’s relatively flat and easy, just over 4 miles long roundtrip, free parking, great to see wildflowers in the spring
a tiny (and when I say tiny, I mean population is 18 kind of tiny) little town, stop by for ice-cream or a wine tasting
visit just the castle or make a day of it and also go for a wine tasting and explore Hearst San Simeon State Park
SAN SIMEON
see the lighthouse (reservations required for the tour), look out for the grazing zebras, walk around Hearst San Simeon State Park (we loved the hike that goes out to the point), go hiking
SEE THE ELEPHANT SEALS
There’s a few spots to stop and view the elephant seals right off the side of HWY 1 (with plenty of parking available), the vista point being the most popular (check here for more info); there’s also Boucher Trail that goes along the coastline and has several elephant seal viewing points throughout the walk; we also saw a few at San Simeon State Park; friendly reminder, as with all wildlife, keep your distance and respect it’s space
no explanation needed, you can never go wrong with a visit to Big Sur
PASO ROBLES
for more wine tastings head over to nearby Paso Robles
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
HOW LONG TO GO FOR
If you’re coming from nearby, this is a great weekend getaway or two-night escape. If you’re adding it as a stop along a bigger road trip, I’d say one to two nights will give you a good lay of the land. However, all that being said, this area is so laid-back and peaceful, trust me when I say you’ll went to spend more time here and could easily stay for three to four nights, if not longer. There’s more than enough to keep you busy, but it’s also perfect for those times you just want to stroll a beach, read a book, fall asleep to the sound of the waves and have a low-key, simple, no-fuss, relaxing time away.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO GO
I am from the camp that just about everywhere in California has something to offer no matter the time of year. And Cambria is no different. I think spring is an especially beautiful time as the hills are vibrant and green, the wildflowers are blooming, the elephant seals are out in full force and the weather is pleasantly wonderful. Summer is, of course, great for more beach-focused days, fall is mild, too and winter is lovely, just. bit rainier. However, if you’re from New England (like me), then you might just love this area in the rainy season (personally, I love it and it reminds me so much of home). Plus, what’s not to love about a cozy coastal day curled up by a fire with a good book?!
GETTING AROUND TOWN
If you’re staying on Moonstone Drive, or close to town center, you can easily walk and bike your way around the immediate area. But for everything else, you will definitely need a car to get around.
OTHER NOTES
It’s a small town so keep times in mind when it comes to restaurants as a lot of them have limited hours and/or close on the earlier side.
Most places take debit/credit cards, but again, it’s a small town so it’s always a good idea to have some cash as there are inevitably always at least a few cash-only places (Sea Chest Oyster Bar being one of them).
