Cambria Travel Guide

This sleepy seaside California town is the perfect destination for a weekend away. Cambria, California sits on the state’s central coast, just north of San Luis Obispo.

Things to Do in Cambria

Go for a walk or lay out in the sand on Moonstone Beach, named for the shiny stones you’ll find buried in the golden sand.

Visit Hearst Castle, up in the hills high above the town of Cambria. The home was built by William Randolph Hearst and has 56 bedrooms and 61 bathrooms, as well as a movie theater, art collections, and more for you to explore. If you didn’t get your fill of home tours, head to Nitt Witt Ridge, where you’ll find a home made out of a variety of materials, including even beer cans and toilet seats. The architect behind the house project built the home with whatever he could find.

Downtown Cambria is a charming place for a stroll along the charming streets. Hop in and out of the quaint cafes and unique shops lining the streets.

Locals in town are friendly and polite, and the town overall has a charming, small-town vibe about it.

Best Time to Visit Cambria

The best time to visit Cambria is from April to October for the best weather, though there really is no bad time to visit the town.

A Local's Guide to Cambria Vacation Rentals

Named after the Latin name for Wales, Cambria is a town in the middle of one of only three Monterey pines forests. Previously known as Slabtown, Rosaville, San Simeon, and Santa Rosa, Cambria has a mixture of beaches, nature trails and plenty of places to eat, drink and relax.

Families, couples and friends can all find activities to make a Cambria vacation a success. Whether it is cycling, adventurous tours or just a relaxing trip to sample the wine and food of the area, Cambria offers everything.

There are galleries, antique shops, boutiques and vineyards to explore as well as plenty of outdoor activities for nature-lovers. Adventurous visitors can head off on a hiking trail or cycle route to take in the views and nature in this picturesque resort.

Visitors staying in Cambria can take the opportunity to explore some of the larger, more popular cities around the central Californian coast without paying the price tag of staying there!

San Francisco is just a four and a half hour drive from Cambria. Hire a car and make a day of driving along the Pacific Coast highway taking in the ocean views. This route also passes through the Big Sur State Park which has hundreds of trails to stretch travel-weary legs on as well as some of the most beautiful wilderness in the United States. On the beaches of Big Sur, vacationers may just be lucky enough to spot elephant seals resting before heading back into the water.

Another close-by location to Cambria is Los Angeles. Four hours drive south of Cambria, the City of Angels is a great place to spend a day sightseeing without having to pay big bucks for a rental in the area.

One of the must-see attractions in Cambria is Hearst Castle. This incredible complex sits on top of the Santa Lucia Mountains in California overlooking the Pacific Ocean 1,600ft below. Climb to the observation deck at the east of the castle at sunset for a breathtaking view of the sun sinking over the ocean.

Walking tours of the castle show guests around 165 rooms and the 127-acre grounds. It took around 28 years to build and houses collections of Spanish and Italian antiques.

For outdoors adventures, head to the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve or Moonstone Beach. Morro Bay is also worth a visit for the historic fishery and stunning scenery.

There are so many cute rentals in Cambria with gardens, colorful flowers and farmhouses with bedrooms to let. Stay in a two-bedroom, pet friendly cottage with a full kitchen or choose a bedroom in a guesthouse with ocean views. The lowest price for a bed for one night is $24 and there are 3368 vacation rentals, hotels and other accommodation to choose from in Cambria. For vacationers that need to stay connected to the outside world, there are more than 750 places that offer a WiFi connection.

The busiest times in Cambria are the summer months of June, July and August when accommodation is the most expensive and the area is full of vacationers.

Visit in October for the Scarecrow Festival and November before the Thanksgiving holiday for some cheaper rates while the area still has good weather.