Where to
Stay
Cambria & San Simeon
The pine-covered hills of Cambria
provide a woodsy backdrop for this charming little town,
which started as a mining center and is now in prime
dairy country. The rustic architecture of Cambria seems
just right for the arts community it has become over the
past 40 years.
Galleries, boutiques, and wine tasting
places mingle with little cafes and inns. There's an
old-fashioned saloon, plus stores in which to buy
provisions for day trips and picnicking in the
countryside. Nearby Cayucos has a fishing pier,
and sandy beaches line the coastline. Cambria and nearby
San Simeon (just north) are good places to base a
visit to the California central coast, including Big
Sur.
Hearst Castle:
Just north of Cambria is the village of San
Simeon and above San Simeon, Hearst Castle shimmers in
the sunlight. Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst
built the mansion and called it the "Enchanted Hill."
This incredible palace, with bountiful gardens, bizarre
architecture, pools and terraces, is a state historical
monument, which is open to the public except on major
holidays. A special feature is the evening tour program,
offered in spring and fall months. Hearst Castle is on
Highway 1, about 35 miles north of San Luis Obispo and
just a few miles north of Cambria.
Evenings in the Castle
Beginning March 4, 2005, the Hearst Castle Evening Tour
Program will be scheduled on most Friday and Saturday
evenings through May. This is part of the state park's
Living History Program, where guides in vintage costumes
represent the castle's premiere era in the 1930s. Tours
take about two hours and cost $30 ($15 for ages 6-17).
For more information, call 800-444-4445 or go
here.
Other Things to See & Do
This is also wine country, with tasting
rooms in Cambria, including the Central Coast Wine
Center, providing tastings of a large selection of wines
from the region in Moonstone Gardens, on Highway 1.
Fermentations, on Burton in East Village, also has wine
tasting.
Most visitors stay at Moonstone
Beach, one of three areas with stores, accommodations
and restaurants. Moonstone Beach Drive is two
miles of commerce along the highway. East and West
Villages are further inland. restaurants mostly
specialize in seafood dishes. Brambles Dinner
House -- on Burton Drive in East Village -- is the
town's most famous restaurant. Other places to eat
include the Sea Chest Oyster Bar and Restaurant,
and Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill. For a different
atmosphere, there is Robins, in an old home in
East Village.
The Boardwalk
Constructed in 2001 b y the California Conservation
Corps, the boardwalk runs nearly a mile along the
sandstone bluffs overlooking the ocean. It's a great
place for an evening stroll and viewing the Pacific
sunset.
Looking at Elephant Seals
One of the largest of California's elephant seal
rookeries is found seven miles north of Cambria on
Highway 1. This is the southern end of Big Sur, the
magnificent combination of mountains (Santa Lucia), the
ocean, small rugged bays, and small beaches. Stop at the
Wildlife Viewing area along the highway. During winter
months, huge elephant seals gather, mate, and give birth
to about 2000 seal pups that nurse and lie on the beach
for several months before taking their first long swim.
The adult males are fierce, weighing more than 4,500
pounds. Females are much smaller. The other major
elephant seal rookery on the central coast is north of
Santa Cruz at Aña Nuevo State Reserve.
