There’s lots to do in Cambria
What to do?
Friends always ask, “What do you do when you go to Cambria? Don’t you get bored?” No! Never! We love to walk along the one-mile wood-planked Moonstone Beach Boardwalk. You will always see something you haven’t seen before. We’ve been lucky to see whales, dolphins, seals, and many types of birds on different trips.
No trip is complete without a hike in Fiscalini Ranch. There are seventeen different trails. At least eight are marked “easy.”
Tip. Two trails in Fiscalini Ranch are wheelchair accessible including our favorite Marine Terrace Trail which is close to the ocean. You can also bike on many of the trails. (But no motorized or electric vehicles are permitted.)
Just parking your car and taking a walk in the neighborhoods surrounding the park is enjoyable. The homes are beautiful and the views can be spectacular. You might see some deer or wild turkeys too.
A very fun time to visit is during October when the Cambria Scarecrow Festival takes place. The festival takes place the entire month of October. You have never seen scarecrows that look like these. All over town, you will find hundreds of scarecrows in all sorts of poses and all kinds of garb. You will be amazed at the creativity of the displays and even have the opportunity to vote for your favorite.
Don’t miss the Cambria Nursery. It is a feast for the eyes, especially during the holiday season. It’s large and is easily accessible for all.
The Garden Shed on Main Street is also a fun way to spend an hour or so. The inside store has many unique cookbooks, gardening ideas, and unusual gift items. The outside is my favorite place to hang out. There is so much to take in. There are all kinds of plants, including many varieties of succulents. There are many fun displays of planted pots too.
Of course, you have to visit San Simeon Elephant Seal Rookery up the road a few miles. For now, the Hearst Castle is closed but it is fun to see the massive sea lions. Just get out of your vehicle and take a gander over the fence. Depending on the time of year, you will find hundreds of these impressive animals lounging, sleeping, sunning themselves, fighting, mating and swimming. If you like, very knowledgeable guides who mingle with the visitors will tell you all you need to know about these amazing animals and answer any questions you may have. We’ve done this two out of our last four visits always learning something new.
We wanted to visit the Hearst Winery since we have enjoyed some of their wines. There are two tasting room locations. One up the road from Cambria in San Simeon and the other in Paso Robles. We wanted to visit the same day that we went to the elephant seal rookery but unfortunately, we started out too late and it was closed when we arrived. We probably would not have gotten in anyway since reservations are required. We definitely will do this on our next trip since we like their wines and also have heard from others that this is a very nice place to taste wine.
It’s fun just to walk down Main Street and take a peek or two into the many shops and galleries. Masks are required when entering all stores. One of our favorites is the Artifacts Gallery. There are so many fun and interesting pieces of artwork, jewelry, woodworking, etc. here. It’s easy to spend a lot of time here. And looking doesn’t cost anything. But I have to admit we did buy a picture for my husband’s birthday.
It’s fun just to stroll down some of the side streets off of Main. There are some historic houses and BnBs. Some of the houses are painted in fun colors and/or have interesting displays in their windows or yards.
You can also take a 25 to 30-minute drive to Los Robles for some wine tasting. I’ll save my ideas for doing this for another posting.
The Visit Cambria website has many great ideas for your visit and it is very easy to navigate.
