The Complete Cambria Weekend Getaway Guide (Itinerary + Where to Stay)

Where to Stay in Cambria, CA

Here are a few Cambria hotels to consider for your weekend getaway: 

• Cambria Beach Lodge – a cozy, 2-star beachside hotel located right across from Moonstone Beach (read my review for more details!)
• White Water – a 3-star Moonstone Beach boutique hotel with a chic and luxurious design aesthetic
• Cambria Pines Lodge – a peaceful and woodsy 3-star hotel just outside of the main Downtown Cambria area
• The Squibb Houses – a charming and rustic bed and breakfast (which dates back to the 1880s!) right in the center of town

If a more private space is your vibe, you can also check out vacation home rentals in Cambria on Vrbo. You really can’t go wrong staying in any area of Cambria, but if you want to maximize your time by the water, I recommend booking a house by Moonstone Beach or just south of Fiscalini Ranch Preserve! 

Cambria Beach Lodge

What to Do During a Cambria Weekend Getaway 

The town may be small, but there are so many fun things to do around Cambria. During your weekend trip, be sure to: 

• Walk the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk: This mile-long boardwalk hugs the scenic coast. Take in the view of the water, watch the surfers, and keep an eye out for sea life! There are also stairs along the boardwalk that you can take to go down to the sand.
• Hike at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve: This preserve is the place to go hiking in Cambria. You can walk along the coastal bluffs and explore beautiful forests of pine and oak trees. 
• Explore Downtown Cambria: Cambria has two “downtown” areas, both of which have great shops and dining (I’ll touch on restaurants in the next section). In West Village, I recommend stopping by Verde of Cambria (a tea store) and The Love Story Project (a gifts and art store), as well as Cambria Coffee Company for a caffeine boost. In East Village, shop at Spellbound (a gift shop and garden store) and Bounding Main (a women’s clothing store). If you need to pick up groceries, visit Soto’s True Earth Market! 
• Tour Hearst Castle: Hearst Castle (located in San Simeon, just north of Cambria) is a must-visit historic site. I recommend doing two tours – my Hearst Castle guide goes into more details on the best tours and how to plan your visit. 
• See the Elephant Seals: Another San Simeon stop worth visiting is the Piedras Blancas Friends of the Elephant Seal vista point, where you can get up close to these ocean mammals!
• Enjoy Central Coast Wine: Indulge in some California wine at a local tasting room. Some options in town include Cutruzzola Vineyards, Black Hand Cellars, and Moonstone Cellars. I’m also a huge fan of the oceanside Hearst Ranch Winery. 

Moonstone Beach Boardwalk | Hearst Castle | Cambria’s West Village

Sample Cambria Itinerary: How to Spend Two Days in this Central Coast Town

Here’s a look at how you can spend two days in Cambria. This is the exact itinerary I followed during my most recent visit!

Saturday

Start your day with a tour or two of Hearst Castle. After your visit, head to the Piedras Blancas Friends of the Elephant Seals viewing point. 

Once you finish up, make your way over to Hearst Ranch Winery (note that reservations are required!). Pick up lunch from Seaside Foods (right across the street from the winery – their veggie sandwich is delicious!), and enjoy it during your tasting. If you’re not a wine drinker, you can grab lunch in town at one of the restaurants recommended in the above section!

Next, make your way to Fiscalini Ranch Preserve for a coastal hike. After that, freshen up back at your hotel before going into town for dinner. 

Sunday

Grab a coffee at Cambria Coffee Company, and then make your way to the coast to walk down the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk. Next, spend some time shopping in town (in both the West Village and East Village!) before grabbing lunch. If you have a sweet tooth, grab a slice of olallieberry pie at Linn’s Easy as Pie Cafe!

End your Cambria trip with another easy hike at either Harmony Headlands State Park or Estero Bluffs State Park (both of which are south of Cambria!).  

Fiscalini Ranch Preserve | Hearst Ranch Winery | San Simeon Elephant Seals

Exploring Beyond Cambria: Additional Things to do in the Area

California’s Central Coast has so much to offer. If you’re planning on extending your trip and exploring beyond Cambria, here are some ideas on additional things to do in the area.

Visit Morro Bay

Morro Bay (which is a 25-minute drive south of Cambria) is a great place to stop by after your getaway. Go for a stroll on the beach and get up close to the famous Morro Rock, and stop by a pier on the Embarcadero to try to get a glimpse of some sea otters. 

Hike at Montaña de Oro State Park

If you want to spend more time outside, I recommend stopping by Montaña de Oro State Park, which is about a 40-minute drive south of Cambria. I love the Montaña de Oro Bluff Trail, an excellent easy trail with amazing views of the coast. The full trail is 4.1 miles long, but you can hike as much or as little as you’d like (the entire route is incredibly scenic!). 

Explore the Paso Robles Wine Region

Paso Robles (which is just about a 40-minute drive inland from Cambria) is the epicenter of wine on the Central Coast. During a Paso Robles trip, you can check out local vineyards (I recommend booking a winery tour) and spend some time strolling through the charming downtown area. 

See the Beauty of Big Sur

Big Sur is easily one of the most beautiful places on the Central Coast (and in all of California!). There is so much to do in Big Sur, including stopping at viewpoints along the Pacific Coast Highway, hiking through the redwood trees, and seeing some of the iconic sights in the area (including Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls). I recommend spending at least a full day in Big Sur. 

Big Sur is just north of Cambria and San Simeon. However, be sure to check Pacific Coast Highway road closures before you plan your visit (my Big Sur guide goes into everything you need to know!). 

Daou in Paso Robles | McWay Falls in Big Sur | Little Sur River Beach in Big Sur