Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Southern California → Southern Pacific Coast → Cambria

Location: South of Big Sur, California

Time Required: 1 – 4 hours depending on which stops you choose.

Red Tape/Notes: None.

What’s Nearby?: Limekiln Trails, San Luis Obispo

This is an adorable town. If you’re not interested in camping, I would highly recommend staying at a bed and breakfast or boutique inn here. Go to Linn’s for breakfast. Or lunch. Or a snack. Whatever you do, have something involving olallieberries (muffins, pies, syrup on your waffles…whatever you want…just have it in some form). Technically Hearst Castle and Elephant Seal Rookery are in San Simeon, but they’re actually closer to Cambria so they’re being included in this section.

Hearst Castle – I love this place. Maybe that’s cheesy. I don’t care. I love imagining what life would have been like as one of William Randolph Heart’s guests. The castle offers several tours and all of the ones I’ve been on have been enjoyable. Supposedly the zebras that he kept with his animal menagerie were turned loose and have bred in the hills. This may be an urban legend, but again, I don’t really care. I like looking for them whenever we’re in the area, so I’ll keep pretending that it’s true.

Elephant Seal Rookery – If you want to see Elephant Seals, the rookery just north of Hearst Castle near Piedras Blancas is a great spot. We lived in La Jolla Cove for several years, so Elephant Seals aren’t that exciting for us, but this area has so many seals (more than 7,000!) it’s worth a stop, and it doesn’t take long. Pull off into the parking lot, and walk out to the bluffs on either side (north or south) to view the seals.

Nitt Witt Ridge – Worth even a drive by to view the outside, Nitt Witt Ridge is a large, quirky house essentially made of found objects. Talk about reuse and recycle – you’ll see everything from beach debris to car parts incorporated into this home.

Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Southern California → Southern Pacific Coast → Cambria