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Major city · United States

Cambria

Give Cambria one night, two if you want Hearst Castle and the elephant seals: it is a Highway 1 stop, not a base.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (fog and crowds), Dec holidays (Christmas market traffic)
Airports
SBP · SFO · LAX
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Cambria is a small coastal town on Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo County, about 10 miles south of San Simeon and Hearst Castle. Most travellers use it as a one-night stop between Monterey and Santa Barbara, or as a quieter alternative to Morro Bay. The village has restaurants and inns; Moonstone Beach Drive has the oceanfront motels and the cliff boardwalk. A car is the practical way to arrive and to reach the castle and the seal colony.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cambria, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner main$25–40
  • Street or quick mealDeli sandwich or takeaway lunch$10–16
  • BeerBeer or glass of wine$8–15
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–30
  • Museum or sight ticketHearst Castle tour ticket$25–35 (check)
  • Budget bedFamily suite (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$220
  • Mid-range bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$220
  • High-end bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$400

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$110 · Mid US$180 · High US$320

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Moonstone Beach BoardwalkHearst Castle and San SimeonElephant seal colonyHighway 1 coast
Airports
SBP San Luis Obispo County Regional (About 35 miles south by car; the closest airport with scheduled flights.) · SFO San Francisco International (About 230 miles north by car; a full driving day on Highway 1.) · LAX Los Angeles International (About 230 miles south by car; usually the cheaper flight, then a 4-hour drive.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cambria: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

17°C

6°C

8 rd

Feb

17°C

7°C

8 rd

Mar

18°C

7°C

7 rd

Apr

19°C

8°C

4 rd

May

20°C

9°C

2 rd

Jun

21°C

10°C

1 rd

Jul

22°C

11°C

0 rd

Aug

23°C

12°C

0 rd

Sep

23°C

11°C

1 rd

Oct

23°C

10°C

3 rd

Nov

20°C

8°C

5 rd

Dec

17°C

6°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical way to arrive and to reach Hearst Castle and the elephant seals. In town, SLO Regional Transit Authority runs buses along Main Street and Moonstone Beach Drive; check current routes and times before you rely on them. The village is walkable once you park.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

San Simeon and Hearst Castle

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Drive Highway 1 north about 10 miles

Castle tours are by timed ticket; book ahead. Elephant seals haul out on the beach just north of town, mostly in winter.

Morro Bay

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive Highway 1 south about 20 miles

Harbour, the big rock and waterfront seafood; an easy half-day.

Paso Robles

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive Highway 46 east about 31 miles

Wine tasting rooms and hot springs; a full day if you drink.

San Luis Obispogo

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive Highway 1 south, then US-101

Bigger town for a rainy day: mission, shops, restaurants.

Big Sur

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h to the first stops

Drive Highway 1 north

A long, slow, winding drive; check for closures before setting out.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Moonstone Beach Drive

Oceanfront motels and inns, the boardwalk at the door; 5–10 min drive to the village.

East Village (Main Street)

Walkable restaurants, shops and cafés; the better choice without a car.

West Village

Smaller, quieter cluster of inns and eateries on the north side of the creek.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 excl. bed
Mid
$140–220 excl. bed
High
$220+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or inn double room1 × 1 night × US$220US$220
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$180US$360
Hearst Castle tour ticket2 × US$30 · checkUS$60
Rental car, one day1 × US$60 · checkUS$60
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$74
Trip total≈ US$407 per person per day, bed includedUS$814

Moonstone Beach oceanfront rooms sit at the top of the range.

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax is added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Deli sandwich or takeaway lunch$10–16
Sit-down dinner main$25–40
Beer or glass of wine$8–15
Hearst Castle tour ticket$25–35 (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–30

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Cambria is a low-crime small town and generally safe for visitors. The real risks are the ocean (cold water, sneaker waves on the rocks), fog on Highway 1, and leaving valuables visible in a parked car.
  • Highway 1 can close after winter storms: check Caltrans road conditions before you drive the Big Sur stretch.
  • Sea Chest is cash only and the line starts around 5PM for a 5:30PM opening.
  • Coastal fog is common in summer mornings; plan the boardwalk for the afternoon.
  • Cell coverage is patchy on parts of Highway 1 north of town.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff (non-emergency)
805-781-4550
Caltrans road conditions
800-427-7623

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CambriaCambria

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Sheriff non-emergency805-781-4550
  • Caltrans road conditions800-427-7623

Embassy

No embassies in Cambria; consulates are in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Cambria → San Simeon by car: about 10 miles, 20 min
  • Cambria → Morro Bay by car: about 20 miles, 30 min
  • Cambria → Paso Robles by car: about 31 miles, 45 min

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the beach access? — Where is the beach access?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is the highway open? — Is the highway open?

Cash is still useful: some restaurants are cash only.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cambria. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (fog and crowds), Dec holidays (Christmas market traffic) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SBP: last flight arrivals, taxi and rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: East Village, West Village, Moonstone Beach Drive.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Hearst Castle, Moonstone Beach Boardwalk, Nitt Witt Ridge) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Highway 1 closure fixtures so gate A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources