Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Tranquil Cambria, California

Head up Highway 1 to this uncrowded Central Coast gem.

View from the town of Cambria, a seven-hour drive north of San Diego.
View from the town of Cambria, a seven-hour drive north of San Diego.

With a backdrop of Monterey pines drooped in a misty veil, interrupted now and again by the sun, you can see why the sleepy artist village of Cambria has drawn Californians for decades to its relaxing shores.

A coastal secret among its larger rivals of Santa Barbara and Monterey, Cambria feels like a Cape Cod seaside resort; the vibe here can only be expressed as utter tranquility.

Sponsored
Sponsored
Cambria village, courtesy of VisitCambria.com.

You'll want to bring your camera, sandals and a good pair of binoculars for the seven-hour drive to this central California town. It's hard to find fault in a community that prides itself on retaining open space, scenic views, walkable neighborhoods, and friendly coastal restaurants and shops. Not only is Cambria home to three federally endangered species, a few state-listed species remain in their natural habitat a short walk from the village center.

Getting here

After you've packed your weekend bags, set your phone on silent and enjoy the coastal drive. To reach Cambria from San Diego, take Interstate 5 to the U.S. 101, which crosses through Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo before parting with California Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo.

Continue west along Highway 1 to Morro Bay. North from Morro Bay, the 1 stretches north for a short 30 minutes toward the town of Cambria.

What to do

Unwinding is what locals do best here. Bring your surfboards for a classic Central California beach experience. Though the waters in the early morning can feel icy, the Pacific Ocean does not disappoint. Family-friendly hikes, walks, sunset viewing and the nearby Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery are worth your time along this stretch of coast.

In town, there are a number of worthwhile activities, but one that should be on the top of your list is a stroll through the Cambria village arts district along Sheffield Street. Handcrafted local art is set along open patio coffee shops and restaurants reminiscent, again, of Cape Cod living.

Where to stay

There are many good choices for lodging in Cambria, but there's nothing quite like the ambiance of Cambria Pines Lodge. An authentic village retreat, the Lodge's setting is right for you to unplug from all the chaos of California life.

If you're looking for a way to spend quality time with your significant other or a personal trip to simply "take a step back," I highly recommend a short trip up to Cambria. Reflection is key in this part of California; it's hard not to sit back and enjoy the Golden State in its purest form.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

The Fellini of Clairemont High

When gang showers were standard for gym class
View from the town of Cambria, a seven-hour drive north of San Diego.
View from the town of Cambria, a seven-hour drive north of San Diego.

With a backdrop of Monterey pines drooped in a misty veil, interrupted now and again by the sun, you can see why the sleepy artist village of Cambria has drawn Californians for decades to its relaxing shores.

A coastal secret among its larger rivals of Santa Barbara and Monterey, Cambria feels like a Cape Cod seaside resort; the vibe here can only be expressed as utter tranquility.

Sponsored
Sponsored
Cambria village, courtesy of VisitCambria.com.

You'll want to bring your camera, sandals and a good pair of binoculars for the seven-hour drive to this central California town. It's hard to find fault in a community that prides itself on retaining open space, scenic views, walkable neighborhoods, and friendly coastal restaurants and shops. Not only is Cambria home to three federally endangered species, a few state-listed species remain in their natural habitat a short walk from the village center.

Getting here

After you've packed your weekend bags, set your phone on silent and enjoy the coastal drive. To reach Cambria from San Diego, take Interstate 5 to the U.S. 101, which crosses through Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo before parting with California Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo.

Continue west along Highway 1 to Morro Bay. North from Morro Bay, the 1 stretches north for a short 30 minutes toward the town of Cambria.

What to do

Unwinding is what locals do best here. Bring your surfboards for a classic Central California beach experience. Though the waters in the early morning can feel icy, the Pacific Ocean does not disappoint. Family-friendly hikes, walks, sunset viewing and the nearby Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery are worth your time along this stretch of coast.

In town, there are a number of worthwhile activities, but one that should be on the top of your list is a stroll through the Cambria village arts district along Sheffield Street. Handcrafted local art is set along open patio coffee shops and restaurants reminiscent, again, of Cape Cod living.

Where to stay

There are many good choices for lodging in Cambria, but there's nothing quite like the ambiance of Cambria Pines Lodge. An authentic village retreat, the Lodge's setting is right for you to unplug from all the chaos of California life.

If you're looking for a way to spend quality time with your significant other or a personal trip to simply "take a step back," I highly recommend a short trip up to Cambria. Reflection is key in this part of California; it's hard not to sit back and enjoy the Golden State in its purest form.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

The vicious cycle of Escondido's abandoned buildings

City staff blames owners for raising rents
Next Article

Morricone Youth, Berkley Hart, Dark Entities, Black Heart Procession, Monsters Of Hip-Hop

Live movie soundtracks, birthdays and more in Balboa Park, Grantville, Oceanside, Little Italy
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader