Cambria is a charming seaside town located in the central coast of California in San Luis Obispo County. It’s an artsy town known for its coastal landscape that combines both the ocean and weathered pine forests. Ideal for a relaxing getaway, it’s a unique place with tons of gorgeous, rugged scenery; places to appreciate nature; cycling and hiking trails; art galleries; boutique and antique shopping; and great spots to indulge and imbibe.
If you have just 24 hours to explore, here’s what to do!
Start your day off at Hidden Kitchen, a Cambria gem that offers a one-of-a-kind menu of both sweet and savor waffle creations and a variety of smoothies. They offer blue corn waffles which serve as the perfect, uniquely flavored vehicle for delicious piles of toppings.
Try the Morro Melt with organic turkey, havarti cheese, caramelized onion, avocado, hk sauce and microgreens or the Weirdos Waffle with fried banana, Niman Ranch bacon ends, peanut butter, grass-fed butter, and maple syrup. If you want to try something that can only be had at Cambria, try out the Olallieberry Localwith dark chocolate chips melted inside & out, Linn's olallieberry syrup, cocowhip, grass-fed butter and cacao powder.
Their smoothies are super packed with hearty ingredients as well. Popular options include Baywood Berry with strawberry, banana, peanut butter, beet powder, almond milk, maple syrup, and chia seeds and the Gorda Greens with spinach, kale, chard, banana, ginger, spirulina, coconut water, coconut shreds.
Once you’re fueled up, take a hike or leisurely walk at the beautiful Moonstone Beach, a scenic, preserved area that’s ideal for watching marine life include whales, dolphins, sea otters and elephant seals. The boardwalk is a mile-long and is ideal for stroll at anytime of the day to take in the lovely ocean views.
Another great spot for nature? The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve which features 437 acres of forest, grasslands and meadows. Hike, bike, meander or bring a furry friend to explore this sprawling natural landscape. Enjoy epic views of wildlife, birds, otters, migrating whales and more from the rocky coast, which drops down a dramatic 400 feet.
For lunch, stop by Linn’s Restaurant which is known for its famous olallieberry—a cross between a blackberry with a raspberry—pies and desserts. Order a hearty one of Linn’s signature pot pies with a flaky, hand rolled double crust filled with chicken carrot, green peas, celery, onion, and red bell pepper; down home meatloaf with mushroom gravy, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, shaved onion rings, and seasonal vegetables; or one of their Hearst Ranch natural, grass-fed beef hamburgers made with a charbroiled half-pound patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Brian’s artisan brioché bun.
Whatever you decide, you have to finish your meal with Linn’s olalliberry pie a la mode. Other popular desserts include the olalliberry bread pudding almondine; cream puff with ollaliberry custard; and the olallieberry cream cake with vanilla cake, berries and a vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.
If you feel like extending your stay, check in at Cambria Pines Lodge, which is a relaxing coastal retreat nestled in the hills of Cambia. Minutes from Moonstone Beach and the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, it also offers 25 acres of grounds, lush gardens to explore and an organic kitchen garden. Cambria Pines Lodge Restaurant also offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a range of dishes featuring steak, seafood, and pasta made with organic, hand-picked herbs and produce from their culinary.They also have on property the rustic Fireside Lounge which features nightly entertainment.
For dinner make a reservation at Robin’s Restaurant which offers diners a menu of internationally inspired dishes made with local farmer’s market-fresh ingredients. The restaurant has a spacious, garden setting which showcases live music. It’s known for have the largest selection of vegetarian dishes on the coast with items like Pesto Primavera with summer squash, red bell peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, market greens, arugula pesto, fettuccini, and parmesan cheese.
That said it also has an array of carnivorous options such as Thai Green Chicken with coconut curry, sugar snap peas, cilantro, jalapeños, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, pickled cucumber salad, and basmati brown rice; Roghan Josh a North Indian lamb curry, yogurt, tomatoes, green beans, almonds, cilantro-mint chutney, and chapati; and Pan Seared Skuna Bay Salmon with crispy skin salmon, paprika peewee potatoes, brussel sprout hash, grilled asparagus, lemon saffron aioli, and crispy capers.
