Destination: Cambria, California

Five years have passed since I last went to Cambria. With its sweeping bluffs and rocky shoreline stretching for miles and miles, this small, seaside village in Central California is a rugged, wild retreat for anyone looking to escape the bustle of city life. Despite the fact that I’ve traveled so many places in the world, Cambria remains one of my special spots that I could return to again and again.

Home to 6,000 permanent residents, Cambria sits humbly between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Along with the more-popular Santa Barbara, this seaside town is a common stop for those traveling along the Californian coast. It has changed names over time, before being called “Cambria” in the late 19th century (Latin for “Wales”). The town is also just six miles (9.6 kilometers) from the famed Hearst Castle, which makes for a popular day trip from it.

What attracts visitors to Cambria is its haunting coastline. About a dozen of hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns along Moonstone Beach Drive are conveniently placed along the coast, so that one can literally roll out of bed and make their way to the sand in a minute. While the waves might be too cold and rough for surfers to take a chance with (plus the windy, Central Californian weather), a walk along the sand is doable.

There is also a creaky, wooden boardwalk. Known as the “Moonstone Beach Boardwalk,” this one-mile path is perfect for those who want to take in the beach-side views from a slight vantage point, as well as perhaps catch sight of some wildlife hiding underneath the platform. I have caught a couple of small, wild rabbits lurking before, as well as plenty of squirrels racing the dirt paths– apparently, there are even wild turkeys nearby!

For the biologically-minded, Cambria is also well-known for its natural reserve. Its waters are rich with sea anemones, crabs, star fish, sea urchins. If you go a bit further down, you can also see dozens of seals sleeping on the sand, upon the rocks. The coast is a haven for such native species, and it is fun to see them first-hand in the wild.

If you drive three miles (4.8 kilometers) inland, you reach downtown Cambria. The historic East Village, mainly on Burton Drive, hosts a few surviving colonial homes from the late 19th century. The houses are small and humble, and they offer a glimpse into California’s coastal past.

More down the street, as well as Main Street, are a few pubs and restaurants for visitors to choose from. There are the classic, American diners to the fancy, Thai-French bistros to satisfy any craving that you have. My family and I personally love the pulled-pork sandwiches from Main Street Grill, a popular sports bar-restaurant. The sandwich almost melts in your mouth, from the buttery buns to the tender, slightly-sweet pork that had been slow-cooked for hours. Wash it down with a beer, and you got yourself a hearty meal!

For those with a sweet tooth, I really enjoyed the pies we got at Linn’s Easy as Pie Cafe, located just off of Main Street and east of downtown. Definitely opt for their signature ollalieberry pie (a unique fruit invented by the Linn family themselves), as well as any of their incredibly-rich cream pies– you won’t regret it!

I visited Cambria for the first time in 2010, as part of a family vacation. First impressions were that it was serene– a bit nippy from the winds, but a wild beauty that was different from the calmer waves along the southern coast of California. It was a brief night’s stay along Moonstone Beach Drive before we ventured on to San Francisco.

We returned to Cambria in 2013, 2014, and 2015 during my college’s Spring Breaks– although it was not a busy type of vacation (e.g. sightseeing, landmarks), it was a great way to slow down, get away from the Los Angeles traffic, and relieve stress from school. I still fondly remember relaxing in our hotel, with views of the ocean from the window, and enjoying a copy of Mrs. Dalloway (or some mindless chick-lit).

My family and I ended up stopping our annual trips to Cambria after 2015, once I graduated from college and ended up moving abroad to France for the next few years. Even if I did return home every summer to California, we would end up taking trips elsewhere, as perhaps we had exhausted our time in Cambria. We wanted a change of scenery, a sense of adventure, in other parts of the world– plus, hotels were expensive for a mere weekend getaway, so that was another factor.

A part of me still wants to return some day. Even though I am very much an adventurous type of traveler (e.g. city escapes, hiking), Cambria is unique in that it is the entire opposite of adventure. You could say that it is almost like a resort town, but without all of the hype, likes places such as Cancún or Myrtle Beach. It feels smaller and more intimate, as one can enjoy being away from city noise and crowds, and finding peace from it all.

Thanks for reading, and I have more posts of my Spring Breaks to come soon!

 

— Rebecca