Is Cambria worth 2 days?
 

Taking a coastal Ca. trip for 12 days in October and was wondering if Cambria is worth a 2 day visit or should an extra day be spent in Northern Ca.? (wine country or the coast) Want to get everything in but not sure about that area. Thanks.

Cambria has some of the better (and more expensive) places to stay and to eat in the immediate vicinity of Hearst Castle, but I would only use it as a convenience for a Castle visit.

The Castle is well worth a half day to take a couple of tours, but I don't see Cambria itself as a destination. If it doesn't prove convenient as a sleeping or watering hole for your Castle visit, I would skip it entirely on a trip to California in which time is limited.

People will doubtless pop up here with sincere testimonials for very pleasant dining and lodging options in Cambria, but there are such options also at places of greater beauty and interest to the north, or even to the south, along the coast.

Cambria has tried to sell itself as a destination in its own right, as an imitator of Carmel, but for me it doesn't quite make it. The real Carmel became what it is on its own merits as a place of beauty, history and distinctiveness, while there would be little more at Cambria than there was before the Castle opened its doors if Hearst's fantasy palace had not proved so effective in drawing tourists and dollars to the area.

I would add something, but JBC411 said it all.

Some times of the year there are loads of sea lions lounging on the shoreline a few miles north of San Simeon--an interesting sight.

Good job JB411

We visited Cambria for the first time a couple of years ago, and we were underwhelmed. I'm a native Californian of 58 years - last 30 in the SF Bay area. There are many places I would rathar spend my time than in/near Cambria. See Hearst Castle, and then head off elsewhere.

Stu Dudley

Errr..Cambria, in my opinion is not a "destination". Use the extra day in San Francisco, you won't regret it.

Cambria is a one-night town. I liked the Cambria Pines Lodge for accomodation (in the pines above town) and Robin's for eclectic takeaway food, they also do regular dinner. And the elephant seals are worth a stop. Very short walk to see them.

I have been planning this trip for months and these boards have been so helpful. We are flying into Sacramento and driving to the wine country. We could add a day there and take one away from Cambria. Also, we are stopping in Santa Barbara and many have said that one day is enough there too. Any thoughts? Thanks

If you like wine tasting, add a day to tour the Santa Ynez Valley (in between Cambria and Santa Barbara, maybe it's already on your agenda). Santa Barbara has a little more to see than Cambria, but I don't know that I would spend more than a night there either.

JBC >:D<

"Is Cambria worth 2 days?" Nope, just one night is enough.

Bring a clothespin for the elephant seals. Phhhhewwwww-eeee! Arghhhh!

agree -- one night is right! Don't remember any smelly from the seals!

Thanks for the replies. I will cancel a night in Cambria but now where should I add it--wine country or SF or Big Sur? We are not really wine drinkers but would love to see the countryside. Also, the suggestion to see the wine country in Santa Ynez sounds good too. What do you think?

HI lady--I guess--for me--it would depend on where you are coming from...We stayed in Cambria for 2 nights--but not really 2 days--and found it just right, but we had driven up from LA and did not arrive until late afternoon. The next day we drove up to Hearst Castle and spent half the day there and came back and strolled around Cambria for the afternoon before leaving the next am for 2 nights in Santa Barbara on our way back to LA. One night would not really have been an option, as we wanted a leisurely trip. So as I said, it all depends on your schedule....We also stayed at the Cambria Pines Lodge but there are options for staying on Moonstone Beach as well.

I agree with Socialworker. We just came back from our coastal trip. Alot depends on your driving times. It took us 6 hours to get from LA to Cambria. We made the mistake of driving thru Malibu on a warm Sunday in July. That alone took over an hour to go about 5 miles. We arrived in Cambria around 5:30pm. We had to rebook our Hearst tour for the next morning. After taking Tour 2, I would have loved to have time for more tours but alias, we were anxious to head up the coast. The very foggy coast. Cambria does have some shopping(half a day) and great places to eat. We stayed at Moonstone Landings which has balconies, fireplaces and hot tubs. It was wonderful. Good Luck and enjoy!

Where would be a good stopping place if we are coming from Carmel? Most of the replies have been for skipping Cambria altogether. I just don't know where the best place to stop is with us leaving Carmel and ending up in Santa Barbara. I am undecided about Hearst Castle. I don't want to short change the coast. Thanks.

It sounds like, from your answer, that you've decided to cut at least one night or maybe two nights you were going to spend in Cambria between Carmel and Santa Barbara. You have an idea how much time you have traveling between those two towns, and see any time spent at Hearst Castle as taking away from time seeing the coast.

So although you have a schedule in mind, I don't think it's quite clear to us, and we can help you more if we understand a little better.

I gather you will be staying in Carmel and leaving one morning. Are you planning to spend that night in Santa Barbara and are seeking recommendations of things to stop and see and a place to eat lunch that day? Or do you plan to reach Santa Barbara the second night afterwards, and are looking for a place to spend a night in between? Or is the schedule you plan different from either of these alternatives?

We are driving down the coast and leaving from LA on Oct 12. We have 10 days of vacation time and 2 days of travel. We are staying in the wine country a couple of days and SF 2 or 3 days. My question is really what is a good stopping point from Carmel to Santa Barbara? We are staying in SB at least a day and I thought we would be too rushed to drive from Carmel to SB in a day. We want to enjoy Big Sur. I had heard that Cambria was a nice place to stop but then others have said otherwise. Thanks.

Cambria is a nice place to stop, I don't think anyone said that it was not. We just said it was worth one night, not two. There are only a few hours of activity in Cambria itself. On the second night you can continue on to Santa Barbara, or go to the Santa Ynez Valley (eg stay at the Ballard Inn).

It sounds like you are looking for recommendations for the best place to stay overnight between Carmel and Santa Barbara, and that seeing Big Sur is your highest priority. In that case, I'd recommend that you stay in Big Sur itself. Especially since you are less likely to have low visibility due to fog two mornings in a row rather than one, and so less likely to get shut out of the best Big Sur views entirely if you stay over. Plus it gives you a better opportunity to savor the special mood of the place.

There are not that many lodgings in Big Sur, and they vary widely. I don't know your price range or who of what age is in your party, so it's difficult to recommend one. There are no chain-type hotel or motel accommodations.The types there are: very expensive, luxurious, romantic, couple oriented inns (Post Ranch Inn, Ventana Inn;) standard older motel (there is only one good one, the Glen Oaks;) quiet, couple oriented cabins (Deetjen's Big Sur Lodge, Ripplewood Resort, Lucia Lodge;) family-oriented cabins better suited for parties including people under 21 (Big Sur Lodge at Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park, and the privately-owned Big Sur Campground and Cabins.) Avoid the River Inn (though it's a fine place to eat) and Fernwood Resort.

Especially if you have already used a place to stay in Big Sur to see the sights of the area, you can travel from Big Sur to Santa Barbara in a day without strain--as long as you don't plan to stop at Hearst Castle.

If you do want to tour the Castle, then you should probably stay in the San Simeon-Cambria area--not for itself, but because it is near the Castle and is about halfway in between Carmel and Santa Barbara. You can get a lot out of Big Sur in a one day drive-through between Carmel and the Castle, as long as you are not unlucky enough to get a solidly foggy day.

Weighing between more time to enjoy Big Sur in depth and seeing the Castle I can't do for you. Both are worthwhile--it depends on your interests.

The winking smileys above are not mine--they just appear where I typed an end parenthesis.

Likely story, JBC ;)

You probably typed a semi-colon and a close parentheses together, resulting in ;)

laydnole, you really have me confused. If you are starting out from LA and driving NORTH to SF, why are you asking for a place to stay SOUTHBOUND between Carmel and Santa Barbara? Are you driving back southbound as well?

But ET....some of us just HAVE to use semicolons end parentheses next to each other as part of our inimitable, distinctive writing styles. What are we to do now? ); ?

I interpreted that ladynole, who says she is flying into Sacramento, then going to the Wine Country to SF, will then be driving north to south down the Coast from SF to LA, and then is leaving from LA on Oct. 12 not to drive up the Coast, but for home. But I'm not sure of this. I'm also not sure if she's staying the night in Carmel, or just plans to see it on her way from San Francisco, or plans to leave there mid day, or whether she needs to arrive in Santa Barbara mid day, and I still think we could help her better with more detail about her schedule.

Let me try that again:

What do we do now? ;) ?

Thank you to everyone for trying to help me and all I seem to do is confuse you even more. We are flying into Sac. on Oct 1st and driving over to the wine country. I have a rough plan together but am undecided about how many days in each place. We have been to San Francisco and Monterey about 8 yrs ago for a few days each but we would like to stay in SF at least 2 full days. I just thought that Cambria would be a good stopping point for the night and then shop a little the next day and then on to SB. We are leaving out of LA on the afternoon of Oct. 12 and I thought it would be nice to do a day tour in LA (just to see the major places) but Stu Dudley says we should just skip that. The more I read the more confused I get and then it seems like I confuse everyone else. I just don't want to miss out on anything. We are 37 yrs. old and we are taking the trip minus our son, so we would like to enjoy the landscape, hike, and maybe horseback ride and kayak. Hope this info helps. Thanks again.

Dear lady:

Do stop in Cambria and check out Hearst's Castle. Well worth it. Don't stress out. Just have a good time when you are visiting the Golden State!

MY

It sounds like you are more outdoors, hiking folks, traveling without your son, who have Big Sur as a priority. With your limited time, I'd advise you to stay the night in central Big Sur and use that as a base for exploring both days, then drive on down to Santa Barbara right past Cambria and the Castle in the PM. You will at least be able to see the Castle perched on its mountaintop from the highway. The things you can buy in Cambria you can buy many places, I'm sure. Shop instead at the more unique stores at Nepenthe abd the Coast Gallery in Big Sur.

Here are links to two cabin style lodgings in the heart of Big Sur that I am very fond of. The first is also a good source of info and other links on Big Sur in general:

www.deetjens.com
Tripadvisor user reviews:
http://tinyurl.com/8bxgf

and also

http://www.ripplewoodresort.com/
Tripadvisor user reviews:
http://tinyurl.com/c9sdk

By the way, both of these places serve really outstanding breakfast at their own cafes, although it is not included in the room rate.

If neither of these is to your taste, see my earlier post on this thread for other interesting places, and a couple to avoid.

That should have been "Nepenthe AND the Coast Gallery."

And in case it isn't clear--by "both days" I mean the day you spend the night in Big Sur and the morning and early afternoon of the following day. Then I'd drive more or less straight down to Santa Barbara starting midafternoon. Morro Bay with its scenic harbor and great Rock is the most noteworthy sight on the way to Santa Barbara, I think.

And by the way, I don't see why you shouldn't take a city tour of LA if you're curious and would like to see it. I would. Just be aware you've entered a different world from Northern California and the Central Coast.

If you want a studio tour, avoid the Universal Studios kid oriented theme park and go to the tours at Warner Bros. and NBC which give you a closer look at real working studios. And avoid some of the city tours which devote too much of their time to dumping you at Farmers Market on your own. You can see farmeers markets elsewhere.

Thanks so much for the help. I will look into a place to stay in Big Sur. That is something that we are really looking forward to and like you said before, we would have a couple of days in case the weather is foggy. I really appreciate everyone with their advice. If I have anymore questions, I will ask. I will make sure and post a trip report when we get back.