The Moonstone Beach Boardwalk runs for over a mile along the coast, from Cambria’s northern edge to Leffingwell Landing and back. This provides a clearly defined stretch of coastline for planning your trip. If you’re looking for hotels in Cambria, first decide whether nature and the coast or history and art will be your priority.

Coast and nature: trails, water and wildlife watching

Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset and admission is free. Since current operating information can change, check the latest opening and access information before your visit. This will help you plan this activity based on current conditions.

Cambria State Marine Conservation Area and State Marine Park offer opportunities for tide pooling. Surfing is possible at Moonstone Beach in Cambria State Marine Conservation Area and State Marine Park. Tide pooling and surfing appeal to different interests: one focuses on tide pools, the other on water sports.

Wildlife watching is another possible focus. From the coast of Cambria State Marine Conservation Area and State Marine Park, as well as White Rock State Marine Conservation Area, visitors can often see gray whales, humpback whales, southern sea otters, northern elephant seals, brown pelicans and cormorants.

History through a museum, walking tour and chapel

At the Cambria Historical Museum, it’s worth distinguishing between the building’s history and the museum’s: the original part of the building was constructed in 1870, while the museum itself opened in 2008. The Historical Cambria Walking Tour is a guided historical tour through Cambria’s East Village, offering a different way to explore local history than a museum visit.

Old Santa Rosa Chapel was also built in 1870. It is a historic landmark listed in the National Historic Registry. The same construction year therefore applies to two differently named historic sites: the original part of the museum and the chapel.

Art and local food

Mission Gallery specializes in original works on paper by living artists. Artifacts Gallery is an established fine art gallery in Cambria. Their descriptions offer different points of reference as you make your choice: Mission Gallery focuses on a clearly defined medium, while Artifacts Gallery describes a broader focus on fine art.

Cambria Farmer’s Market offers seasonal fruits and vegetables as well as prepared foods. Since market hours can change, check the schedule before planning your visit. Nearby, Stepladder Ranch offers a tour of the dairy and milking parlor, followed by a tasting of its goat milk products. Confirm participation details before your trip.

Check access before your visit

For Nitt Witt Ridge, the information date matters: as of June 2022, the site was no longer open to the public. Before visiting, check whether access has changed since then rather than assuming it is open to the public.

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