Cambria Day Trip

“Cambria is centrally located just a few miles south of Hearst Castle and just a few miles from the Northern Elephant Sea Rookery in Piedras Blancas. ”

Heading north, about an hour away sits another little treasure of California’s Central Coast. Cambria is the quintessential tourist beach town, with a variety of interesting attractions that are off the beaten path.

While Cambria hosts many tourists each year who come solely for the dramatic cliff lined views and white sandy beaches, Cambria is centrally located just a few miles south of Hearst Castle and just a few miles from the Northern Elephant Sea Rookery in Piedras Blancas.

While in Cambria, you might want to take in the local National Historic Landmark of Nitt Witt Ridge. Nitt Witt Ridge is the home of artist and recluse “Art” Beal. He bought the land which was essentially the side of a cliff and spent the next fifty years carving out terraces using nothing but a pick and a shovel. The artist is said to have collected materials from the garbage, including materials that were being thrown away from Hearst castle. “Art” Beal passed away in 1992, but the house is on the register of Historical Landmarks.

Another unusual stopping point in Cambria is a uniquely built cemetary that is deeply intimate and personal. This is not your ordinary cemetary-you will find trinkets to pay homage to the partiuclar hobby of the person buried or even plaques hanging on a tree commemorating the life of a creative soul. Walking through the grounds can also help tell the story of Cambria and its inhabitants.