With so much to see and do in Cambria, we’ve developed several guides on how you can best experience our oceanside escape. This particular collection is here to showcase all of the worthwhile tours you can take when you want a more intimate interaction with particular facets of Cambria. These curated tours will guide you in seeing all the sights and sounds in this hidden gem on the Central Coast. Take a look at all the options below, then plan your next Cambria retreat.
Download the Visit Cambria app for the best experience navigating the curated tours in Cambria.
Piedras Blancas Light Station
This iconic beacon guided mariners along the rocky California coast starting in 1875. Today, you can be guided through the Piedras Blancas Light Station’s history via a variety of daily tours offered year-round. These experiences include visiting a historic park and wildlife sanctuary accessible only by those guided tours, as well as getting to visit the historic Fog Signal Building at the lighthouse’s bottom level. Tours start at $10 for adult tickets, lasting 120 minutes, and must be reserved in advance. Make sure you pack your own pair of binoculars so you can catch the best view of the wildlife around the area, such as elephant seals and California gray whales migrating along the Central Coast.
Hearst Castle
No place on the Central Coast is as iconic as Hearst Castle. Tours at this famous estate expose you to what life was like in the opulent dwelling in its heyday, and the guided tours of the Castle clarify why it is such a particularly alluring destination.
Hearst Castle offers a variety of tours of different sections of the domicile, daily, focused on specific collections of rooms and unique aspects of Hearst Castle’s California history—adult tickets for these start at $30. Browse the selection of tours to find a journey through time that speaks to you, then make sure you reserve in advance and prepare to step into the past in a way you can only do here on the Central Coast.
Historic Walking Tour
The charm of Cambria’s historic architecture dates back to the 1800s, and you can discover the best of those through the Visit Cambria app’s Historic Walking Tour. Put on your comfiest pair of walking shoes and prepare to pace out your own exploration of 28 historical landmarks, selected for your self-guided inspiration. The app will lead you through a collection of Cambria’s historic styles, helping you come to appreciate how those inspired the inimitable impression the town is known for today.
Self-guided Wine Tour
The Visit Cambria app will lead you through even more than historic homes and architecture. Your ultimate getaway guide can also take you around the selection of wineries and tasting rooms that lend the Central Coast its most distinctive flavor. There are 10 wineries to visit in the area—be aware that some may require reservations in advance. Otherwise, you’re free to travel to each location at your own place, sipping the sweetest samples that make visiting this corner of California so worth it.
Stepladder Creamery
Enjoy a taste of farm-to-table goodness in Cambria at Stepladder Creamery. This ranch creamery has been a part of California history for 150 years, and this tour allows you to explore the journey their art and craft of cheesemaking has taken through that time period. Tickets are $65, and you’ll need to make your reservations in advance. Be sure to wear closed-toed shoes plus some clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, and come along for this beautiful outdoor experience, where you’ll connect with history and culture—and even get a chance to play with the happiest goats in California.
Docent-led Fiscalini Ranch Preserve
Fiscalini Ranch Preserve offers some of the most striking natural scenery to behold on the Central Coast—and Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch sponsors free monthly guided walks that let you see the best it has to offer. The experienced docents will guide you on the tour, inviting you to truly understand and appreciate the rich ecosystems that embody the Ranch’s identity. These tours are free, though you must make sure you register in advance, and make sure you dress according to the guidelines for the tour you choose. Also note that there are no restrooms on the tour, so plan accordingly—they can last up to two-and-a-half hours.
Covell Ranch
A one-of-a-kind opportunity on the Central Coast, Covell Ranch is one of the only places in the world where you can actually ride a Clydesdale horse. At the Ranch, you’ll be able to indulge in the full Clydesdale experience, touring the spectacular scenery of the historic ranch and beholding their herd of gentle giants living out on the land.
You must reserve in advance for the tours, with prices starting at $140. Please be aware of the guidelines for this unique opportunity—riders must be able-bodied with a weight limit of 300 pounds for riding horseback, and children need to be at least seven years old. Also, make sure you check and adhere to the dress requirements. Once you’re prepared, you’ll be ready to head out on this adventure atop some of the most majestic horses in the world.