One of the most magical things to do in Cambria, California is to experience the great outdoors when visiting our Cambria hotel. The central coast offers incomparable beauty with rugged, undeveloped coastline and evergreen, oak, and cypress trees. My absolute favorite Cambria hike is to stroll around the William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach to admire the peaceful cove. Calling it a hike is a bit of an exaggeration. It’s more of an easy walk under a canopy of gorgeous trees. The William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach is just below Hearst Castle and only a 10 minute drive from our Cambria Hotel, the Burton Inn. On a beautiful day, nothing quite compares to walking around a forest that looks out toward the calm, emerald green waters of the Pacific.
Directions from our Cambria Hotel
750 Hearst Castle Road
San Simeon, California 93452
It’s quite easy to get to Hearst cove.
- Drive north on Highway 1
- Once you see signs to Hearst Castle pointing Right, you’ll actually turn Left into the William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach
- Find a parking spot in the lot that’s pretty much right on the beach and start walking toward the point.
- You’ll find a trail on the small bluff that wraps around the point
Enjoy the amazing vistas of the central coast experience!
About William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach
This is a favorite day use spot for a variety of recreational activities while you visit Cambria and the surrounding areas. You can dip your toes in the water, relax on the beach, have a barbecue on one of the beach’s grills, adventure through the forest, fish, kayak, and boogie board. I’d say this is probably one of the best beaches along the entire central coast to enjoy a day in the sun. The beach area was donated by William Randolph Hearst’s heirs after his death in 1951. It is truly a gift to be able to enjoy such a beautiful spot.
View this YouTube video from DeciWorland to get an idea about how beautiful this area really is.
San Simeon Cove Lunch Spot
If you manage to work up an appetite, head on over to Sebastian’s General Store for one of the best spots to enjoy a gourmet sandwich on the central coast.