My husband and I had our wedding here in April, 2016. We had such a wonderful experience. The…read morecoordinator helped us out after Centrally Grown canceled on us two months before our wedding. We had our ceremony outside, so I actually exited the Chapel as I came down the aisle.

We try to find something new to see or something new to do each time we go to Cambria for our…read morevacations. On the East Village off of Main Street, we always drive by this steep hill and have always seen the sign for "Santa Rosa Chapel & Cemetery". So this year we decided to drive up the hill and check it out! A great find to learn more about this town's history! The little chapel can be used for weddings! It was built back in 1870 and had been there since! An old cemetery is also located atop the hill behind the chapel. We took a stroll to check it out and was able to see a few familiar family names. And finally figured that Fiscalini Ranch Preserve was named after the Fiscalini family! I always wondered where that name came from!

Whether one is interested in architecture, history, or religion, the Mission San Antonio de Padua…read moreis an interesting destination. The Mission is remotely nested near the Santa Lucia mountains approximately 30 miles north of Paso Robles, and is another one-half hour drive off the 101 freeway on back roads. One passes through the Hunter Liggett Military Reservation near the very small village of Jolon. The isolated and picturesque area is quite different from the other established California missions. Think of the song, "Home on the Range" - "...where the deer and the antelope play"... but in this case, it is where the deer and wild pigs roam. This mission was the third of the twenty-one missions in California founded in 1771 by the Franciscans. The remote area posed many challenges over the hundreds of years it existed, a few times almost abandoned. Currently, the Mission San Antonio de Padua has a museum highlighting life from its original working days when the Salinans, an indigenous people of the area, worked with the Franciscans. There is an active parish along with a gift shop, restored buildings and a courtyard. The Mission offers cuttings of established roses and grapes for a small donation. Mission San Antonio de Padua also hosts group retreats. There are picnic tables on the grounds of this secluded mission where we enjoyed a light lunch we brought with us. Toilet facilities are limited.

Located at the end of Mission Road in Jolon, CA. It was founded by Fr. Junipero Serra in 1761 and…read moreis the 3rd of California's 21 missions. It was quite a drive to the mission from the main road/freeway. Tours are self-guided and are free. Donations are welcomed. Their gift shop is vast with works from various local and native artists. Cash transactions are preferred, otherwise there's a fee to use credit cards. The garden is beautiful. The fountain is a soothing flow of crisp water. Staff were so helpful and knowledgeable. They conduct retreats as well.

I'm back. Back in the coastal town of Cambria and taking a gander at the historic fresnel lens…read moredisplay on Main Street. It's always a must stop for me to quickly look and marvel at historic antique lighthouse machinery. Amazing. It's free to view. The lens is enclosed in a glass case giving a 360 view. Very cool! From 1874-1949 the fresnel lens was at the Piedras Blancas lighthouse that's 6.5 miles north of San Simeon. The Lion's Club has been taking care of the lens display since decommission. A perfect example of community taking care to preserve local history. Thank you, Lion's Club!

We wanted to visit the point after the seal beach visit…read more But visitation is closed for the season

A few months out of the year you can sign up for a guided tour of the lighthouse and its grounds…read more You meet the ranger at an abandoned motel and then follow them into the lighthouse property. It's two hours of walking so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. You'll see beautiful landscapes, historic buildings on the property and you'll go inside the lighthouse itself. You will not get to climb to the top of the lighthouse though. It's a beautiful way to spend time so I highly recommend you do this tour at least once if it's available during the time you're in the area.

First lit in 1875, the Piedras Blancas lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark as well as a…read moredesignated Outstanding Natural Area! It's surrounded by a marine sanctuary and the beaches and rocks are full of seabirds and elephant seals and more. If you can manage to get tickets for a tour, I highly recommend you jump on it - they're infrequent with limited availability - but so worth it! The tour starts at an old, out-of-use motel nearby - then you all get in your cars and follow the guide into the light station complex. After parking, you meet the tour guide for the grounds and they give a talk. Then you're free to explore for the rest of your allotted time. There are lots of historical buildings on the grounds to explore - with little "museums" in the gift shop, fog signal house, and lighthouse itself. You can even still see the foundation area of the original 1906 keeper's house - but the building was moved to nearby Moonstone Beach. You can't tour it but it's available to rent for overnight stays! Sadly, the top three floors of the lighthouse had to be taken down due to repeated earthquake damage - so the original lens (a first order Fresnel) was moved and is on display in nearby Cambria. But the signal is still functional and flashes every 10 seconds on its temporary replacement lens. They do have plans to fully restore the lighthouse to all its former glory - but are still trying to raise the funds - they have a GoFundMe on their website if you're interested. The grounds have tons of trails all around with amazing views of all the beaches and "piedras blancas" or "white stones" - covered in sea birds and seals! Definitely don't miss out on at least some of them. My only complaint is that they only give one tour a day (starting at 945am) and only allow you a total of two hours to explore - which is definitely not even close to being enough imo. Our tour guide's talk was 40-45 mins long so that left only about an hour to see all the museums and buildings and explore the trails. And they're strict on the time limit too :( But it's still totally worth it - and actually it's probably better for the protected nature environment lol! So see it if you get a chance bc it's a rare luxury!

I've been to Hearst Castle a couple of times before, but this was my first time doing the Julia…read moreMorgan Tour, and it ended up being my favorite experience yet. The smaller group size made it felt much more personal, and there were plenty of opportunities to ask questions and interact with our guide. Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and shared so many interesting stories that I hadn't heard on previous tours. One of the best parts was getting to see areas of the castle that weren't included on the standard tours, which made the visit feel fresh even after multiple trips.

We visited Hearst Castle a few days ago. Parking was free and easy, which was a nice start to the…read morevisit. The estate itself is beautiful, and the views are absolutely stunning. It's definitely worth seeing at least once. The tour, however, left me a little disappointed. It lasts about an hour and moves pretty quickly through the rooms. For $35 per adult, I expected a more engaging experience. The biggest issue was being able to hear the guide. She wasn't speaking quietly, but with a group that size, a microphone or headset was really needed. Every time she turned to face another part of the group or started walking, it became almost impossible to hear what she was saying. I think adding some kind of audio system would make the tour much more enjoyable for everyone. The shuttle buses also need some attention. They're very noisy, and because they're gas-powered, it was difficult to hear the narration during the ride. Electric buses would make the experience much more enjoyable. Another surprise was the restroom situation. The main restroom near the visitor center was closed, so everyone had to use portable toilets outside. On a hot day, that wasn't a pleasant experience at all. With so many visitors every day, I would expect the regular restrooms to be open and available. Before boarding the bus, they also take your photo and offer it for sale at the end of the tour. The price was around $45 for a single photo, which honestly felt excessive. For that price, I simply couldn't justify buying it. At the end of the tour, they also ask for donations. Considering the ticket prices, that felt a little strange to me. Overall, I'm glad we visited because the property is beautiful, but I don't think the tour experience matched the price. With a few improvements, it could be so much better.

Nice bit of history. Unfortuanatly you can not see the inside. Perhaps maybe they can post…read morepitcutres outside with the history of the buidling

I have to say this place is pretty well preserved. This was the first Protestant church built in…read moreSan Luis Obispo area and built in 1879 by the pioneers. It was restored and rededicated May 25, 1952. Its gated but when we went , it was unlocked. But the church itself was locked. I would love to see what it look like inside. It's at the corner of Airport Rd and Adobe Rd. Not to confuse with Estrella Rd. I like history and appreciate well preserved historical sites. There is also a small cemetery in the back of the church in the same premise.

The Ríos-Caledonia Adobe is a historic adobe house built in 1835 in San Miguel, California. The…read moreRíos-Caledonia Adobe is open to the public as a house museum and library. The original building was made of adobe, had a roof of hand-made tiles, and used strips of rawhide to tie the pine rafters in place. It is located directly across the street from Mission San Miguel Arcángel. It has had many different owners, and the property has been a a stagecoach stop with a hotel and tavern, as well as an elementary school and many other businesses. In 1923, the property was purchased as a tourist attraction, and the new owner added the gift shop. The County of San Luis Obispo purchased it in 1964 as the adobe had fallen into disrepair. In 1968, the Friends of the Adobes formed to preserve and restore the adobe. The site now operates as a county park with a history research library, museum, and gift shop. There are plenty of trees to enjoy a picnic or an outing. The Ríos-Caledonia Adobe is right off the freeway, and admission is free.

This is a nice little stop off of the freeway. Its literally across the street from Mission San…read moreMiguel Arcangel, and actually has a lot of history to it. The Rios-Caledonia Adobe is located on an old stage road, and served as a sort of halfway point between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Back in the 19th Century it was a functioning hotel and saloon. When the stagecoach days ended, and the days of the automobile began, the new owners installed a "visible" gas pump, and it served as an important rest stop on U.S. 101. In fact, the driveway you go down is actually a SEGMENT of the ORIGINAL U.S. 101 roadway ITSELF! Not to be missed if you are in the area! Go to see the history of travel before freeways.

The town of Harmony doesn't have a lot .... Which is expected since the population is only 18, but…read moreI thoroughly enjoy stopping here every year on my annual trip to Cambria. It's just a cute small town and fun to walk around and stretch your legs after a long drive. They have a few cute shops to wander through. If you love pottery or glass blowing, it's cool to go through and check out the shops and you can see the studio where they create the glass art. They have some cute photo ops around the property. They have a very small church. I missed the new coffee shop and the ice cream shop. I heard the ice cream is really good. It wasn't open the days I was there. I always saw a sign for wine and wine tasting. I never could find it. Last year I finally found it! They finally have it marked with a big sign now! I'm so glad I didn't miss it. It's so beautiful especially when it's green. I highly recommend the Harmony cellars as well.

Harmony, California is a tiny little historic town found in 1869 as a dairy community named for a…read moretruce between feuding farmers and now known as a popular designation spot for tourist to enjoy. Within this town of 18 people, you can enjoy the preserved building, art galleries, wineries, postal museum and wedding chapel. There is even an airbnb you can stay in the town. This cute little town does get super busy during weekends and peak tourist season. Worth a quick look if not too busy.