Our tour guide, Elizabeth M., made this trip amazing for us. On our visit, we had a medical…read moreemergency and she handled it extremely well. She was also so kind and knowledgeable. Beautiful sights and exceptional staff, would recommend!

You come for the history or the views - either way you can't beat it!…read more Our tour guide was pretty funny and sarcastic - he was super knowledgeable on the Hearst family. It's incredible to see how innovative all of this was during the time it was built. We only did one tour that probably only covered a tiny portion of this place. It's $35 per person. The photo is cute that they take and print / but i wish they didn't print it before we bought. It seems like a waste

Our friend group was staying nearby for the weekend and thought this experience would be fun. We…read morewere right. We learned a lot about the family passion that led to the opportunity of even being able to peek at these majestic animals. Tip: bring a big bag of carrots, maybe 2. The Clydesdales look for those snacks and will give you a lot of attention in return. We brought a lunch from a nearby shop and ate it while we were pulled in the trailer. The entire time was pleasant. I recommend it and the kids around us were so happy. Great idea!

What an awesome experience. Let me start by saying this was my best friends idea and I just went…read morealong for the ride literally. I was amazed on how much I ended up loving it. They send you pretty detailed instructions for the tour. Once you arrive, you park outside the gate, then they come get you so you can follow them into their massive property. They are great with providing instructions for those who are nervous and even those who are experienced. Just the right amount of time for the group to go on the trail ride, take photos and enjoy the outdoors. There's a nice stop where they take amazing photos of you and the view. There's porta potties at the ranch so if you need to go try to go beforehand.

2020 review (8/21/2020) - The is the best family-friendly trail in the area. They've done extensive…read morecleanup since my last visit and many of the downed trees have been removed. It's mostly flat and the only risk to small kids are the Cliffs. The yelp address is misleading (this is not located in Pittsburgh). To get here you must park in the Hearst Memorial Beach parking lot. Walk down to the beach and walk north about 200 yards. Look for the trail that goes up to the cliff area ( just past the Hearst Winery Barn).. Many people just hike to the San Simeon point and the benches. BUT I highly recommend you continue your adventure through the tall tree path all the way to the cove with a sea cave. There are several openings along the tree trail that give exclusive and private views of the coastline. - When you start this hike keep a look out on the right hand side for a very short path that leads to a huge climbing tree.. The kids will love playing on that.. - The farther you go the fewer people you will see.

I read about this area via a SLO county travel site:…read morehttps://highway1discoveryroute.com/activities/hiking-san-simeon-ragged-point/ where it's also referred as the San Simeon Point Trail. Access to these trails are from William Randolph Hearst State Beach. Gates to the park open at 8 a.m. and there's no fee to enter. The trail is about 2 miles round trip and can be accessed if you walk along the beach (on the right side of the pier if you're facing it. You'll see a trail that leads up to the bluff, about 1/2 way down the beach. Once along the bluffs, you'll wind through the trees and catch views of the beach and pier. Not too far in, there are a few fallen trees and the path, at first seems to have disappeared-it hasn't. Look to the right and there's a small opening in the fence that allows day hikers to continue on (it's marked private property with allowance for passage of day use hikers.) It's a quiet trail that's partially shaded and very quiet. For a short while I was a bit unnerved being alone but soon enough I came across some locals walking their dogs. The hike out to the point is the big payoff and plan to spend a little while admiring the views, including a small cove to the north. It was the perfect short morning adventure and definitely a less known gem in the area.

Central Coast Gondola / Gianetta & Stefano Anastasia are THE VERY BEST!! Such a Fantastic…read moreexperience... the attention to detail, wonderful communication, great personalities, delightful time on the bay, delicious and top quality food, and all around warm/kind/romantic atmosphere! From 1 to 10... TRULY an ELEVEN!! We can't wait to have another special occasion to bring us back.

Where do I start? The gondola itself it intricate and gorgeous. We got a history of it and…read morethoroughly enjoyed learning about it. The gondola was nicely furnished with pillows to make us comfy and it was a truly romantic experience. Stefano stopped halfway on the bay to serenade us and it was so heartwarming, especially the authentic Italian ukulele songs. I accidentally found his company on the internet and it def charmed us. We will be back and recommend for sure!

Nice as far as it had friendly host, regularly cleaned bathrooms, and shower availability. But be…read morecareful about getting campsites closer to the water - it gets windy during the day and can be a little miserable. The upper campground - Washburn is further from the water but with nice views of the mountains. In between is nice too, just avoid the high hundreds numbers - 131. 132,133 for wind. Beach access was cool. Lots of green rocks and driftwood for kids to build with. They also had an amphitheater and we saw a ranger talk on great white sharks. Also a nice home base to go your Hearst castle or do wine tasting. Cambria and Harmony are cute nearby towns to see.

April 18, 2025 The…read morelocation of this state park can't be beat. Located on the coast, it is near many "must-see" attractions, such as Hearst Castle and the Elephant Seal viewpoints. This State Park has a day-use area and two campgrounds: Washburn Day Use Area, San Simeon Creek Campground and the more primitive Washburn Campground. San Simeon Creek Campground is closer to the ocean; Washburn Campground is about a mile or two inland, overlooking the Santa Lucia mountains. The day-use area is open from 8AM to sunset, and is easily accessed from Highway 1, has picnic sites, parking, restrooms, water faucets, barbecue grills, and easy beach access (unless you are a dog...) One star down from an excellent rating for two reasons: The beach, sadly, is NDA (no dogs allowed), and the day use picnic tables are located next to the highway.

This would be my second review of Sidecar Tours and it still remains 5Star! Jeff was my driver in…read more2022 and unbelievably, Jeff was our driver today!!! He was wonderful, he made extra stops for us to show us things along the way and allow us to take photos and videos. Today it was just my best friend and I, but photos are linked to the original review 4 years ago with mom and aunt.

This is hands-down, the most fun experience wine tasting in Paso Robles. Bill, Jeff & Geoff…read moreprovided A+ service driving us around and sharing knowledge of the land around us. I would definitely recommend this adventure to anyone coming out this way! Thanks gentleman!

I wanted to plan an awesome wine tasting tour for the wife's significant birthday. My wife is #6 of…read more6 sisters and I knew she would love to spend this time with her sisters since we live away. This has been years in the planning by the way. I was struggling with how to plan something special for a group of 6 without busting the bank and still getting a great experience. I heard about Kathy & Jim's "The Bus Stop Pismo Beach" tour through a niece. I will tell you this was perfect! First, Kathy & Jim are two of the sincerest people you will meet. They both are members at wineries throughout the Edna Valley, so they know their stuff and they love (almost passionate about... ) wines from this valley. One of the sisters is a a wine lover and shared that every winery that Kathy took them too was some of the best ones to visit. Every stop we had a reserved area so Kathy put in the time and catered the tour to us. But it didn't stop there! They included an afternoon snack time at one of the wineries and they shared local products from the valley too. Again, they are passionate about their valley and it extends beyond the wine. The best part of for me was the ride. It is a working, vintage VW Bus!!! This experience took the sister-in-laws back to their glory days; lol... Kathy was the perfect host. She related to the girls and still hosted a professional and memorable guided tour. If you are looking for a fun, memorable experience...do not pass up this one!!!

From the owner: Covid friendly option! The Bus Stop Pismo Beach specializes in giving you a taste of the Central…read moreCoast. Whether that's an exclusive date night, private parties, pop-up wine tasting lounge at your vacation home or a tour to local wineries and hidden secrets of this amazing place called SLO County. We also offer wedding lounge set up, photo op prop using the bus (no photo booth) .. get creative and we'll help you make it happen. Book your stop and let's go!

Mandy was amazing. So many interesting facts about the estuary. the kayaking was wonderful…read more Highly recommend this tour.

My husband and I did the kayak and lunch tour with Mandy as part of our honeymoon adventures. We…read moreabsolutely loved the entire tour! The views, the wildlife, and Mandy's knowledge made everything so enjoyable. Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious lunch with a beautiful view! The food was so fresh and so good we highly recommend this tour!!

My girlfriend and I had an incredible experience with Avila Beach Whale Watching! Captain Mark was…read moreabsolutely fantastic. He knew exactly where to take us, and we ended up seeing 12+ whales up close, along with dolphins and seals. It was truly an unforgettable experience. What made the trip even better was how knowledgeable Mark was. He clearly knows the area, the wildlife, and his industry extremely well. He was able to answer every question we had and gave us a ton of interesting information throughout the trip without taking away from the experience. If you're considering whale watching in the Avila Beach area, I can't recommend Captain Mark and Avila Beach Whale Watching enough. 10/10 -- we would absolutely do it again!

Overall, this was a wonderful experience…read more It was scary in the beginning because the waves were a little rough. We sat in the front and experienced "flying boat" - as in the boat was rocking so hard it left the water for a bit. Lesson learned for me - in choppy weather make sure to always ride in the back. The Captain was extremely knowledgeable and customer service was flawless. He knew the ocean very well. When he realized we were getting pretty nervous he made sure that the boat stayed in a position that limited the rocking. He kept checking on us to make sure we were doing ok. We saw whales, otters, birds, sea lions, and porpoises. It was amazing seeing them in the wild and they were beautiful. Make sure to dress in layers. It was cold in the beginning but warmer when we were heading back to the dock.

This trail is a great way to explore some of the central Cali coast! And PRO TIP: there are about…read morefive other beaches used by the Elephant Seals so their breeding season is a wonderful time to visit (winter months). And these are much less crowded view points than the main one. Another tip - sunsets along this trail are positively magical too! The Pacific coast along this trail is packed full of giant boulders for the waves to crash against- just gorgeous views all around. And bonus - you get to see the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse from several different angles and view points too! You'll see lots of wildlife too - ground squirrels, tons of birds, definitely Elephant Seals, and sea otters if you're lucky and have a good eye. AllTrails says this trail is just over 5 miles with 252 feet elevation gain. I honestly didn't notice any elevation gain - seemed flat to me but probably bc it's so gradual. The trailhead is located at the larger, paved parking lot in the main Elephant Seal vista point (the north view point). From that location, it's about 2 miles to the end. There's a lovely, more wild beach area at the end of the trail that puts you pretty close to the seals too. It's fenced for their safety (and you're lol) but the views are fantastic. The trail can get muddy in places but they installed boards and bridges in those spots - it's pretty well maintained. No bugs in winter either. But my understanding is it gets pretty buggy in summer and watch out for ticks! Parking is in the two lots for the "Elephant Seal vista point" and is free and ample. There are no bathrooms anywhere around here so be prepared.

The trail runs from the paved elephant seal viewing parking for near two miles, to a half mile…read morenorth of the Piedras Blancas Light Station, which offers spectacular scenic vistas of the coastline and opportunities for wildlife viewing. The trail includes coastal bluff, grassland, and wetland areas, however, no dogs are permitted.