Where do I start? This town is SO gorgeous from crystal clear waters, beautiful forests, hiking and an amazing place to spot wildlife! Seriously this coastal town, located in San Luis Obispo County, is such a hidden gem along the California coastline and while it's known for Hearst Castle, there's so much more to enjoy! We got to spend three days exploring San Simeon in August and this is our detailed itinerary and everything you need to know before your visit.
San Simeon Point
Day 1:
🏨 Check into Cavalier Oceanfront Resort and enjoy the gorgeous property with breathtaking ocean views. This resort has some of the most beautiful views along the coast. With outdoor games to enjoy that overlook the ocean like chess, checkers, and tic tac toe. Plus there's bonfire pits to enjoy in the evening while listening to the crashing waves all day and night. There's an on site restaurant that we enjoyed daily for breakfast and dinner. It's located three miles from the famous Hearst Castle and walking distance to the new elephant seal visitor center!
🍜 Dinner at the Cavalier Coastal kitchen which is right on the property followed by an evening beach walk and a bonfire.
Day 2:
🍳 Breakfast at the Cavalier Coastal kitchen on the hotel property.
Tour the Piedras Blancas Light Station which is a must when visiting! We loved the guided tour where they gave all the information about the lighthouse and had an optional guided walk.
Purchase your tickets in advance on recreation.gov
$10 Adults
$5 Youth (ages 6-17)
🍔 Lunch at San Simeon beach bar and grill which is right across the resort and a pretty chill laid back lunch spot with giant portion sized plates.
🦭Visit the elephant seal visitor center and gift shop before you continue on to enjoy the walk and elephant seals at the vista point. I would highly recommend this stop prior to seeing the seals because you can get all the information and learn as much as you can before actually seeing them which makes the whole experience a lot better for everyone! There are docents at the elephant seal viewpoint to share pictures of what the elephant seals are doing during different times of the year and to answer any questions, the kids kept them busy with a million questions!
🦀 Don’t miss tidepooling at Arroyo Laguna beach! We had this place to ourselves and it’s one of the most gorgeous stretches of sand I’ve ever been on! There were hundreds of pelicans, seagulls and birds that kept flying all around us that made it feel so magical! Make sure you check the tides
before you go for the best experience and pack a picnic because honestly I did not want to leave to have dinner and would have preferred a sunset dinner on this stunning stretch of sand.
🥩Dinner at the Ragged Point restaurant which is along the Big Sur coast. The ambiance, food and views here are unmatched! Just a short walk from the seating area is a short trail you can take down to the ocean and you do not want to miss the views here!
Day 3:
☕️Breakfast at cavalier coastal kitchen
🏰 Hearst castle tour.
Book your tickets in advance on reservecalifornia.com
We did the grand rooms tour and tickets were:
$30 per adult
$15 children
(Pre-warning!I hope you don't mind a kazillion nude statues on your tour.)
🌯Lunch at Sebastian’s Deli which is family owned has been here since 1878 and it’s the oldest store building along the north coast of San Luis Obispo County! They have a great selection of delicious sandwiches and perfect to grab any quick items needed for the road with a cute little store too.
🥾Hike San Simeon point and make sure you don’t miss this, because is is so gorgeous and we really felt like we were in Hawaii! (You know, besides the freezing water and all) The weather was absolutely perfect, the water was so blue and clear and the trail was STUNNING! Bird sightings, tree climbing, eucalyptus and manzanita trees. It starts on the coast along the San Simeon pier and from there you hike up onto the trail to the point! Two and a half miles RT and just one hundred feet of elevation gain.
I hope next time you're roadtripping along the California Coast you don't miss a stop visiting San Simeon and all these amazing spots!
I would love to hear from you if you have any questions be sure to drop me an email or comment below!
Happy Adventuring!
Wow how fun! Looks beautiful! I appreciate the detailed itinerary. looks Like a really fun trip to do!