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

As I was visiting the town of Cambria, I decided to drive through the town to see what it had to…read moreoffer. I happen upon the Cambria Historical Museum. And I do love a good museum and history lesson. The museum is on the corner of Burton and Center Streets in the East Village. It's housed in the Guthrie/Bianchini house which is one of the oldest homes in town that was built in 1870. The museum is staffed by an all volunteer staff, so currently the open hours are limited to Saturday and Sunday 1pm-4pm. I didn't stop by during these times. The lot is open to walk about which I did. Not much to look at on the lot unlike the Templeton Museum. I took one of the paper pamphlet of the town's historic waking tour. Those were stacked on the porch near the front door. Using the provided map and opening the printed QR code (which links to the website); we were able to navigate the self guided tour on our own. The website had additional info of the history of each site. I thought this was a super cool and cleverly modern way to offer info on the town's history. I wished I had more time to walk the entire tour and imagine how things looked in Cambria in the late 1800s. Cambria is a small coastal town established in 1866 with a current population of less than 6000 with a European history going back to the Spanish land grants and to the native history of the Chumash people before that. Rich, diverse history. Plus a side note, for a slight populated community, shout out to recognize the volunteers that keep the ... museum, archive, library bookstore, community reserve garden, Chinese Temple, Santa Rosa Schoolhouse, lighthouse lens display, and so much more going. Impressive!

My husband and I have been visiting Cambria once or twice a year for nearly 30 years. Not once…read morehave we been able to visit this Museum because, every time we go there, we are greeted with a sign on the closed door saying they are closed for one reason or another. We were in Cambria in April of 2021. I complained about this fact to my friend Diane who is a resident. She told me that the staffing problem had been resolved. I think she said they were replacing the wealthy volunteers who always had more important things to do with actual employees who would want to work in order to get paid. Yeah, right. In preparation for this visit, I went on-line and found that their hours are "Friday through Sunday 1-4 PM and Monday 10 AM - 1PM." So my husband and I drove into town and parked nearby. When he got to the closed front door, it said that they had closed in January due to COVID. (Two years in.) I get a lot of emails from the Cambria Historical Museum. They seem to open when a Local has a book signing or other event. But, boy oh boy, they are 'never' open to the public. Maybe if they'd open their danged doors consistently during posted hours, they'd earn enough money to keep their doors open. Maybe it's a Catch-22. I don't know but I do know that "they" (whoever is in charge) really should be ashamed at themselves for not making this Museum available to the public. Lest you suspect that I'm exaggerating, please notice that there are only two reviews. That is because the Museum IS NEVER OPEN!

Incredibly awesome escape room setup did Rita's. Would do it again recommed it to everyone.read more

Such a fun experience at Santa Margarita Ranch Ziplining! The adventure honestly starts the minute…read moreyou arrive. You check in at the main office downtown, then hop on a tour bus to the ranch property. Our driver was super informative and entertaining along the way. The drive itself felt like part of the experience with bumpy ranch roads, multiple gates, gorgeous scenery, and a real behind the scenes feel of the property. Once you arrive, the staff gets you geared up with all the safety equipment and everyone was incredibly friendly, professional, and great with all ages. After gearing up, you take an old Army style jeep up the mountain and that ride alone was an adventure Super rickety, steep, and fun! We felt very safe the entire time because before every single zip line, the staff carefully checked everyone's safety gear and connections. There are 6 zip lines total and each one is different with spectacular views that change throughout the course. One thing to know is that you should be in reasonably good shape because there are mini hikes between some of the zip lines. There are lots of water stations along the course, which was great, but the experience is definitely active and you do not want to hold up the group. Totally worth it though and such a memorable Central Coast adventure for families, couples, teens, and adventurous kids!

We went on a private 5 hour tour today with our guide Kevin, in a group of three. He picked us up…read moreon time and had a wonderful day planned for us. We went to three wineries, one of which also had a lovely restaurant where we had lunch. Kevin selected the wineries for us based on our preferences and what we said we wanted out of the day. All three were fabulous, and each for different reasons! None of us were able to pick a single favorite. Kevin was very kind and very knowledgeable about wines in general, the "industry" side of the business, and the AVA regions in CA, etc. Seriously a great experience. Great customer service, flexible with our desires, friendly staff, all in all a very good day with Wine Wranglers. Highly recommend!

i booked with wine wrangler over a month in advance of my trip to paso…read more i had made deposits on multiple wineries and gave them our air bnb address multiple times. i left the bay area very early to be picked up and the "guide" never showed. no call and no show. when we called/emailed and used the chat no one ever got back to us. one person finally emailed us back but no phone call on a friday. do yourself a favor and book with uncorked or take and uber. then your trip wont be ruined like mine.

Nitt Witt Ridge. I never got around to take a tour. Alas all good things must come to an end. The…read moreNitt Witt Ridge home was permanently closed in June 2022. It's fenced off with private property signs posted. It's privately owned now. The once impressive, folk art monstrosity of a home, has fallen to disrepair. It's sadly dilapidated and has lost all of its lovely, quirky charm. The house is a crumbling heap. It looks as if a strong stiff wind can take it all down. The gardens are long gone... weeds are blooming now. Sad. Nitt Witt Ridge is California State Landmark #939. The marker is still on the property, viewable . The bourse in its glory days was an example of 20th century folk art. Created by homeowner, Arthur Beal. Mr. Beal bought the 2.5 acre lot in 1928. He lovely kept up this place and gave tours. He died in 1992. In its hey day, the house and gardens were spirited folk art and part wacky off the wall lunacy. He sculpted the land using hand tools and local materials. I'm glad I came to see it before who knows what will become of it. Your guess is as good as anyones. Future mega mansion is my bet. But f you want to check NWR out, there is a small dirt area across the street which makes for a perfect makeshift temp parking spot.

I love Cambria, it reminds me of Santa Barbara, Carmel , San Luis Obispo…read more Very quaint town to stroll , admires antiques, beautiful views and you take your own time. Walking in the main streets you enjoyed cafe, shops and restaurants.

Our driver, Jose, was excellent!! He knew the area very well and was an excellent driver. Jose was…read morepunctual, personable and professional. We will definitely request him the next time we are in town!

Had a great day wine tasting in Paso. Travis was super knowledgeable and helpful with planning my…read morebday trip. The driver was great! They picked up on time, took care of all the details and got us home safely!

Nice to see that this old school house has been maintained very well. It wasn't open. I just looked…read morein through the windows and saw that it still had like an original wood-burning furnace. Looks like it's used for a meeting space now. Nice spot to just pull over and rest. Enjoy the view. Lots of parking.

Excellent Riesling & Pinot Noir varieties grown locally in the area…read more We had the tasting which was delicious, paired with cheeses that complemented it well. The owner was very informative and helpful. Thanks for the memories, and for being kid friendly!

Wouldn't say this is the prettiest vineyard especially with all the vineyards nearby offering…read morebeautiful ambiance but this one does the job in the city center of cambria. The tasting was on the expensive side but the person helping us w the tasting was really nice and friendly. The inside of the shop is pretty small but cozy. They offer four wines for tasting at $20 without tip or tax. We had a decent experience here.

We were directed over to Mission Gallery from Ephraim Gallery, since we do like Arts and Crafts…read morework, and the owner said this had a similar sensibility We lucked into a gallery opening, featuring one of the printmakers from the gallery, who was giving a fascinating demonstration of her linoleum block prints. She chatted with the patrons during the lively demonstration, as she made the prints come to life. The wall behind her was filled with colorful interpretations of her view of the natural world. The display of the art is thoughtful, and work by the each artist is displayed together. There is also a variety of colorful scarves, tablecloths, and textile handbags available to brighten up any room. I also responded to the intensely colored prints and ceramics which graced the walls. The art glass animals shimmered in the afternoon light, inviting me to take one home, where it could become part of my menagerie. We will return to enjoy this display again!

We love the Mission Gallery. Wonderful artwork. Wonderful owners. Just the best place to find…read moresomething very nice for your home or as a gift. Lots of items to choose from. Beautiful candles, blown glass pieces, handbags, greeting cards, table linens, to fine art. It's always a treat to visit the Mission Gallery when in Cambria.

Artifacts Gallery offers a diverse collection of creative works featuring both local talent and…read morenational artists. With a plethora of unique, choice creations of art glass, bronze sculptures and many types of multimedia works, including jewelry and distinctive gift offerings, one is sure to find that piece (or pieces!) that would perfectly complement or uplift your personal space, or find that one-of-a-kind gift for that special someone (including yourself!). The professional staff is extremely welcoming and knowledgeable. They let you explore at your leisure without pressure, and if asked, they talk freely to help bring your needs, wants and wishes into fruition.

As mentioned by another reviewer, the abundance of AI art in this gallery is appalling. Its…read morepresence in the gallery is an insult to the other actual artists who are actually worth anything at all. Even worse, the AI art is mixed in with the actual art, clearly in an attempt to trick potential buyers into believing the con. Even when it's put in its own section they label it simply as "digital art" which is obviously misleading. Adding to this, a lot of the AI art is "authored" by one Thad Markham, who on further inspection is the owner of the gallery. This is absolutely heinous. AI art isn't just digital, it's an algorithmic Frankenstein of thousands of real artists. AI art is theft, and it's incredibly disappointing to see it in a gallery like this.