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    Stepladder Ranch & Creamery

    4.7 (102 reviews)

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    Animal lovers
    Suzette M.

    Great tour, amazing cheese and super nice people. Book your tour and cheese tasting when you are in the area. It is a beautiful drive up the hill to the ranch. We bought all the cheese and now we order it online. Once you have tried it there is no going back. Bonus if you go after all the baby goats are born it is massive cuteness overload. Pro tip- Do not pet the Billy goats. They stink.

    My kids with the kids.
    Dan L.

    We went on a tour of the creamery and had a great time. The guide was phenomenal and the goats were super sweet. Well worth the trip!

    Karen r.

    We were staying in Cambria, and visiting Hearst Castle, and decided that we absolutely had to take a tour of this goat farm/creamery and do a goat cheese tasting. I'm so glad we did!! It was really fun learning about the whole production process, and I was so happy to hear that they treat their goats so well. The goat cheese was absolutely delicious, I could have stayed there all day eating the different varieties! Definitely, definitely recommend a visit and tour.

    Carrillo Reserve aged hard cheese
    Sammi L.

    I have been singing the praises of Stepladder Ranch & Creamery ever since we first saw them at our local farmers' market. They opened our eyes to cultured butter - which I will be eternally grateful for. While I'd love to visit the farm some day soon, we've had the pleasure of seeing the Stepladder crew at multiple farmers' markets throughout the Bay. And they are, without fail, so warm, so genuinely enthusiastic and excited to share their dairy knowledge. I buy their cultured butter more often than I'd care to admit, and we are also big fans of their soft cheeses, aged hard cheeses and marinated fromage blanc. Highly recommend if you see them at your local farmers' market. Every single product is a banger, and they always take the time to talk us through recommendations based on our preferences. Already thinking about my next Stepladder purchase now...

    A goat lick for fun.
    Ralph M.

    We bought some Stepladder goat cheese at the farmers market in Cambria. It was delicious and we wondered if it was local. I went online and found that they are 20 minutes away in the backcountry north of Cambria and San Simeon and offer tours. I booked this morning and we went on the 1:30 pm tour and tasting. The experience was exactly as described on their website. Kristin was a great hostess/guide. She's very knowledgeable and personable. She loves her job and it shows. We first met a herd of female goats that were 4 to 6 months old. We were able to interact with them through a fence in their enclosure. We then were able to walk amongst 20 to 30 adult female goats that were gentle and happy to be greeted by our group of ten people. The information on the milking process and cheese making was good and that was followed by the tasting. We purchased some items for home from what we tasted. All were very good!!! We enjoyed a few hours of respite on the ranch and had a wonderful time. Our interaction with the goats was memorable.

    Jolina M.

    This place is fantastic if you love cheese!!! Their fromage, triple creams - Big Sur, Ragged Point - and other cheeses, like Heat Wave, are soooo good! Kristin gave us a great tour and was so ready with the information and the entertaining stories about the goat herd. The ranch is definitely off the beaten path but well worth the trip for everyone in my family.

    Baby goats in June!

    Best. Experience. Ever. Who knew we had a local goat farm that make yummy cheese in my home away from home town in Cambria!! I wanted to do something different during our longer-than-normal-stay and found this "experience" on Airbnb. Not only is the cheese delicious, but we came during the early stages of baby goats being born! This one is only a week old!! Love love love. Must experience this hidden gem!

    More baby boy goat petting
    Amanda H.

    Fantastic tour. It's essentially a goat petting farm with cheese tasting at the end. Started with petting the mama goats. Careful- they nibble on clothing zippers, clothes buttons, clothes sleeves, bag straps, and more. And... don't stand right behind them because they poop and pee at moments notice. Thankfully I didn't get lucky with that. They sure do love their pets and will nudge their heads against your hands and legs for pets. Super sweet gentle mamas. Got to learn a little bit about their life at the creamery, the milking process, etc. After that, it was baby goat petting. There were a few cute lighter ones that they brought out of the pen to allow us to pet and hold. Like their mamas, they like to nibble and jumped on us like little puppies too. They were so much softer though. So cuteeee. Then we washed our hands and checked out the creamery from the outside since it's a sterile area we couldn't go in. We saw the milking machines and the packaging area. At the end, we sat on picnic tables and tasted 5 different cheeses with a side of their honey. They provided a cute journal to write our tasting notes. The honey is fantastic. Purchased the Cabrillo cheese and honey to take home. They provided an ice pack free of charge for the trip.

    Cheeses we tried
    Valerie S.

    We had a lovely time visiting the creamery. Our tour guide was excellent and very informative and friendly. We enjoyed petting the goats and learning about the dairy and cheese process. We got to taste five different delicious cheeses and ended up signing up for their club as it was so tasty. It feels great supporting local food growers. Highly recommend.

    The Farm
    Joseph A.

    Nice mix of Artisan Cheeses and Farm Fresh Meats. I was just checking out the stand at the Sunday Stonestown Farmers Market in San Francisco , they had a great mix of cheeses and meats, if my fridge were less full I might have picked up some of their Rocky Butte.

    My wife and a baby goat!
    Kevin L.

    My wife and I had a great time on our Friends and Family tour that we booked via exploretock. The weather was a bit in question leading up to our tour, but turned out really nice, and we ended up being the only two in our tour with Michelle, one of the co-owners of the Ranch and Creamery. We had no idea it started as a ranch and was so large or that they had grown so much other produce there. The tour was still quite muddy since the area has been pounded relentlessly with rain for a few weeks, but we managed to get a sunny day to enjoy playing with the goats, getting to walk around the creamery a bit and see some of the facilities to milk the goats, make the cheese, and see the 80+ baby goats in their little pens. Usually they are running about outside but this year has been so wet they had to get them into a barn to keep them all healthy and happy. Seeing the little baby goats was probably my favorite part of the tour. We got to hold the goats and they were so soft and cuddly/curious. Michelle also offered to take our picture in front of the Stepladder sign with us holding the goats and their huge guard dog Gus in the background as well. It was an awesome memory to capture. At the conclusion of our tour, we sat at a picnic table in a covered area and Michelle cut us up a bunch of interesting citrus, since they belong to the California Rare Fruit Growers. We were able to try Rangpur Lime, Bergamot, Lisbon Lemon, Meyer Lemon, Variegated Lime, and Pomelo. Then she served us 6 of their cheeses. We had Ragged Point, Lumberjack, Marinated Fromage Blanc, Cabrillo, Rocky Butte, and Chevre. My wife and I both loved the Chevre. It was so fresh and bright, extremely delicious 100% fresh goat milk cheese that had so much great flavor and was so great just on its own. We bought more of that to take back to our Airbnb and enjoy it with a baguette. We also really liked the Cabrillo, so we bought the reserve version of that cheese as well that's aged about 3 times as long as the version we tried, since we do like some of the longer aged cheeses as well. This one is interesting as it is a Cow + Goat milk cheese and has a lot of interesting stuff going on. We also bought a very nice branded bag with all of the main farm workers, goats, dogs, and produce on it. I'd highly recommend this tour - just make sure you bring proper shoes if it has rained recently as there will be plenty of mud and some hilly stuff to traverse in that mud.

    Cheese & wine pairing on the Goat farm.
    Sharon N.

    Went for a cheese & wine pairing and learned all about the goats and cheese making. Fantastic! I would highly recommend this to anyone. Michelle was very informative.

    So yummy

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    7 months ago

    Everyone was super friendly, including the goats! The tour was very informative and the cheese absolutely delicious!

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    11 months ago

    Don't waste your money , not worth it at all they were spraying insecticide and the guide was the first one to run indoors

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    3 years ago

    I took a friends and family tour in June 2023. The tour was great: delicious cheese, cute goats and fun people!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Stepladder Ranch & Creamery

    Do you need reservations or are you open to the public?

    Great question! We are open for visits by reservation only due to the fact that we are a working farm that requires a knowledgable person on site to supervise all visits. Reservations can be made on our website or you can email us directly to… Read more

    What are the hours and days that you are open?

    Thank you for the question! We are open for tours by appointment only and do not have regular "open" hours due to the unique nature of our business being a working farm. We generally host several tours over Friday-Sunday with a few weekday tours… Read more

    Where can I buy your cheeses and your butter? I am in Southern California

    Hi! Where are you located? You can buy our cheese and butter at a number of farmers markets across CA, online on website, retails shops, or on farm if you book a tour : ) Hope this helps!

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Stepladder Ranch & Creamery

    The information on the milking process and cheese making was good and that was followed by the tasting.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Oceanpoint Ranch - All New Oceanpoint Ranch King Guest Room

    Oceanpoint Ranch

    3.3(362 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$
    Free parking
    Free WiFi

    I would go here again solely for the location and the grounds. The room was fine, but nothing…read morespecial. There are so many trails and places to explore nearby, not to mention, access to the beach! We enjoyed the fire pits, although it was difficult to snag one early on in the evening, and the sunset from state park across the road was beautiful!

    We booked what was supposed to be one of the best rooms at this hotel. A private corner cottage…read morestyle room with a fireplace and bathtub, specifically for a quiet, relaxing getaway. We had stayed here before and were really looking forward to the same peaceful experience. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case this time. When we arrived, there was a wedding set up about 20 feet from our room. The music was extremely loud, and we were told it would continue until 10pm. The huge easy up stayed all weekend. It blocked our entire view of anything from our hotel window. That sucked, especially considering we chose this room for its privacy and quiet. We brought this up to the front desk, and while the staff member was polite(ish), he only offered a 7% discount, which felt pretty dismissive given the situation.  It's really disappointing because we know this hotel can offer a great experience, we've stayed before. But this time, it felt like they didn't care about the guests because the wedding was going to bring in more money. If you're considering staying here for a quiet getaway, I'd strongly recommend confirming there are no events happening near your room. We suggest staying at White Water or El Colibri instead!

    Photos
    Oceanpoint Ranch - All New Oceanpoint Ranch 2 Queen Guest Room

    All New Oceanpoint Ranch 2 Queen Guest Room

    Oceanpoint Ranch - All New Oceanpoint Ranch King Guest Room

    All New Oceanpoint Ranch King Guest Room

    Oceanpoint Ranch - Moonstone Beach at Leffingwell Landing

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    Moonstone Beach at Leffingwell Landing

    Margarita Adventures - Three generations zipping.

    Margarita Adventures

    4.9(381 reviews)
    29.8 mi

    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!

    Super friendly. Super professional(s). 6 zip lines! And of…read morecourse, Super fun! Kids are welcome. Under 100 lbs, your little rider must go tandem on 3 (they can go alone on the other 3)

    Photos
    Margarita Adventures - Margarita Adventures Fun!

    Margarita Adventures Fun!

    Margarita Adventures
    Margarita Adventures - Wildlife at the vineyard where zip lining is located.

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    Wildlife at the vineyard where zip lining is located.

    Cambria Beach Bungalow - Living Area

    Cambria Beach Bungalow

    4.0(1 review)
    4.7 mi

    I was in the area for a wedding and decided to rent a pet-friendly bungalow, as opposed to a hotel…read moreor motel. One of the problems when staying with dogs at a hotel is that, at least with my dogs, they tend bark at every little noise. With people checking in at all hours of the day, this can become annoying. So I figured staying in a small bungalow would be a good fit. Not only would did it have it's own private backyard for them to run around in, I could also kick back and do a BBQ. Doing an online search for pet-friendly places I stumbled upon Cambria Beach Bungalow, which is managed by the Blue Whale Inn in Cambria. Looking at the photos, I decided to stay there. Although expensive, I really enjoyed my stay here. It's about a block away from the Beach, so it was real easy to walk the dogs down there. The interior is country home kitsch, it has two bedrooms and some fold out couches in the living room where you can accommodate more guest. The main drag to Cambria is less than a mile so it's easy to get supplies there. The backyard has a nice garden and plenty of room to run for small dogs. There is a fence to hold the dogs in, but a larger athletic dog should be able to jump it if they had the urge. They have a charcoal BBQ in the back yard , so I went to Soto's Market in Cambria and purchased some grass-fed Hearst Ranch rib-eyes and hamburger to grill. Mighty tasty! I enjoyed my stay at the Cambria Beach Bungalow as did my dogs. You do pay a pet fee as well as a cleanup fee so it does get expensive, but hey, once in a while I will splurge for the pets.

    From the owner: The Weymouth house is a cozy Cambria vacation rental vintage home. Cambria Beach Bungalow was moved…read moreto its wonderful location 1/2 block up from Moonstone Beach in 1935, and offers a comfort and charm all its own. The ocean view can be enjoyed from the quaint living room while sitting next to a blazing fire. You may want to take in the view from trails along the bluff above the magnificent ocean, or venture down to the beach for a little beach combing, it's called "Moonstone Beach" for a reason...look carefully, you will most certainly find sea treasures. The lush lawn is a pleasure and it even has a fenced back yard for your furry, 4 legged, family members.

    Photos
    Cambria Beach Bungalow - Living Area

    Living Area

    Cambria Beach Bungalow - Living Areaq

    Living Areaq

    Cambria Beach Bungalow - Bedroom 1

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    Bedroom 1

    Cambria Pines Lodge - Waiting at the bar for our room to be ready to go in.

    Cambria Pines Lodge

    3.5(1k reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$$

    I've been going to Cambria for decades and never knew about this place. It's wonderful! And you can…read morebring your dogs!! The grounds are great and the team there is very responsive & attentive! Lots of great walking paths. It was wonderful to have the room and trails and great lodge, restaurant and bar. Everyone was friendly and provided great service. We'd definitely go back! Only one down side was that we were on a ground level unit and there were 10 people upstairs of us -- 8 were children under 5 y/o -- and it was horrible!

    This property was a place my family visited about 10 years ago, and we enjoyed it so much that…read morewe've always hoped to return. Unfortunately, our recent stay was a very different experience. Major mold problem in room 815 Stay: May 1st-3rd, 2026. On the final morning of our stay, we discovered what appeared to be black mold above the shower. Because my parents are immunocompromised, we immediately packed up and left. We reported the issue to the front desk at checkout, and the staff member said he would inform management. As of Monday at 1:26 p.m., we have not received any follow-up. Overall, the property has significantly declined and is in need of major updates. The handrails leading to the building were broken and unstable. The furniture is very outdated, and the beds were extremely firm and uncomfortable compared to what we remembered. Several features required maintenance fireplaces were difficult to operate, our front door would not close properly, and our key cards stopped working after the first day, leaving us with only one functioning key despite following all handling instructions. The restaurant experience was inconsistent. Friday night was excellent, but on Saturday there appeared to be a change in chef and bartender, and the food preparation differed noticeably from the menu (for example, the mushrooms). Service, however, was good on both nights. Due to the serious health concern of discovering mold in our room, the lack of follow-up from management after reporting it, and the overall decline in the property's condition and maintenance, we do not feel comfortable returning. Issues with safety, such as broken handrails and a door that would not properly close, along with inconsistent amenities and service, made this stay far below our expectations. What was once a place we loved and looked forward to revisiting no longer meets a standard we can trust, especially when traveling with vulnerable family members.

    Photos
    Cambria Pines Lodge - Before dinner and Dickens performance's tonight

    Before dinner and Dickens performance's tonight

    Cambria Pines Lodge - Small kitchenette with mini fridge and microwave and hot water kettle for coffee and tea.

    Small kitchenette with mini fridge and microwave and hot water kettle for coffee and tea.

    Cambria Pines Lodge - Comfy sitting area

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    Comfy sitting area

    Paso Robles Wine Tours - Jed took this picture for us! A wonderful driver, guide, and photographer

    Paso Robles Wine Tours

    5.0(49 reviews)
    21.3 mi

    The girls & I came down to Paso Robles for a bachelorette and we wanted to do a wine tour. We were…read morelooking into multiple shuttle service and this one was the most seamless & was super accommodating to us. Chris was our driver for the day and he came on time to pick us up. He was really great & friendly. He also was very knowledgeable about Paso Robles and answered every question that we had. There were 10 of us and we can be a little too much, but Chris was super patient with us. He went out of his way to go back to the last winery when one of the girls left her phone at there. Really appreciate him going the extra mile. The bride to be was also very happy with how everything turned out! For anyone looking to do a wine tour in Paso Robles, we highly recommend this place. If you could, also recommend Chris! He was amazing & more! Chris - thank you so much for putting up with us! We really appreciate your service today!

    From getting a quote to booking I could not have loved this business more. I immediately heard back…read morefrom Jed. He is very responsive. He worked with all my questions and gave a ton of recommendations based off what I was looking for. He gave great options for food and made all the reservations needed for the day. We were lucky enough to have Jed as our guide for the day. Pick up was on time and we went rolling on. He got us checked into the wineries and made sure we were settled and checked back to make sure we were on schedule. He was easy going even when we decided to cut the tour one winery short and grab coffee instead. He even called to cancel the reservation- super planned and thoughtful Would definitely book with Jed again if in the area.

    Photos
    Paso Robles Wine Tours - Danielle's 26th Birthday :) Lookin' good at Austin Hope.

    Danielle's 26th Birthday :) Lookin' good at Austin Hope.

    Paso Robles Wine Tours - Champagne on the brain at Rava :)

    Champagne on the brain at Rava :)

    Paso Robles Wine Tours - In the vines at Rava

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    In the vines at Rava

    Stepladder Ranch & Creamery - ranches - Updated May 2026

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