What To Do

Hearst Castle holds a trove of artwork, artifacts, and antiquities making San Simeon a must for art lovers everywhere. From ancient Roman marble to Tiffany & Co. silver, Hearst’s holdings are among the most impressive in California. Beyond Hearst Castle, San Simeon and neighboring communities value the arts…

Sebastian's General Store has carried on through the generations. Built in 1852 at the peak of the whaling industry, the Sebastian Brothers provided goods and services to whalers, fishermen, miners and neighboring ranches.

Home to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Hearst San Simeon State Park, San Simeon is the perfect spot to observe wildlife in their element. Hike along family-friendly coastal bluff trails with lookout points to view seabirds and marine life,…

Explore the Coastal Discovery Trail Along Highway 1   The new Coastal Discovery Trail is a curated collection of activities that highlights nature, history and local experts. Make the most of your travels to the Central Coast by using the resources and links below to find the…

Before the advent of the railroad and easily traversed highways, most of the commerce in central California was conducted by ship and piers and wharfs were vitally important.

Highway 1 is most famous for its coastal views, so you'll definitely want to take the chance to hop out of your car and stroll along the Pacific Valley Bluff Trail.

The Boucher Trail runs from the paved elephant seal viewing parking for 1.9 miles, to a half mile north of the Piedras Blancas Light Station.

Salmon Creek Falls is a natural, beautiful waterfall found on the Big Sur Pacific Coast Highway 1 located 3 miles north of Ragged Point Inn.

The Whale Trail is a series of sites where the public may view orcas, other cetaceans and marine mammals from shore.

Teachers, students, beachgoers, researchers and others can now view a wealth of information about central California marine life

The Hearst Castle Evening Tour allows you to view  this historic California mansion in the twilight hours

Visitors and locals are helping to preserve our coastal heritage by supporting the Friends of Hearst Castle 

Go back in time to the lonely and blustery life of the lighthouse keeper with a visit to the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse.

Need help planning your San Simeon escape? Have questions about everything there is to see, do and experience here? 

Travel the route that hugs the California coast, providing access to austere, windswept cypress trees, fog-shrouded cliffs and the crashing surf of the Pacific Ocean. Views include rugged canyons, towering redwoods, sea lions, and other marine life.

The San Carpoforo Creek Beach Access is the northernmost portion of the state-owned properties in Hearst San Simeon State Park.

The San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway provides an extraordinary experience.

Arroyo Laguna Beach is a windsurfing and kiteboarding spot along the northern San Luis Obispo Coast.