San Simeon

San Simeon is a tiny town of a few hundred people close to Hearst Castle on the California coast midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Hearst Castle Evening Tour

There's not a lot to do in San Simeon itself, but it does make a good base for a day or two while exploring everything close by. We haven't stayed there ourselves but we have visited the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort to look around and it was a lovely place, right on the ocean as the name tells you. 

We usually stay in Cambria, which is livelier than San Simeon and with more accommodation and eating options, but it is about 7 miles further south than San Simeon's motels. If you're visiting Hearst Castle in the evening or have a tour booked for early in the morning, staying in San Simeon can make more sense.

Our Pick of the California Guides

Rough-Guide-California-2023.png

Hearst Castle

Most of the accommodation in San Simeon is close together and roughly 4 miles south of the entrance to Hearst Castle. You can read all about Hearst Castle on some of our other pages:
Hearst Castle Tours
Visiting Hearst Castle
Driving from Los Angeles to Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle Evening Tours

Elephant Seals

About 7-8 miles north of San Simeon is one of our favorite stops on the Pacific Coast Highway. We simply cannot drive by without stopping at Piedras Blancas, or the Elephant Seals Beach. We can guarantee that you'll never have seen anything like it in your life. It's the only elephant seal rookery in the world that is easily accessible and is open for free every day of the year. Yes, the elephant seals don't even take Christmas Day off!

Piedras Blancas Light Station

Drive north from the elephant seals and in less than 2 miles on the ocean side (naturally) will be the Piedras Blancas Light Station. We have to admit that we've not yet visited here simply because we always spend longer than planned watching the elephant seals.

The light station dates back to 1874 and was originally 100 feet tall, but an earthquake in 1948 damaged the top and it's now 70 feet high. You can tour the light station but you must book in advance here.

Note also that tours do not start at the light station itself but at the former Piedras Blancas Motel, which is 1.5 miles further north.

San Simeon Beaches

San Simeon can also offer some very good beaches, if you want to relax a little. The William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach is hard to miss as it's directly across from the entrance to Hearst Castle. The soft sand beach has kayaking, fishing, boating, and other facilities, and the Coastal Discovery Center is open at weekends.

Further south is Pico Creek Beach, which is walking distance from most of the local motels and hotels. There are also hiking trails from this beach, and several other beaches are within easy driving distance of San Simeon.

Driving to San Simeon

Driving from Los Angeles to San Simeon should take about 4 hours in normal traffic, if you take the fastest route along I-5 and then cut across to the coast on Highway 46. It's a pretty straightforward drive, but allow for traffic which can push the journey time up to 5 hours.

Going from LA to San Simeon along the Pacific Coast Highway will add about an hour to the journey time. The total distance from central Los Angeles is about 240 miles, whether you go along the coast or take I-5.

From San Francisco to San Simeon is also about 240 miles and should take 4-5 hours, perhaps a little more if the traffic is bad. You can go south along Highway 101 to Paso Robles and then take Highway 46 out to the coast. This is the way to go if Big Sur is blocked, as it has been a few times in recent years.

The other option is to take Highway 1 along the coast which trims the journey to about 200 miles but the journey time can be anything from 3.5 to 5.5 hours, depending on the state of the traffic.

San Simeon Accommodation

More Information

See the website of Visit San Simeon.

 Other California coast pages

  • The Point Reyes National Seashore is an hour’s drive northwest of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway and is maintained by the National Park Service.

    Point Reyes National Seashore

    The Point Reyes National Seashore is an hour’s drive northwest of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway and is maintained by the National Park Service.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to the most scenic spots on the Pacific Coast Highway in California with Big Sur, Bixby Bridge and Pfeiffer Beach.

    Scenic Spots on the Pacific Coast Highway

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to the most scenic spots on the Pacific Coast Highway in California with Big Sur, Bixby Bridge and Pfeiffer Beach.

  • PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Mendocino, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.

    Best Time to Visit Mendocino

    PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Mendocino, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.

  • Oceanside is a typical southern California beach town with a surf culture and with the Pacific Coast Highway running right through it.

    Oceanside

    Oceanside is a typical southern California beach town with a surf culture and with the Pacific Coast Highway running right through it.

  • Santa Monica in California is famous for its pier, and beaches, and is one of the best west coast vacation spots, with hotels, restaurants, surfing, museums.

    Santa Monica, California

    Santa Monica in California is famous for its pier, and beaches, and is one of the best west coast vacation spots, with hotels, restaurants, surfing, museums.

  • Pacific Grove is a small city on the California coast, next to Monterey and close to Carmel, with attractions including its historic Victorian houses.

    Pacific Grove

    Pacific Grove is a small city on the California coast, next to Monterey and close to Carmel, with attractions including its historic Victorian houses.

  • The Casa Laguna Hotel and Spa in Laguna Beach is right on the Pacific Coast Highway and has luxury rooms, a swimming pool, and real gourmet breakfasts.

    Laguna Beach Inn and Spa

    The Casa Laguna Hotel and Spa in Laguna Beach is right on the Pacific Coast Highway and has luxury rooms, a swimming pool, and real gourmet breakfasts.

  • Bodega Bay is a small California coastal town on the borders of Marin County and Sonoma County, and the filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds.

    Bodega Bay

    Bodega Bay is a small California coastal town on the borders of Marin County and Sonoma County, and the filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds.

  • Carlsbad is a beach city north of San Diego in southern California famous for its flower fields, LEGOLAND resort and water park, surfing and SEA LIFE Aquarium.

    Carlsbad

    Carlsbad is a beach city north of San Diego in southern California famous for its flower fields, LEGOLAND resort and water park, surfing and SEA LIFE Aquarium.

  • Santa Cruz on the Pacific Coast Highway in California has its famous boardwalk, beaches, wine tastings, Surfing Museum, Mission, and Marine Discovery Center.

    Santa Cruz

    Santa Cruz on the Pacific Coast Highway in California has its famous boardwalk, beaches, wine tastings, Surfing Museum, Mission, and Marine Discovery Center.

  • San Clemente in California is a small city on the Pacific Coast Highway midway between San Diego and Los Angeles, noted for its beaches and surfing.

    San Clemente California

    San Clemente in California is a small city on the Pacific Coast Highway midway between San Diego and Los Angeles, noted for its beaches and surfing.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel's list of the best beaches in California with beaches in Santa Monica, Big Sur, Malibu, Carmel, Cambria, La Jolla and Coronado.

    Best Beaches in California

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel's list of the best beaches in California with beaches in Santa Monica, Big Sur, Malibu, Carmel, Cambria, La Jolla and Coronado.

  • San Luis Obispo in California is half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on the Pacific Coast Highway and with lots of things to do and see.

    San Luis Obispo

    San Luis Obispo in California is half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on the Pacific Coast Highway and with lots of things to do and see.

  • For a Moss Beach hotel just off the Pacific Coast Highway, the Seal Cove Inn offers good accommodation north of Half Moon Bay, minutes from the ocean.

    Moss Beach Hotel

    For a Moss Beach hotel just off the Pacific Coast Highway, the Seal Cove Inn offers good accommodation north of Half Moon Bay, minutes from the ocean.

  • Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.

    Coastal California Guidebook

    Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel recommends some of the top wildlife spots along the California coast.

    Top Wildlife Spots on the California Coast

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel recommends some of the top wildlife spots along the California coast.

  • Santa Monica Pier is just off the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica near Los Angeles, with an amusement park, an aquarium and many other attractions.

    Santa Monica Pier

    Santa Monica Pier is just off the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica near Los Angeles, with an amusement park, an aquarium and many other attractions.

  • Crescent City is on the Pacific Coast Highway in northern California and noted for its crescent-shaped beach, Ocean World sea park, and nearby redwoods and state parks.

    Crescent City

    Crescent City is on the Pacific Coast Highway in northern California and noted for its crescent-shaped beach, Ocean World sea park, and nearby redwoods and state parks.

  • Hearst Castle’s new Julia Morgan Tour is limited to eight people and takes you behind the scenes to parts of Hearst Castle rarely seen by the public.

    Hearst Castle Julia Morgan Tour

    Hearst Castle’s new Julia Morgan Tour is limited to eight people and takes you behind the scenes to parts of Hearst Castle rarely seen by the public.

  • Whale watching in California is one of the most popular things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway, in places like San Diego, San Francisco and many more.

    Whale Watching in California

    Whale watching in California is one of the most popular things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway, in places like San Diego, San Francisco and many more.

  • There are lots of free things to do on the Pacific Coast Highway and here's our list of ten of them including wildlife, the best free views, and free museums.

    Free Things to do on the Pacific Coast Highway

    There are lots of free things to do on the Pacific Coast Highway and here's our list of ten of them including wildlife, the best free views, and free museums.

  • The Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo is a romantic, historic guesthouse on the Mendocino California coast, on the Pacific Coast Highway.

    Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo

    The Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo is a romantic, historic guesthouse on the Mendocino California coast, on the Pacific Coast Highway.

  • Monterey in California is off the Pacific Coast Highway and home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Monterey State Historic Park.

    Monterey, on the Pacific Coast Highway in California

    Monterey in California is off the Pacific Coast Highway and home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Monterey State Historic Park.

  • Newport Beach is a small city on the Pacific coast of southern California, right on the Pacific Coast Highway and noted for its beaches and surfing.

    Newport Beach

    Newport Beach is a small city on the Pacific coast of southern California, right on the Pacific Coast Highway and noted for its beaches and surfing.

  • Pacific Coast Highway travel offers advice on driving from LA to Hearst Castle, including distance, journey time, and route.

    LA to Hearst Castle

    Pacific Coast Highway travel offers advice on driving from LA to Hearst Castle, including distance, journey time, and route.

Recent Articles

RSS

  1. The time is now for a Highway 1 road trip: 'It's so rare to experience Big Sur like this'

    Oct 31, 25 04:30 AM

    Sometimes, the best place you can go is a dead end. Especially when that dead end is surrounded by crashing surf on empty beaches, dramatic cliffs and lonely trails through forests thick with redwoods…

    Read More

  2. The Spectacular 9-Mile Trail in Point Mugu State Park That’s Worth the Incline

    Oct 31, 25 04:30 AM

    There’s going to be beautiful wildflowers, spectacular ocean and mountain views, and maybe some deer. And possibly some sore muscles, too.

    Read More

  3. California's 'Gateway To Big Sur' Is A Scenic Stop For A Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

    Oct 30, 25 04:37 AM

    California's Highway 1 runs along the beautiful Pacific Coast, and there's plenty to see along the way. At the southern edge of Big Sur, where the Santa Lucia Mountains drop dramatically into the Paci…

    Read More