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

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.

More Information

See the website of Visit San Simeon.

Other California coast pages

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.
Dana Point
Dana Point in California is the official start or end of the Pacific Coast Highway, and its attractions include whale watching, and Doheny State Beach.
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.
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.
Eureka Inns
Of all Eureka inns, The Carter House Inns are the most romantic and historic, with one of the best restaurants in Northern California.
Santa Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, or Catalina Island, is off the shore of Southern California and reachable from Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach, and Dana Point.
Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey, with photos
A walk around the Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey and Carmel provides lots of photo opportunities, especially of the Harbor Seal Birthing Area.
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.
Encinitas
Encinitas is a beach city in Southern California, famous for surfing, and regularly chosen as one of the best places to live in both California and the USA.
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.
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.
Top Wildlife Spots on the California Coast
Pacific Coast Highway Travel recommends some of the top wildlife spots along the California coast.
Bixby Bridge
Drive the Pacific Coast Highway and you have to cross Bixby Bridge in California, ten miles north of Big Sur and 30 minutes south of Monterey.
Stanford Inn by the Sea Mendocino
The Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino on the California coast is an eco-resort with yoga classes and the award-winning Ravens Restaurant.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pelican Inn and Suites in Cambria on the Central Coast of California
The Pelican Inn and Suites in Cambria on California's Central Coast has oceanfront views, swimming pool, gardens, and is right on the beach near Hearst Castle.
Mendocino
Mendocino in Mendocino County is a small but pretty California coastal town, popular with artists and with travelers. It has featured in many songs and movies.
Laguna Beach
The Pacific Coast Highway goes right through Laguna Beach, a relaxed artsy beach resort whose attractions include shopping, galleries, dining, and beaches.
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.
Morro Bay
Morro Bay is a delightful small town on the California coast roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and noted for the huge Morro Rock.
Visiting Hearst Castle
This Visiting Hearst Castle page gives all the practicalities including location, types of tour, length of tours, how long to allow, and much more information.

Follow @PCH_Travel