Cambria is a beautiful coastal village in San Luis Obispo County, California, USA. It is along the picturesque Highway 1.
Cambria is primarily known for its magnificent coastal and bluff trails, laid-back ambiance, and mouthwatering food.
This quaint seaside village offers something for everyone, whether you want to keep busy or slow down and relax.
Cambria also offers a blend of wide-open spaces for sightseeing and exploration. There are various parks in Cambria, CA, and they are perfect for you and your loved ones.
Here are some of the best parks in Cambria, CA.
Parks in Cambria, CA
1. Moonstone Beach Park
Moonstone Beach Park
Moonstone Beach Park, covering 30 acres, is one of the best parks in Cambria, CA. It inhabits a vast expanse of Moonstone Beach at the entrance of San Rosa Creek and the bluffs above.
This seaside beach park offers limitless features for exploration, from moonstones to tide pools, the creek mouth, sea glass, wildflowers, and shorebirds.
Stroll along the brief ADA-accessible boardwalk, another section other than the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk.
At this Park, you will discover two tiny landings with interpretive signs and a suitable elevated view for spotting dolphins, sea otters, and seals.
Take advantage of the benches available and perhaps enjoy a sunrise or sunset with your family, a buddy, or all by yourself.
Address: 5744 Moonstone Beach Dr, Cambria, CA 93428, USA
2. Shamel Park
Shamel Park boasts many amenities, unlike some other parks. It is located directly on the ocean at Moonstone Beach, making it ideal for beach-combing for moonstones, sea glass, and driftwood.
The landscape here is enchanting, with the sparkling waters, rocky shorelines, and calm outlet of Santa Rose Creek.
Aside from the apparent advantage of Moonstone Beach, Shamel Park’s six acres contains a well-known children’s play area.
The soft rubber foundation and the rambling wooden play structure bring pleasure to both kids and parents.
Shamel Park offers a playing field, two group day-use areas, a gazebo, horseshoe pits, and an ADA-compliant heated swimming pool.
Shamel Park is famous as a reception and wedding venue with its beautiful gazebo, beach backdrop, and large turf area.
Additional perks include banquet seating, restrooms, and sizeable Santa Maria-style grills. This Park is undoubtedly one of the fun parks in Cambria, CA.
Address: 5455 Windsor Blvd, Cambria, CA 93428, United States
3. Leffingwell Landing
The unique feature of Leffingwell Landing is it provides access to the beach, particularly the concrete boat ramp that makes it easy to launch into the ocean.
Take your kayaks to Leffingwell Landing Park for a straightforward spot to venture out for an enjoyable cruise or kayak fishing. The use of the boat ramp is free, as well as parking.
Leffingwell Landing also offers restroom facilities, barbecue stands, and picnic tables for primitive seaside cooking and dining.
The state-operated Park is a fragment of Hearst San Simeon State, which stretches north towards San Simeon.
Come for a picturesque place to unwind on the grassy knolls with elevated views of the ocean and picnic tables.
You can also take the trail down to the tiny beach and tide pools for a more private time with the ocean’s intriguing shore-dwellers.
Address: Moonstone Beach Dr, Cambria, CA 93428, United States
4. Cambria Dog Park
Everyone needs an opportunity to wander, even your pets, so take your four-legged furry friend to Cambria Dog Park, where dogs can sniff, romp and interact without a leash.
This Park is among the top parks in Cambria, CA, for dogs. It is only a few blocks from downtown, which makes it an accessible destination.
Cambria Dog Park inhabits ¾ of an acre and contains different large and small dog areas to ensure the safety of dogs and dog owners.
Freshwater, mutt mitts, and covered picnic tables make for a delightful dog spot.
Furthermore, Cambria Dog Park offers a basket of balls to share in case you forget yours and mock fire hydrants as an additional perk.
Do not forget to keep aggressive dogs away from the Park and ensure you pick up after your pet.
Address: 2021 Rodeo Grounds Rd, Cambria, CA 93428, United States
5. Creekside Reserve
With 1.7 acres of greenspace close to Santa Rosa Creek in Cambria’s East Village, Creekside Reserve focuses on a historic preserved Chinese temple.
The reserve is regarded as one of the oldest Chinese temples left in Southern California.
It served as a place of rest, refuge, ceremony, and tradition for Chinese laborers in the village, and it remains a tranquil place today.
The temple and its surrounding are run by Cambria Greenspace, an organization that has obtained and maintained riparian and forested property all over Cambria.
Their properties contain 20 preserves, pocket parks, and natural areas, with the Chinese temple being one of them.
Take a self-guided historical walking tour of the village, then go to Creekside Reserve for a peaceful spot.
Address: 2264 Center St, Cambria, CA 93428, United States.
6. Fiscalini Ranch Preserve
The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is a natural wonder with cascading hillside, coastal bluffs, and 430 acres of Monterey pine forest.
A dairy once inhabited this cherished open space, meaning the cows enjoyed an incredible view.
Catch one of the many trailheads on the edges of the preserve, whether on a mountain bike or foot for a walk/hike. These trails wind through fields and forests to the ocean’s edge.
Use the Bluff Trail, a one-mile ADA-accessible boardwalk paralleling the bluff. They provide an elevated view of the water, making bird-watching easy.
For adventurous visitors, head to the beach for amazing bird watching and pool exploration. For more quiet guests, a walk or a roll along the boardwalk and a nap on a driftwood bench will do the trick.
Address: Office at 604 Main Street Trail access at 2799, Bluff Trail, Cambria, CA 93428, United States
7. Lampton Cliffs County Park
Lampton Cliffs County Park, a small park with a sea view, is among the most beautiful parks in Cambria, CA.
This Park, located off the beaten path, offers a hidden cliffside entrance to tide pools on the village’s south side.
Although Lampton Cliffs County Park does not offer many facilities, it is a marvel in its own right.
The Park is an ideal place to chat with a pal, for a moment of peace, or to read a good book.
Relax on one of the benches along the marine terrace and absorb the views of the Pacific Ocean or walk down the stairs to the beach.
With its stony floor, this coastline area is best visited at low tide if you plan to go tide pooling.
Roll up your pants and wander along the rocks to find a sea star, a sea anemone, a hermit crab, or an urchin.
Address: Lampton St. at Sherwood Dr, Cambria, CA 93428, United States
8. Morro Bay State Park
Morro Bay State Park offers various outdoor things to do in the city. Morro Bay State Park is in Morro Bay, CA, 26 minutes from Cambria, CA.
Its popular activities include bird-watching, hiking, mountain biking, and renting a kayak or canoe to paddle on the water.
The State Park also runs a public 18-hole golf course with a panoramic ocean view.
The Morro Bay State Park Campground is near the marina, with more than 130 sites accommodating recreational vehicles and tents.
Coin-operated showers and flushing toilets are available all over the campground.
Black Hill is a well-known hike leading straight from the upper section of the campground, where curious trekkers climb to one of the most incredible views of Morro Bay and Morro Rock.
Morro Bay State Park’s Museum of Natural History can be easily accessed from the campground.
It is perched on top of White’s Point within the Park, with beautiful views of the bay and the towering Morro Rock. This educational center aims to connect guests to the surrounding natural world.
Address:60 State Park Rd, Morro Bay, CA 93442, United States
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9. Morro Strand State Beach
Morro Strand State Beach
This attraction is a long stretch of sand expanding from Morro Rock to the community of Cayucos to the north. It is a famous spot to bond with the ocean with surplus spaces to spread a towel.
Wetlands and dunes cover some of the Park’s landscape, spanning almost five miles.
This quiet beach is popular among bird-watchers, beachcombers, and anybody who wants to enjoy the outdoors.
Morro Strand State Beach also has a campground with 70 campsites for RVs or tents.
The campsites are on the other end of the bluffs from the ocean but near enough to the water to witness a saltwater mist.
Visitors at the campground can get to the beach with an approximate three-minute walk.
Address: Morro Strand State Beach. Yerba Buena & Highway 1 Morro Bay, CA 93442
10. Morro Rock
Morro Rock
Morro Rock is the leading natural attraction of the city, standing nearly 576 feet tall at the mouth of Morro Bay.
This ancient volcanic remains is the most extensive in a chain of nine peaks called the Nine Sisters.
Morro Rock can be spotted from miles away. It used to be a well-known landmark for mariners out at sea and is still an attractive reference point for visitors passing through.
Almost everything to do in Morro Bay includes this remarkable rock feature somewhere in sight.
This attraction is now a protected Natural Preserve and a California Registered Landmark.
It houses nesting peregrine falcons and is an assigned bird sanctuary, so rock climbing is prohibited.
Nevertheless, visitors can drive straight to the beach and the nearby Morro Rock, with gorgeous views of the natural feature and rough ocean waves.
Address: Coleman Dr, Morro Bay, CA 93442, United States
11. Coleman Park
Coleman Park is in Morro Bay, CA, 30 minutes from Cambria, CA. The Park is a perfect place to begin a walk to the rock and the beach under it.
The Park contains a swing set for kids and numerous picnic tables and benches with views of the marina, Morro Rock, the tall power plant stack, and downtown.
A paved bike path also winds through the Park for biking north on the Embarcadero, heading into town, and biking out to the rock.
Guests can enjoy stunning views of the bay and Morro Rock while picnicking at one of the close areas.
Address: 101 Coleman Dr, Morro Bay, CA 93442, United States
12. Del Mar Park
Del Mar Park is a 9-acre tranquil park with an amphitheater, an outdoor basketball court, a pickleball court, horseshoe pits, a children’s play area, and two barbecue and picnic areas.
There is also a vast meadow area perfect for soccer, frisbee, and volleyball games. The Park also houses a soft-court tennis complex.
The walking path throughout Del Mar Park is often used by trustworthy dog owners that keep their furry friends on a leash all the time while at the Park.
This Park is not only exceptional because of its size and beauty but also because it is among the few parks within the county that accommodate a natural creek and the habitat linked with the creek.
There are also various trees within the Park, and guests will discover some trees accompanied by dedication plaques.
Other play facilities at Del Mar Park include an attractive 28-foot climbing structure with lookout points, a swirling slide, swings, a zip-line, a rope climbing structure, and a moving play apparatus.
Address: 3044 Ironwood Ave, Morro Bay, CA 93442, United States
13 . Cloister Park
Cloister Park was finished in 1989, along with the Cloister House Development. In 1992, the city became responsible for the Park’s maintenance and is currently fiscally endorsed by the Assessment District.
During the construction, the willows currently present were vacated from the area, preserved, and then replanted in the newly made wetland. The wetland area is home to an assortment of birds and small fish.
This stunning neighborhood park contains many unique features, including the walking routes that lead to the south and north beach accessways and a wetland area.
Cloister Park is also a famous place for families as the Park contains a playground for children, picnic tables, and a platform with views of the wetlands.
Additional amenities include public restrooms and pedestal barbecues.
Address: Coral Ave, Morro Bay, CA 93442, USA
14. Montaña de Oro State Park
Montaña de Oro State Park is a picturesque public space near Cambria, CA. The colorful wildflowers that blossom across the landscape in the spring are the source of the Park’s name. The area spans over 8,000 acres of rugged coastal canyon and beach to explore.
The State Park is popular with backpackers, hikers, and photography lovers. Horse riders, mountain bikers, and surplus wildlife also visit the varied terrain.
Campsites are also available in a primitive campground with almost 50 sites open to RVs or tents. The Park also contains walk-in and equestrian campsites.
For a brief visit, Spooner’s Cove is among the famous beaches in the Park due to its expansive shoreline and captivating rock formation.
For excellent views, go to the adjacent Bluff Trail south of Spooner’s Cove, which offers a vast viewing platform of the coast the entire way.
If you are looking for a hearty hike that will take the entire afternoon, the 1,347-foot Valencia Peak is the highest point in the Park and can be easily accessed through a steep hiking trail.
Address: 3550 Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos, CA 93402, United States
15. Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve
This enchanting state park spans 90 square acres of protected oak woodland.
Groves like these used to be popular on the California coast but several disappeared for use as firewood, building, and development.
The state assumed control of Los Osos Oaks Natural Reserve in 1972 to safeguard it from deforestation and development. Today it provides a serene place for a stroll in the woods.
Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve contains a series of short trails for exploring the five various types of vegetation.
This includes dune oak scrub, coastal sage scrub, coast live oak woodland, riparian woodland, and Central Coast scrub. One of the trails, the Chumash Trail, winds through the site of a Chumash midden, an old heap of clamshells and abalone.
The main features of the Los Osos Oak Natural Reserve are its trees. They are short and between 6 and 8 feet tall, stunted by moisture and mineral depletion, growing in sandy soil.
Another fact that makes it more interesting is that they are about 800 years old, established on an old dune habitat.
Enjoy a stroll in this extraordinary landscape of full-grown small oaks covered in Spanish moss. However, leave your dogs, bikes, and horses at home.
Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve is in Los Osos, CA, 34 minutes from Cambria, CA.
Address: 1801 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos, CA 93402, United States
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Plan Your Trip to Cambria
Cambria is among the favorite seaside villages on the central coast. It is often recommended to those looking for a relaxing weekend or holiday.
The parks in Cambria, CA, are incredible places to unwind, explore the outdoors, and eat tasty meals.
Whether visiting for the weekend or longer, you will surely have a blast during your stay in Cambria.