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

  • A walk around the Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey and Carmel provides lots of photo opportunities, especially of the Harbor Seal Birthing Area.

    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.

  • 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.

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway include some of the best independently-owned boutique hotels, spas, and lodges in California, Oregon and Washington.

    Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway

    Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway include some of the best independently-owned boutique hotels, spas, and lodges in California, Oregon and Washington.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

    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.

  •  

    Hearst Castle Tours

    Hearst Castle tours show you round the former home of William Randolph Hearst in San Simeon, one of the best things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway.

  • Pismo Beach is a small beach town on California's Central Coast, a resort famous for surfing and clams.

    Pismo Beach

    Pismo Beach is a small beach town on California's Central Coast, a resort famous for surfing and clams.

  • Hearst Castle Evening Tours are a magical way of visiting one of the best things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway.

    Hearst Castle Evening Tours

    Hearst Castle Evening Tours are a magical way of visiting one of the best things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway.

  • 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.

  • The Pacific Coast Highway goes right through Laguna Beach, a relaxed artsy beach resort whose attractions include shopping, galleries, dining, and beaches.

    Laguna Beach

    The Pacific Coast Highway goes right through Laguna Beach, a relaxed artsy beach resort whose attractions include shopping, galleries, dining, and beaches.

  • 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.

  • La Jolla in southern California is north of San Diego off the Pacific Coast Highway and has museums, restaurants, hotels, beaches, and the Birch Aquarium.

    La Jolla, in southern California

    La Jolla in southern California is north of San Diego off the Pacific Coast Highway and has museums, restaurants, hotels, beaches, and the Birch Aquarium.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

    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.

  • 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.

Recent Articles

RSS

  1. ‘Zero tolerance' for speeding along PCH in Malibu even for Oscar winners like Sean Penn

    Sep 13, 25 04:56 AM

    When it comes to reckless driving, authorities may not care even if the driver is a two-time Oscar winner like Sean Penn. The actor in the upcoming film “One Battle After Another” was cited for speedi…

    Read More

  2. Historic Sites Open Doors for Statewide Celebration

    Sep 13, 25 04:56 AM

    Two Santa Monica landmarks will offer extended public access Sept. 13-14 as part of Doors Open California 2025, a month-long statewide celebration showcasing more than 70 historic sites across the sta…

    Read More

  3. Small Space, Big Magic at Museum of Make Believe

    Sep 12, 25 04:04 AM

    The Museum of Make Believe just had to be in Laguna Beach. Located off South Pacific Coast Highway in Bluebird Canyon, the nonprofit museum has exceeded expectations. It has welcomed more than 20,000…

    Read More