Two communities in San Luis Obispo County have made a list of nine “overlooked cities worth visiting on the Pacific West Coast,” according to WorldAtlas online.
Cambria and Morro Bay are at the southern end of an unranked tour that begins in the north at Port Townsend, Washington.
Some people who live in these Central Coast treasures may struggle with the “overlooked” designation, however, after searching in vain for prime parking spots or 7pm dinner reservations on a holiday weekend. Each also has one or more nationally acclaimed landmarks that draw visitors from far and wide.
“The Pacific Coast offers visitors, and even those passing through, a chance to experience wild America,” the website says.
The list highlighted the West Coast’s spectacular wilderness, rugged and remote beaches, incredible sea stacks and rock formations, and magnificent coastal forests, the Atlas said.
Small towns can really be a quick stopover for a quick meal and a little recreation, or they can provide delightful distractions for a full vacation, the list says.
Here’s why Cambria and Morro Bay made the list:
An aerial view overlooks Cambria from its northern edge.
(Courtesy of Vineyard Professional Real Estate)
Cambria has “fun and adventure,” scenery galore, a boardwalk, protected forest plus
This small Central California coastal town of about 6,000 residents anchors the southern end of the dramatic and scenic Big Sur stretch of Highway 1, which ends at the Monterey Peninsula.
Cambria “offers fun and adventure to anyone who walks the path less traveled.”
“Moonstone Beach is one of the main attractions, with its mile-long boardwalk and amazing wildlife,” the website said. “After a few hours at the beach, check out downtown Cambria and shop for gifts,” dine, hike the hills and through the native Monterey pine forest, go horseback riding, even spend a night or two at an area lodging or Airbnb.
People walk along the oceanfront Moonstone Beach Boardwalk in Cambria in 2017.
(Joe Johnston/The Tribune)
WorldAtlas also touts a nearby attraction that’s actually in San Simeon: Hearst Castle, with “two massive swimming pools, an airfield, a movie theater and (what was once) the world’s largest zoo.”
Dawn breaks over Hearst Castle in December 2021, as photographed by photographer/cyclist Bill Franciscovich of Cambria.
(Courtesy of Bill Franciscovich)
The listing also mentioned Cambria Garden Shed and Rich Man Poor Man Antiques, both located on a short stretch of Main Street in the city’s East Village business district.
As high-level cirrus clouds above 13,000 feet, composed entirely of ice crystals, occasionally move into Morro Bay, they will catch the low-angle December sunlight during the evening, lighting the sky in vivid colors. These delicate streaks, often called mare’s tails for their whimsical, feathery appearance, could produce spectacular sunrises and sunsets this week.
(John Lindsey)
Morro Bay is much more than its namesake rock, fish and chips and magical otters
The main attraction highlighted by WorldAtlas for this coastal town is Morro Rock, “a volcanic plug connected to the shore by a road,” the site says.
“You drive to the cliff, but you can’t climb it,” the website warned. “It is a protected habitat for peregrine falcons” and “a cultural site for the Salinan and Chumash tribes.” People who try to break this law can be arrested.
There are wildlife and fish in those waters and a jetty that reaches into the sea.
“For those who happen to catch the sunrise at Morro Rock, you may also see cute otters floating in the water below,” Atlas said.
Whales, sea lions, dolphins and seabirds are also frequently seen. The rooms are ready, folks!
A humpback whale surfaces about a mile off the coast of Morro Bay Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. Humpback whales can be seen in Pacific Ocean waters off San Luis Obispo County from April to November during their migration.
(Joan Lynch)
The website mentions Morro Bay’s 71-year-old Shell Shop on the Embarcadero. By the way, this is an area where people can sign up for a sunset cruise, a submarine tour, or even a gondola ride on the bay.
The small old town quarter and farmers market were also mentioned.
WorldAtlas also included other “overlooked” California coastal communities.
In addition to Cambria and Morro Bay, the WorldAtlas list of nine cities includes:
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Port Townsend, Washington
Among the many previous mentions of San Luis Obispo County communities in previous WorldAtlas “best of” lists were Paso Robles, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo, which were all named among the best places to retire in 2022; and Cambria as one of the most picturesque small towns in 2023.