For many people around the world, San Simeon means the site of the famous castle on the hill, but this coastal town offers much more to anyone willing to spend sometime uncovering its treasures. The main center of San Simeon sits about three miles south of the castle's entrance. Though understandably much of the town's focus is on providing a plethora of services for the thousands of people who visit the castle each year, there are also plenty of other things to discover in San Simeon as well.

Several different restaurants offer everything from healthy New Mexican cooking, to classic Italian, to fish and chips, to a burger. You'll also find works by talented local artists and artisans, one-of-a-kind antiques, hand-crafted jewelry, sea shells, candy, and information about the elephant seal colony located a few miles north of town. For lodging, there is a wide variety of hotels and motels, or you can camp at San Simeon State Park, which offers a 133-site developed campground and 70 in a more primitive campground. A look back at the history of San Simeon reveals that its natural beauty has been enthralling humans for centuries, and little wonder that on any given day you might spot whale spouts, fluttering Monarch butterflies, lumbering elephant seals, soaring hawks, and even a herd of zebra!

Wild life abounds in the region. Look for herds of zebra, tahr goats, aoudads and elk roaming the hill of the Hearst Estate--a reminder of the days when Mr. Hearst assembled the largest private zoo in the world.

Grey Whales
Every year San Simeon hosts one of nature's grandest creations, the migrating Gray Whale. From the icy water of Alaska the Grey Whale migrates south from late December to early February to its breeding ground in the warm waters of Baja California in Mexico. After three months of breeding, the cows with their calves can be seen from the beach as they return north during March and April.

CLIMATE

The proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides for a temperate climate year round. Winters are mild and rainy days are interspersed with periods of bright sunshine. Coastal fog cools the summer mornings, but is usually lifts by early afternoon. The best weather is often during the spring and fall. It is wise to include both warm and cold weather clothing when packing for San Simeon.