This SLO County spot is among the best small towns to visit in 2022, magazine says
A San Luis Obispo County town is one of the best small towns to visit this year, according to Smithsonian magazine.
The publication mentions Cambria first on its 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2022 list, although there are no numbered rankings.
“Our picks ... all have a population of 25,000 or under, a high density of cultural offerings and natural beauty, and a compelling reason to visit in 2022,” travel correspondent Laura Kiniry writes in the June 3 article. “This year’s 15 small towns inspire our hearts and minds, and encourage us to get out and explore.”
Cambria, which has a population of about 6,000 people according to the 2020 U.S. Census, is the only California town on the list.
Other towns singled out for attention include Winslow, Arizona; Everglades City, Florida; Gallup, New Mexico, and Livingston, Montana.
Why did Cambria make Smithsonian’s list?
So why did Cambria make Smithsonian magazine’s list?
“This picturesque seaside village is buzzing with boutique shops, art galleries and antiques stores,” Kiniry writes.
“It’s also an ideal base for visiting Hearst Castle,” she adds, praising the “opulent artworks, dazzling pools and grand rooms” at media mogul William Randolph Hearst’s former San Simeon estate.
The state historical monument reopened to the public in May after being closed for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and repairs to the access road that leads from the visitors center to the hilltop complex.
Kiniry highlights “Cambria’s many cafés, tasting rooms and restaurants” including Linn’s Restaurant and Indigo Moon, as well as local attractions such as Moonstone Beach, the Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery north of San Simeon and the 2,000-acre Covell Ranch, where Clydesdale horses roam.
The recently revamped White Water Inn, with its blend of “1970s Scandinavian and California bohemian culture,” also gets a mention.
Smithsonian magazine is just the latest publication to single out Cambria for praise.
Outside magazine recently named the North Coast community as one of the 10 best beach towns in the United States.
To see Smithsonion magazine’s complete list of small towns worth a visit, go to https://tinyurl.com/2kr3j4ha.
