By Monica Fiscalini

There are a lot of reasons to visit Cambria: beautiful rugged beaches. Thick groves of majestic Monterey Pines that give the town the feel of an English coastal village. Restored Victorians. Antique shops, art galleries, and restaurants on every block. And the name.

While you're there, you'll hear Cambria pronounced two ways: Came-bria and Camm-bria - first "a" as in apple and second "a" as in "up." Those who've been around the longest prefer the latter.

This is a village where residents speak the name with a little bit of Boston or Britain in it. This, plus a look around town confirms it: Cambria isn't your typical Southern California beach town.

In fact, It has more in common with Mendocino, far to the north: Victorian buildings converted to shops, restaurants and homes, gardens bursting from every turn, and the pine forest never really far from view. But that's why a trip to Cambria can be particularly refreshing - the place is a calming, adult retreat from the sunscreen-drenched beach towns nearby.

Cambria's population is 7,000 -- about the same as it was in the 1880s. The quaint little village started out in the 1860s and quickly grew into s a center for shipping, mining, dairy farming, lumbering and cattle ranching. It's been known over the years as Santa Rosa, Rosaville, San Simeon and Slabtown.

Today, Cambria is a haven for artists, writers, musicians, coast lovers, and restaurateurs. The East and West Villages, Cambria's two commercial areas - are nestled in a tiny valley alongside Santa Rosa Creek, and surrounded by the forested hills that make up Cambria's residential areas.

Bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde - author of "Pay it Forward" and "Electric God" -- is a Cambrian. Cambria galleries are bursting with the works of local glassblowers, goldsmiths, silversmiths, oil painters, watercolor artists, sculptors and more. And restaurants - Cambria is awash in excellent restaurants.

In fact, it's almost impossible to go to Cambria without eating. Those returning to Cambria will pick up a phone and dial for dinner reservations as soon as they hit Main Street. There are almost too many great choices: The Sow's Ear, The Brambles, Robin's, Bistro Solé, and Linn's, to name a few. (Click Here to read more about them in the Dining section).

Whether you're grabbing sandwiches at Soto's Market and heading for a beach picnic or running into Cambria Village Bakery for a pastry, you'll spend much of your visit cruising between the town's East Village and West Village neighborhoods in pursuit of food.

But there's plenty to do in Cambria between bites. Where to start? Well, you might want to make note of the public restrooms in the center of town, on Burton Avenue behind Robin's restaurant. Brand new and sporting a mural on the outside, you'll probably want to remember where they are, especially if you're doing a lot of walking.

Art & Antiques Everywhere You Look
Cambria's East and West village areas are joined by Main Street. The West Village is next to Highway One; East Village, as the name implies, is the East End of Main Street, away from the highway.

At either end, you'll stumble on a number of antique shops and art galleries. One favorite antique mall is off Main Street, at Highway One and Moonstone Beach Drive. Old timers will refer to it as that place where the Chuck Wagon restaurant used to be. An eclectic mix awaits inside. (Click Here to read more about antiquing in Cambria in the Shopping section.)

Of the many art galleries, don't miss The Vault Gallery at 2289 Main St. You'll find a nice selection of nationally collected local artists, including painters like Libby Tolley, sculptors such as David Settino Scott and photographers like Arthur Tress. (Sneak a peek at www.vaultgallery.com.)

Night Life: Cambria's Hopping
Unlike some of the sleepy towns on the Central Coast, Cambria keeps on going after dark with live music and theater. Must be all those creative types who live there.

On the north end of town, The Hamlet (Moonstone Beach Drive and Highway One), offers great jazz plenty of nights. If you're lucky, your visit will coincide with one of the jazz concerts held a couple of Sundays each month. Vibraphonist Charlie Shoemake started the Famous Artist Jazz Series in 1991, and the shows quickly gained the reputation of being "can't miss" events featuring legends and local greats.

The Pewter Plough Playhouse at 824 Main St. offers jazz and theater. A recent addition to the 61-seat playhouse is a pub where you can listen to jazz combos, have a drink and a bite to eat. Pewter Plough presents plays on the weekends year round. The latest is "Grace and Glorie," opening April 27, 2001.

The West End Bar and Grill, 774 Main St., is also the spot to check out more area musicians, singers and entertainers, who are as talented as their art gallery counterparts.

You won't be able to disguise the fact that you're from out of town, but stop in to Camozzi's Saloon anyway. The bar, at 2262 Main St., is the real deal, and a hangout for locals - everyone from attorneys to artists to bikers.

Take a Cemetery Tour
It's certainly the opposite of the nightlife scene, and it might not sound like the usual tourist attraction. But Cambria offers two historic cemeteries, perfect for walking, a little photography, and gravestone rubbings.

Be on the lookout for a small sign for the Cambria Cemetery District, where Main Street crosses with Bridge Street and Burton Drive. The sign that directs you up Bridge Street one mile to the Cambria Cemetery. Cambria Cemetery's earliest marked grave has rested among the trees on 12 acres for 131 years. Today, do-it-yourself markers and a variety of flora and fauna make the spot a unique and interesting place to visit. It's not unusual to see a pink flamingo or a toy fire engine decorating a burial spot. Picnic tables and a gazebo sit just outside the gates.

The more noticeable pioneer cemetery surrounds the Old Santa Rosa Chapel at 2353 Main Street in the East Village. The historic Victorian chapel and cemetery sit atop a steep hill overlooking the Village. If you can handle the uphill walk to the chapel, you'll find a cool and quiet place surrounded by towering pines.

Moonstone Beach: Polished Stones, Swirling Tides
If you visit Cambria, be sure to take a walk or Drive along Moonstone Beach. Even if you've checked out the coastline from Pismo Beach to Cayucos, you haven't seen anything quite like this. Low-key hotels and restaurants (nothing over two stories tall) line the landward side of Moonstone Drive. Walking trails line the seaward side of the road and lead down to the beach in several spots.

Instead of Pismo-Beach style white sands, Moonstone Beach is made up of small pebbles, polished smooth by the sea. It's the perfect place for kids to hunt for stones and seashells. (Click Here to read more about Moonstone Beach in the Beaches section).

Cambria is easy to get to; it's on Highway 1 just south of San Simeon and Hearst Castle. By car, Cambria is about a 40-minute drive west on Highway 1 from San Luis Obispo. Take either Highway 1 west from San Luis Obispo or Highway 46 West from Paso Robles to connect to Highway 1 just south of Cambria.

If you need any more details about Cambria, the town's chamber of commerce, at 767 Main St., is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. Call them at (805) 927-3624.

Once you've visited Cambria, you'll definitely want to come back ... maybe for good.

Writer Monica Fiscalini's great-grandparents moved to Cambria from the Old Country more than a century ago.

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