San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway
57 miles of Highway 1 from San Luis Obispo past Morro Bay and Cambria to Hearst Castle and the quiet coast beyond.
Also known as Route 1 - San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length57 miles[1]
- Drive timeAbout one hour of driving, or two hours to see the whole byway[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsCalifornia State Route 1[1]
- Start and endNot verified
- Fees and passesNone for the highway[1]Hearst Castle tours and state park day use are ticketed separately.
- Best seasonNot verified
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesNot verified
- Seasonal closuresNot verified
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
This byway follows Highway 1 north from San Luis Obispo to the coast at Morro Bay, then up through Cambria and San Simeon. FHWA describes it as a mix of landscapes: the Morro estuary, open ranchland and the Pacific.
Morro Rock and the state park's estuary are a good first stop. Farther north, Hearst Castle sits on the hill above San Simeon; visits are by guided tour.
It's about an hour of driving end to end, with plenty of room to add hiking, cycling or kayaking along the way.
Stops along the way
-
Morro Bay State Park
Estuary, marina and natural history museum.
Official information · 35.36192, -120.83651 · about 0.3 mi from the route line
-
Morro Rock
The landmark rock at the mouth of Morro Bay.
Official information · 35.3693, -120.86764 · about 0.9 mi from the route line
-
Cambria
Seaside town on the byway.
Official information · 35.56414, -121.08076 · about 0.6 mi from the route line
-
Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument
Hearst Castle, on the hill above San Simeon (tours by ticket).
Official information · 35.68493, -121.16987 · about 2.9 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- Cambria Farmers MarketCambria, CA · about 0.0 mi from the route · listed as year-round
- Morro Bay Thursday Afternoons CFMMorro Bay, CA · about 0.0 mi from the route · listed as year-round
- Cayucos Farmers' MarketCayucos, CA · about 0.3 mi from the route
- Downtown SLO Thursday Night Farmers' MarketSan Luis Obispo, CA · about 0.3 mi from the route
- Morro Bay Main Street Farmers MarketMorro Bay, CA · about 0.4 mi from the route · listed as year-round
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
Sources
- America's Byways: Route 1 - San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument (California State Parks) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Morro Bay State Park (California State Parks) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).