Historic San Simeon
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The tiny town of San Simeon existed primarily to support the construction efforts up the hill at Hearst Castle. The town dock provided a place for ships to unload tons of marble, piles of antiques, and dozens of workers.
The general store and post office acted as a central gathering place for the community, and you can still walk up the weathered wooden steps and make a purchase here. Around the corner at the building’s other door, you can buy a book of stamps or mail a letter at the tiny but operational post office.
The William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach (750 Hearst Castle Rd., San Simeon, 805/927-2020, www.parks.ca.gov, daily dawn–dusk) sits in San Simeon’s cute little cove and encompasses the remaining structure of the old pier. You can lie on the beach or have a picnic up on the lawn above the sand.
© Liz Hamill Scott from Moon California, 2nd Edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.