22-05-2025
A small California coastal town was named one of 26 ‘underrated' travel destinations in US
U.S. News & World Report has chosen 26 places across the United States as one of the best 'underrated travel destinations,' and only one spot in California made the list that boasts national parks and Midwestern towns.
The honor goes to the small, San Luis Obispo town of Cambria, which ranked No. 21 on the list of 'beloved, lesser-known' destinations.
Cambria was praised by U.S. News & World Report for its location, including for its proximity to sights such as Morro Bay and the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The media company described Cambria's Main Street as 'perfectly quaint' and highlighted the town's Moonstone Beach and stunning scenery at the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve.
U.S. News & World Report said that Cambria, which is along the state's central coast, 'can get lost in the heaps of praise piled on California's coastline.'
With a population of less than 6,000 as of the 2020 Census, Cambria is one of California's many pricier places to live. The median price a home is sold for in Cambria is $1.1 million, according to That's about $100,000 less than Redfin's figures on median home selling prices for April.
Of course, visiting doesn't mean permanently staying. There's plenty of things to do during a trip to the coastal community, largely related to enjoying the natural landscape and the Pacific Ocean.
St. Simons Island along Georgia's coast was the named the best underrated travel destination in the nation from U.S. News & World Report. Other places that made the list included Chattanooga, Tennessee, Big Bend National Park in Texas and Duluth, Minnesota — notably where Bob Dylan was born.
A state as large as California means it can be easy to get overwhelmed when picking where you want to visit next.
In case you missed it, here are some of the recommendations made by travel and lifestyle experts in the past year:
Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks were named among the top national parks in the United States by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet.
Carmel-by-the-Sea made HGTV's 50 of the Most Charming Small Towns in America list.
Former Gold Rush town Nevada City was named one of the country's best small towns for 2025 by Country Living.
USA TODAY 10Best selected nine hotels in California, including places in Monterey Bay and Mendicino, for several top 10 lists celebrating places with the best hotel bar or for their eco-friendliness.
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: See the California town that's called 'underrated' for travel
