Cambria Pines Lodge and Gardens 2905 Burton Drive • Cambria • California 93428

As you settle into the relaxed garden setting of this hilltop lodge, it’s hard to believe that it was established in 1927 for an eccentric European baroness who wanted her own personal resort within visiting distance of Hearst Castle. Since that time, subsequent property owners have added accommodations ranging from rustic rooms to deluxe suites, and world-class gardens.

The Main Lodge resembles a huge, modern-day log cabin, but the grounds behind it bring to mind a beautiful English garden. Rows of sculpted hedges separated by paths, bushes and beds of vibrantly colored flowers meander among Monterey pines. Next to the garden, a broad lawn serves as both ceremony and reception site for outdoor weddings. Couples get married in a lovely gazebo at one end, and dance on a patio in front of a covered bandstand at the other; the entire expanse of grass in between is turned into an al fresco dining room filled with linen-covered tables.

Indoor receptions are held in the Peacock Room. With wall coverings of rosy beige, it derives additional warmth from an abundance of pine wainscoting and trim. Other pluses are a high ceiling, movable dance floor, adjustable lighting and a built-in, granite-topped pine bar. After the celebration, you and your guests can chat it up in the Lounge, where a fire blazes in the floor-to-ceiling river rock fireplace, and chandeliers glow overhead.

If you’re fortunate enough to be here for a few days, there’s a world of things to do outside the Lodge, too. Cambria itself is a quaint village, noted for its local artists and craftspeople and filled with shops, galleries and boutiques. Hearst Castle is a mere nine miles to the north, the beach is minutes away, and wine tasting has become a popular pastime in Cambria and the surrounding San Luis Obispo County. Alas, the baroness may have left the country so quickly that she never had time to truly enjoy either her lodge or her surroundings. We suggest you don’t make the same mistake: When you have your garden wedding here, plan to stay long enough to take full advantage of all that this friendly, family-oriented venue and the Central Coast have to offer.