Cambria's housing stock is shaped by its terrain rather than by any single era of development. On the forested slopes of Lodge Hill and Happy Hill, homes sit among pines on wooded, often irregular lots, while Marine Terrace and Park Hill occupy the flatter marine terrace closer to the ocean. Farther from the shoreline, areas such as Pine Knolls and Cambria Pines are known for larger, tree-covered parcels. The result is a patchwork of single-family homes, cottages, and a smaller number of vacation rentals and inns, many modest in scale and oriented toward views, gardens, and outdoor living. Coastal topography and environmental protections keep the community low-density, preserving the open, natural character that defines Cambria.

Cambria's residential areas are defined by their position between the hills and the sea. Lodge Hill and Happy Hill cover the forested slopes above the village, where homes are tucked among pines with less direct coastal exposure. Marine Terrace and Park Hill sit on the marine terrace nearer the ocean, offering flatter lots and easy proximity to Moonstone Beach. Pine Knolls and Cambria Pines, set farther from the bluff, are associated with larger, wooded parcels and a quieter, more rural feel. Moonstone Beach itself is lined with inns and vacation lodgings rather than a dense residential core, and the main-street districts remain compact and walkable, keeping Cambria's commercial and residential areas closely connected.

Cambria's pace is deliberately relaxed. The village's galleries, bookshops, and boutiques line the main street, and the dining scene leans toward cafes, bistros, and bakeries; olallieberry pie is a long-standing local specialty, served in settings that range from historic adobe buildings to ocean-view patios. A weekly farmers market draws growers from the surrounding Central Coast, and recurring community events such as the Scarecrow Festival in the fall and the Christmas Market in winter give the calendar a small-town rhythm. Art is woven into everyday life here, with studios and galleries reflecting the community's long appeal to painters, writers, and craftspeople drawn by the coast's light and quiet.

Public education in Cambria is provided by the Coast Unified School District, a small district headquartered in the community and serving students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district operates Cambria Grammar School for the elementary grades, a middle school, a comprehensive high school, and an alternative high school, altogether serving roughly five hundred students across four schools. The district's modest size supports small classes and close ties between families and staff. For families considering a move, Cambria's schools sit within a wider Central Coast education landscape that includes private options and the community colleges and Cal Poly campuses of San Luis Obispo County.

Cambria is reached primarily by Highway 1, the two-lane coastal route that runs north toward San Simeon, Hearst Castle, and Big Sur and south toward Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, and the Highway 101 corridor. The village itself is compact and walkable along its main street and the Moonstone Beach boardwalk, but daily life generally requires a car, as there is no passenger rail service in town and public transit is limited. Hearst Castle sits about twelve miles to the north, and the Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery is a short drive beyond San Simeon. For air travel, residents rely on regional airports along the Central Coast and in the Bay Area or Southern California.

The Moonstone Beach boardwalk is Cambria's signature outdoor space, a roughly one-mile wooden path along the bluff with benches, beach access, and views of tide pools and offshore rocks. Nearby, Leffingwell Landing offers a quieter vantage point for watching sunsets and marine life. Day trips from Cambria include Hearst Castle, the Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery, and the dramatic coastline of Big Sur to the north. The coastal hills to the east and nearby preserves provide hiking, and the community's mild climate supports year-round walking, beachcombing, and garden visits.