Serenity. Exhilaration. Ease of Access. Privacy. The comfort to pursue a passion and be inspired in the year-round mild climate of California’s Central Coast. The executive assistant to the owner so describes this 80-acre Monterey-area oceanfront sanctuary. Car collectors: Enjoy your classics on quiet local roads and the great Pacific Coast Highway, whose most famous mileage between Big Sur and Pebble Beach begins just outside the gates.
Midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles in quiet Cambria, San Luis Obispo County, the gated sanctuary is just a few steps from the beaches.
At the center of the Retreat at Cambria, 7292 Exotic Garden Drive, is a 12,200-plus sq.-ft. main residence. The compound also includes a guest house, estate manager’s residence, reception office and guest and staff apartments. The total livable square footage 35,755, with 12 bedrooms and 15 baths. In addition, the compound includes two carriage houses for your cars or for entertaining, guest and staff quarters and spacious outdoor venues.
The campus has six acres planted with Pinot Noir from Paso Robles, one of the state’s premier wine regions. And, to break from viniculture, the expansive sanctuary offers walking, biking and horseback-riding opportunities.
Minutes from Cambria is San Luis Obispo, where you can buy from two of the finest farmers markets in California. And, it’s an easy drive or short flight to and from Los Angeles or San Francisco. Or, use a helipad at the estate to facilitate transportation for your aerial schedule. And, nearby airports such as San Luis Obispo County Regional and Santa Barbara offer flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix and other cities.
“The Retreat at Cambria is the rare convergence of carefree solitude, convenience and endless inspiration,” says Frank Aazami, principal of the Private Client Group of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, Scottsdale.
The nearest neighbors are state beaches, state parks and the large holdings of the Hearst Ranch, home to Hearst Castle; the National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark is nine miles away on the hills of neighboring San Simeon. Monterey and Carmel, where the annual car auctions and events and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance annually take place in August, are 98 miles north.
“This is a buy, buy, buy,” says Aazami. “This hyper-private estate flows from one splendid terrace to another; the scenic yard overlooks either mature greenery, the vineyard-style grapevines, clear sky or the ocean. With year-round perfect weather, the home’s grounds are great for outdoor parties and quiet nights with friends and family.”
A Tour of Paradise
Combining Old World craftsmanship and contemporary design styles, the luxurious main house features handcrafted gathering spaces that can comfortably accommodate small or large groups for entertaining. Classic proportions and symmetry foster calm and restorative ambiance, explains the owner representative.
Luxury components begin at the entry bronze doors, leading to a high-ceilinged marble foyer, handcrafted tiled flooring and indoor fireplaces. Generously sized for a seating area, reception and formal dining, the great hall opens to the vineyard view terrace.
The onyx bar is a focal point for guests, convenient to the fully-equipped professional kitchen. An additional kitchenette and pantry are adjacent.
Opening to its own terrace, the master suite is a luxury sanctuary. Each guest suite has a private bath; two have steam showers.
The two event/car halls, 4,800 and 13,000 square feet, are detached from the main home; they have served for bowtie galas, charity auctions, wine tastings and other events.
The west wing leads to the home office, theater room and the self-contained guest suite.
The Retreat at Cambria is not only a lifestyle heaven; it is an automotive haven, with showroom and work space for as many as 60 vehicles. With the area’s year-round mild Mediterranean climate and one of the world’s most scenic highways close by, every day is the right day for a car cruise.
The home combines privacy, security and convenience. Surrounded by trees, ocean and vineyards, your own nature preserve has no viewable neighboring homes, and security systems are in place.
A short walk away are quiet Central Coast beaches to the north and south, including famous Moonstone Beach and the ocean cliffs at San Simeon. Enjoy whale and elephant seal and otter watching, surfing, sailing, tidepooling, kayaking and other beachcombing joys. The world’s entire population of gray whales migrates past the Cambria coastline twice a year.
Calm Cambria
The conveniences of Cambria are fewer than two miles away. With a small population of about 6,000, it is one of the state’s safest places to live. In May 2018, Expedia called Cambria one of the Top Rated Vacation Destinations in North America, and Forbes says it’s one of “America’s Prettiest Towns,” Oprah called it “the happiest place on earth,” and Outside Magazine named it “an adventure mecca.”
Downtown has restaurants, artist studios, boutiques and gift stores, a Friday Farmer’s Mart, winery tasting rooms and a Center for the Arts. In addition, there’s hiking at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, and, in San Simeon, movie-famous Piedras Blancas Light Station and the Coastal Discovery Center. Marinas are nearby.
Cambria invites outdoor activity in every season. Walk the quiet trails of the property, beachcomb, kayak or surf the miles of uncrowded beaches. Nearby Moonstone Beach features adjacent hotels, and top chefs and winemakers have created acclaimed restaurants and award-winning wines in San Luis Obispo and nearby Paso Robles counties.
“It’s all about the location and the lifestyle,” says Lorienne Schwenk, executive director of the Cambria Chamber of Commerce. “Cambria runs at a relaxed pace. People love the fact that we are tension free and friendly all the time, yet we have all the necessary amenities, from grocery stores to doctors and lawyers, and there’s never a lack of activities. There is live music almost every night of the week in various locations; live theater productions through the year; wildlife; hiking, wine tasting, lots of opportunities to volunteer and a terrific Scarecrow Festival every October.”
Aazami says, “This home is for the most discerning buyer who must have it all: entertaining, serenity, the coastal lifestyle, even wine-making at your doorstep. And, because it’s close to a destination attraction, Hearst Castle, it’s a concept income property, too: as a corporate retreat, equestrian facility or even a private car museum. Visit your dream.”
This stellar oceanfront home has been reduced to $30 million. Enjoy a video of the estate at https://vimeo.com/855434073. For more information or to schedule a visit, see luxurycoastalestate.com and www.7292exoticgardensdr.com. Aazami will be holding an open house Feb. 2, 3 and 4; to RSVP, call or text him at 480.266.0240 or email frank@pcgagents.com. To RSVP, see https://forms.gle/NrdeVhSFZNJM9bE26. Also call Leslie Dougherty in the Cambria office of Sotheby’s International Realty, 805.423.2279.
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