Photo is view from highway Community of Cambria California - Population 6444, elevation 60 ft. Cambria began as a fishing and quicksilver mining town. Known over the years as Santa Rosa, Roseville, San Simeon and 'Slabtown'. The town became Cambria in 1869, California Pacific Coast Highway This coastal highway winds along some of the most spectacular ocean views in the U.S. The highway contains countless examples of the many intrinsic qualities that make a highway a National Scenic Byway--qualities like perfect views of ocean waves breaking on rocky shorelines and cliffs, dozens of historical landmarks like Spanish Missions and Spanish settlements.