Page 64 - SLO Visitors Guide Summer 2023

Cambria, San Simeon, North Coast
Hearst Castle – so many tours, so little time
‘Something a little more comfortable up on the hill’
Hearst Castle, one of California’s world-famous landmarks, is not to be missed when visiting the Central Coast. The castle offers at least nine tours, not counting pri- vately arranged tours. Some of the most popular tours are wheelchair- accessible and accommodate visitors (with their support dogs) who have standing and mobility difficulties.
Hearst Castle celebrated its 2021 reopening after being closed for extensive road repairs by introduc- ing the Julia Morgan tour. The two-hour Julia Morgan tour gives visitors an in-depth look at Mor- gan’s life and career as well as tours of rarely seen areas of Hearst Castle. Morgan was hired as the architect
of the castle after the death of Phoebe Hearst, William Randolph Hearst’s mother. Hearst reportedly hired Morgan to create “something a little more comfortable up on the hill.”
Phoebe Hearst was an accom- plished woman in her own right, founding the University of Cali- fornia Museum of Anthropology,
among other major contributions. With Phoebe’s influence in his life, it’s no wonder Hearst was drawn to hire Julia Morgan to build his castle on the enchanted hill.
Morgan not only designed
the castle on the hill but also the Hearst San Simeon property and other family properties. As one of America’s preeminent architects, Morgan’s designs graced private homes, college campuses, women’s clubs and religious buildings. The tour highlights Morgan’s gift for design and includes photographic displays of architectural drawings, family photos and personal items.
The history
guesthouses frequently occupied by Hollywood’s famous, and 127 acres of terraced gardens, fountains, and pools.
Regular visitors to the castle included a long list of Hollywood greats, political leaders such as Winston Churchill and Calvin Coolidge, and other notables such as Howard Hughes, George Ber- nard Shaw and Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, well-known gossip columnists of their time.
The castle was donated to the State of California in 1957 and managed by the California State Parks System. The doors first opened to the public in 1958. The castle sees over 850,000 visitors from all over the world every year.
The tours
The guided tours include year- round and seasonal tours. The year- round tours include the private rooms and suites, the guest cottag- es, the kitchen and the Julia Morgan Tour. Seasonal tours, only available at certain times of the year, include The Art of San Simeon, Hearst and Hollywood Tour, an evening tour, and a holiday tour. Private tours for schools and other groups are also available by prior arrangement.
Hearst Castle is located on Highway 1 above the village of San Simeon, a four-hour drive from either Los Angeles or San Francisco. Reservations are strongly encour- aged. For directions, reservations, ticket prices, and information about the tours visit hearstcastle.org or call (800) 444-4445.
JEWELRY, FURNITURE FINE ART GLASS POTTERY and MORE
(805) 203-5350
2084 & 2110 Main Street, Cambria, CA
www.RichManPoorManAntiques.com
Visit us on Instagram @RICHMAN_POORMAN_ANTIQUES
RICH MAN-POOR MAN
ANTIQUES MALL
Hearst started building the fabulous estate on family ranch- land overlooking the village of San Simeon in 1919. He called the estate "La Cuesta Encantada" - Spanish for The Enchanted Hill. By 1947, the hilltop complex included the iconic twin-towered main building, three
Elegant Dining
788 Main St., Cambria
Dinner daily from 5 to 9 PM Lunch daily from 11:30 to 3 PM
Madeline’s
on Moonstone
Wine Tasting
Mon-Thurs 3 to 8 PM
Fri-Sun 11:30 to 8 PM
Tapas Menu Tues-Sat 3 to 8 PM 6276 Moonstone Beach Dr.
(805) 927-4175
madelinescambria.com
Madeline’s
RESTAURANT • WINE SHOP
64 SUMMER 2023
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