The Roman Pool at the castle.
‘A museum like no other’
—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 privately 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 started building the fabulous estate on family ranchland 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 guesthouses frequently occupied by Hollywood’s famous, and 127 acres of terraced gardens, fountains, and pools.
Hearst’s mother Phoebe Hearst is often credited with the inspiration for the castle by taking him on a grand tour of Europe and exposing him to castles, museums, and various cultural centers. This 1873 trip would prove to be a pivotal inspiration for William’s later endeavor to construct Hearst Castle.
Phoebe Hearst was an accomplished woman in her own right, founding the University of California 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. Hearst met Morgan through his mother, who had commissioned her as the architect of a palatial residence in Pleasanton, California.
Morgan designed the castle on the hill, 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.
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 Bernard Shaw, 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.
So many tours, so little time
The guided tours include year-round and seasonal tours. The year-round tours include the private rooms and suites, the guest cottages, 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.
The seasonal two-hour Julia Morgan tour gives visitors an in-depth look at Morgan’s life and career and tours of rarely seen areas of Hearst Castle. Hearst hired Morgan as the castle’s architect after the death of his mother. Hearst reportedly hired Morgan to create “something a little more comfortable up on the hill.” The tour highlights Morgan’s gift for design and includes photographic displays of architectural drawings, family photos, and personal items.
Daytime tours include a viewing of the film “Hearst Castle – Building the Dream” in the Hearst Castle Theater at the visitor center. The film is not included in the evening tours but visitors who wish to see it can do so for a discounted cost.
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 encouraged. For directions, reservations, ticket prices, and information about the tours visit hearstcastle.org or call (800) 444-4445.
