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Tour a Millionaire's Playground at Hearst Castle, California

Published by Camilla Cheung, Writer

Country: United States

The Experience

If you’re driving midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on scenic Highway 1, look up into the hills of San Simeon and you may see, in the distance, several white towers and flying pennants. Look closely, and you may see a few zebras grazing on the grassy hillsides of this part of California. No, you’re not dreaming. You’ve just found millionaire William Randolph Hearst’s personal playground: Hearst Castle.

Hearst Castle is a National Historic Landmark that is now operated by California State Parks; but it was originally built as a private residence by newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst in 1919. What began as a modest residence soon grew into an opulent castle with two towers and a variety of different styles, from Spanish Revival to Renaissance, Neo-Classical, and Baroque architecture.

Hearst Castle is a millionaire’s castle with an idiosyncratic grandeur. There are several tours available from the visitors’ center, as the castle grounds are immense and are impossible to see in one tour. The overview tour takes you to the main sights, both inside and outside of Hearst Castle. From the visitors’ center, a tour bus takes you up a winding trail and into the mountains, where Hearst Castle presides over the landscape.

For the next hour, you will be regaled by tales of William Hearst’s parties and hobbies. The millionaire was an avid collector of historical art, and felt no scruples against moving entire carved wooden ceilings, pews, doors, and other valuable works of art, from their original buildings in Europe to his own dwelling. The result is a museum-like assortment of sumptuous artifacts from around the world, gathered together, incongruously, in one place. In addition to the valuable works of art, William Hearst built luxurious amenities onto his property, including an outdoor pool surrounded by Greek columns and statues, an indoor pool lined with tiles flecked with gold, tennis courts, Spanish-style guest villas, enormous billiard rooms covered in priceless tapestries, extensive gardens, and William Hearst’s own private movie theater.

You will leave Hearst Castle dazzled, but eager for more. Be sure to return and join one of the other tours sometime soon, such as the garden tour, the tour of Hearst’s private apartments, or perhaps a tour of the wine cellars.

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When to Go to Hearst_castle_california_tours

Hearst Castle is a popular destination all through the year (it receives over a million visitors annually, despite being practically in the middle of nowhere). However, there are special tours during the summer that include self-guided access to the grounds, where you can wander at your leisure. As many of the spectacular sights are outdoors, you may want to visit on a warm day, but bring a hat and/or sunscreen. There are magnificent vistas from the terraces and the gardens that are not to be missed.

During the normal season, you can choose from several guided tours that begin from the visitors' center at the foot of the hill. If it is your first time visiting Hearst Castle, try Tour One, which gives you an overview of the entire area.

Odds n' Ends

If you wish to make a trip out of it, you may want to visit the mountains and trails of Big Sur, or drive a little further south and visit the popular Central Coast towns of San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, and Morro Bay. Just north of Hearst Castle on Highway 1 is Piedras Blancas beach, where you can see the enormous elephant seals—a rare and impressive sight.

More Experiences Nearby

Encounter Elephant Seals Breeding at Piedras Blancas Beach
The cries of the elephant seals reached our ears as we walked along the boardwalk towards Piedras Blancas Beach along the Central Coast of California. Strange popping sounds heralded the huge males as they threatened each other for beach territory, while the females wailed as they nursed their young. The vast expanse of beach was completely covered by a mass of milling, blubbery bodies, reminiscent of overstuffed sausages, yet surprisingly agile. A huge male, his large snout hanging like an elephant's trunk (from whence the elephant seals get their name), rose onto his front flippers and chased another male down ...6 miles away.

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Books and DVDs

Hearst Castle: The Biography of a Country House
Hearst Castle in San Simeon, now a California state park, offers a glimpse of the high life lead by William Randolph Hearst. Though originally planned as a small bungalow at the family's favorite campsite, Hearst's building project grew and grew. Julia Morgan, the renowned San Francisco architect, gracefully coped with the continuous revisions to the project.
America's Castles - Hearst Castle at San Simeon
High quality video and a very comprehensive look at one of the most impressive estates in the world.
The Times We Had : Life with William Randolph Hearst
The was the unofficial empress of Hollywood and she spent a lifetime as the mistress of one of America's richest men. Gathered from tapes recroded a decade before Marion Davie's death, read, in her own words, the story of a fantastic and glittering life, as never told before.
Hearst's San Simeon: The Gardens and the Land
Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, was more than just a country house, and many of its finest features were outside, not inside. In Hearst's San Simeon: The Gardens and the Land, the castle's official historian Victoria Kastner takes readers on a time-traveling tour of the estate, from the beginning of its construction to the present.

Elsewhere on the Web

Hearst Castle
Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument is accredited by the American Association of Museums. Encounter first-hand the majesty and beauty of this historical treasure.
Hearst Castle National Park
La Cuesta Encantada, "The Enchanted Hill" high above the ocean at San Simeon, was the creation of two extraordinary individuals, William Randolph Hearst and architect Julia Morgan. Their collaboration, which began in 1919 and continued for nearly 30 years, transformed an informal hilltop campsite into the world-famous Hearst Castle

Media References

Hearst Tours Get a Makeover (newspaper)
It was the first time in more than 50 years that all the tours had a major makeover at the same time, according to museum Director Hoyt Fields, and visitors seemed enthusiastic.
Southern California: The One way down the coast (newspaper)
Take California’s Highway One for the breathtaking views of the Pacific, for Big Sur, Hearst Castle and the surf.

Language Guides

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