Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle stands on a hilltop above the Pacific Ocean along the central California coast as one of America’s most extraordinary private residences turned public treasure, a palatial estate that newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst spent over 28 years building and filling with European art and antiques. Officially named La Cuesta Encantada – the Enchanted Hill – this National Historic Landmark sprawls across 165 acres and contains 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, and some of the most spectacular gardens in the Western hemisphere.

History and William Randolph Hearst

William Randolph Hearst inherited the 40,000-acre San Simeon ranch from his mother in 1919 and immediately began working with architect Julia Morgan to transform it into the estate he had dreamed of his entire life. Hearst had spent his childhood camping on the property and had long fantasised about building a proper home there. Morgan, the first woman to graduate from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and California’s most distinguished architect of her era, collaborated with Hearst continuously from 1919 until 1947.

Hearst used his castle as a retreat and entertainment venue, hosting Hollywood royalty, politicians, and celebrities including Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Calvin Coolidge, and Winston Churchill. During the 1920s and 1930s, an invitation to San Simeon was one of the most coveted in American society. The castle and its art collection were donated to the State of California in 1957 and opened as a state historic monument.

• Construction spanned 1919-1947 under architect Julia Morgan
• Contains 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, and 19 sitting rooms
• Houses over 1,700 pieces of Greek pottery, Spanish ceilings, Roman mosaics, and European tapestries
• The Neptune Pool is one of the most photographed outdoor pools in the world
• Hearst hosted celebrities including Chaplin, Gable, Churchill, and presidents

What to See and Experience

The Neptune Pool is the iconic centrepiece of the estate – a 345,000-gallon outdoor swimming pool surrounded by classical colonnades, marble statues, and a Greek temple facade assembled from ancient fragments. It is genuinely breathtaking, one of those spaces that exceeds all expectations even after seeing countless photographs.

The interior of Casa Grande, the main house, displays Hearst’s extraordinary art collection in context – Spanish Renaissance ceilings, Flemish tapestries, ancient Greek vases, Roman mosaics, and medieval choir stalls installed in rooms of remarkable grandeur. The Assembly Room, Refectory, and Morning Room each reveal a different facet of Hearst’s eclectic collecting vision.

Practical Information

• Tours: Multiple guided tours available; Grand Rooms Tour is the standard option
• Tickets: From $30 adults; book in advance at reservecalifornia.com
• Hours: Morning and afternoon tours daily; evening tours seasonally
• Getting there: Highway 1 to San Simeon; buses from visitor centre to hilltop
• Accessibility: Limited; contact ahead for accessibility tour options

Local Insights

• Book tickets well in advance, especially for spring and summer visits – tours sell out weeks ahead
• The Grand Rooms Tour is the essential experience; other tours focus on different wings and gardens
• Combine with a drive along Highway 1 through Big Sur – one of California’s great scenic routes
• Elephant seals can be spotted on the beach below the castle, particularly in winter
• The visitor centre museum provides excellent context before heading up to the castle

Getting There

• Highway 1: Located on Highway 1 at San Simeon, between Monterey and Morro Bay
• From Los Angeles: Approximately 3.5 hours north via Highway 101 and Highway 1
• From San Francisco: Approximately 3.5 hours south via Highway 101 to Highway 1
• Bus: Shuttle buses run from visitor centre to the hilltop estate