Unique Experiences

Item Description

In 1865, George Hearst, a wealthy miner, purchased 40,000-acres of ranchland that included the Mexican Ranchos of Piedras Blancas, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. In 1919, his only son, William Randolph Hearst, inherited the land from his mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst. By then the ranch had grown to encompass 250,000 acres.

Originally known as "Camp Hill," its wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to "rough it" on camping trips. Despite elaborate arrangements with separate sleeping and dining tents, Hearst envisioned more comfortable accommodations. His simple instructions to famed San Francisco architect Julia Morgan in 1919: "Miss Morgan, we are tired of camping out in the open at the ranch in San Simeon and I would like to build a little something".

Hearst and Morgan's collaboration was destined to become one of the world's greatest showplaces. As they were planning and constructing his dream home, Hearst renamed the rocky perch from which it rose "La Cuesta Encantada" - The Enchanted Hill. By 1947, Hearst and Morgan had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools  and walkways.

The estate's magnificent main house, "Casa Grande," and three guest houses are of Mediterranean Revival style, while the imposing towers of Casa Grande were inspired by a Spanish cathedral. The blending of the architectural style with the surrounding land, and Hearst's superb European and Mediterranean art collection, was so seamless that world-renowned architectural historian, Lord John Julius Norwich, was moved to say that "Hearst Castle is a palace in every sense of the word."

The Experience Tour includes the companion movie "Hearst Castle - Building the Dream" shown on their 5 story movie screen in the Hearst Castle Theater. During the tour you will see the following:

Casa Del Sol:  An 18-room guesthouse facing the majestic Pacific Coastline. On this tour four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a sitting room are shown.

The Neptune Pool and Roman Pool:  The Neptune Pool is a magnificent Greco-Roman style pool that features unparalleled coastline views from the hilltop. The Roman Pool is an indoor pool decorated from ceiling to floor with 1" square mosaic tiles.

Esplanade and Gardens: This portion takes visitors to one of the most beautiful sections of the grounds, featuring marble sculptures and flowers in season.

Casa Grande: This portion visits the ground floor of the main house, or Casa Grande. Five rooms on the ground floor are shown on this tour including: the Assembly Room which is the largest of the four sitting rooms and once a gathering place for Hearst's guests, the Refectory which is the single dining room at Hearst Castle, the Morning Room which is a magnificent sitting room filled with Spanish antiques and Flemish tapestries, the Billiard Room which is a game room featuring two 1920s billiard tables and a Gothic "millle fleurs" tapestry, and the Theater which is the largest room in Casa Grande.