Uncover the Legacy of Hearst Castle in California

Atop a soaring hill in San Simeon California, an opulent castle peaks though the fog and summons echos of the past. Hearst’s Castle was built for a man with incredible taste and a passion for collecting art and spending money. It feels both out of place and perfectly at home overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This historic home is now a state park open for visitors to tour and its location on the California coast makes for a perfect stop during a coastal excursion. I’ve been to Heart’s Castle so many times I’ve lost count. I keep going back because there is no place like Hearst’s. It’s a look into 1930’s maximalist style, a rare treat in the US.

A History

Businessman and Senator, George Hearst, originally purchased the land as a place to camp and ranch with his family. Growing up here, a young William Randolph Hearst fell in love with the views and beauty of the Central California Coast. After inheriting the land post his mother’s death in 1919, William quickly started construction on the estate in 1920. He and his Architect, Julia Morgan, worked together to build ‘La Cuesta Encantada’, a place where The “Chief’s” friends could visit and he could enjoy one of his favorite places.

William selected Julia as his architect as she had worked with him previously on other properties and her considerable work with his mother. Beyond a prior connection, Julia was a pioneer of the architecture world and had already made a name for herself. She was the first woman to be accepted to and graduate from the Ecole Des Beoux Arts (the premier architecture school of the time) in France, she helped introduce environmentally sensitive architecture and ‘green design’, and she was the first woman in the United States to be a certified architect with a full-time practice. With Julia at the helm and William with the money, the build took on a life of its own.

William, inspired by his many world travels decided on the Southern Spanish Renaissance as his vision for the estate, using the Tower of Ronda as a major point of inspiration. His design and style are clear, though much to the dismay of Morgan, he was constantly changing things.

Throughout his life, William had been bad with money, often needing his mother to bail him out, and she did many times. This project was no stranger to financial hiccups and Julia had to work through them time and time again. She worked hard to make things work when money came slowly, William made a design change, or ordered an antique ceiling that needed to be fitted to a room. At the end of William and Julia’s time working on Hearst’s Castle, it had 165 rooms, 8 Structures (Casa Grande, Casa Del Mar, Casa Del Sol, Casa Del Monte, 127 acres of landscaped gardens, the Neptune and Roman pools, a tennis court, an airstrip, movie theater, and a zoo. Construction lasted from 1920-1947 and at the time of his death in 1951 at the age of 88, William claimed the castle was still unfinished.

To fill the estate, William collected thousands of works of art from around the world, some as old as 1550-1070 BCE. His collection includes sculptures, tapestries, ceilings, paintings, sarcophagi, vases, and more. He was a major player in the collecting world. Art dealers at the time knew he had a reputation for buying whatever tickled his fancy so many of them did not consider him a real collector. However, now his collection is revered by many.

The castle was the spot of William’s star-studded parties, and an invite to Heart’s castle was like gold. A plethora of famous names visited the castle to participate in the lavish events, including Winston Churchill, Calvin Coolidge, Mary Pickford, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Harpo Marx, Cary Grant, Joan Crawford, Howard Hughes, George Bernard Shaw, Hedda Harper and more. Guests enjoyed the recreational activities on the estate, like tennis, swimming in the two pools, horseback riding, or visiting Hearst’s zoo. Before dinner, everyone gathered for cocktails in the Assembly room; as Hearst wasn’t a fan of drunkenness, the drinks served were considered weak. Dinner was served in the refectory, was unpretentious, and paired with classic condiments. Hearst often requested that people dress in costume for the party, costumes he provided from Hollywood productions. After dinner, guests headed to the billiards room before enjoying a movie screening in the onsite theater. Hearst had two showings of the movies he selected and let his staff attend the second one if they had finished their duties.

The castle is now owned by the state, although the Hearst family retains the right to use the pools and other portions of the castle including the wine cellar. California maintains the castle as one of its State Parks and offers a variety of tours where guests can take in the castle, its art, and the grounds.

The Tours

All tours feature:

A bus ride narrated by the late Alex Trebek, a knowledgeable guide through the castle, the movie at the visitors center, and entrance to the museum at the visitors center.

Grand Rooms Tour:

The Grand Rooms tour is perfect for the first-time visitor as it hits the major rooms of La Casa Grande. On this tour, a guide will lead you by the front of the castle and into the Assembly Room, Refectory, Billiard Room, Morning Room, and Theater. You’ll also stop at the Neptune and Roman pools.

This tour is a great way to get a feel for the castle and see the key sights. I don’t think you could be disappointed with this tour, especially if it’s your first time at the castle. The tour lasts about 70 minutes and requires stairs and a bit of walking.

Upstairs Suites Tour:

On the Upstairs Suites tour, your guide will lead you upstairs to the Celestial Suite, Hearst’s Gothic Suite, the Main Library, the Doge’s Suite, and the Duplex Suite. Honestly, the Celestial Suite, located in the bell tower is worth it alone for this tour, it’s like being inside a jewelry box. You’ll also see the Roman and Neptune pools and a bit of the garden on this tour. If you’ve been before or have time for two tours this is a perfect pairing with the Grand Rooms Tour.

Cottages and Kitchen Tour:

The Kitchen and Cottages tour only briefly heads into Casa Grande and instead focuses on the ‘cottages’. The term cottages is used loosely here. On this tour, you walk through Casa Del Monte and Casa Del Mar, as well as the castle wine cellar and kitchen. You’ll also see the gardens and both the Roman and Neptune pools.

I loved this tour the last time I was at the castle. It offers a unique look into William’s life and what he considered a cottage. Casa Del Mar is 5,350 Square feet and has 8 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and 5 fireplaces. This is what Hearst considered a cottage. If you’ve visited the castle previously, I highly suggest taking this tour for a unique take on life at the time.

Designing the Dream Tour:

This is one of two tours I have yet to do, however, I chatted with a guest who recently took this tour and they loved it. The Designing the Dream Tour focuses on the design and construction of La Cuesta Encantada. This tour is heavily based on history and design and encompass visiting Casa Del Sol and the North Wing of Casa Grande as well as the Neptune and Roman pool and the garden.

This tour is first on my list for my next visit. I think anyone who has visited the castle before, and has done both the Upstairs and Grand Rooms tours and wants MORE could enjoy this one.

The Julia Morgan Tour:

This tour is another good one for a second or third-time visitor. It focuses on its namesake, Julia Morgan, and gives guests the chance to see ‘rarely-seen’ areas of the castle, drawings, photos, and personal items connected to or belonging to Julia. Guests on this tour visit the assembly room, main library, celestial suite, refectory, Doge’s Suite, the kitchen, gardens, Neptune and Roman pool, and the hidden terrace.

Don’t Miss This

Catch the 40-minute movie “Hearst’s Castle Building the Dream” in the Hearst’s Castle Theater, located in the Visitors Center and displayed on a 5-story screen. The film features vintage clips from Hearst’s time at the castle and original scenes to tell Hearst’s story. Donald Sutherland narrates and it gives such a cozy and warm vibe.

The William Randolf Hearst Exhibition is a small museum area where guests can view vintage photographs, works of art, historical documents, and family histories of both William and Julia. This area of the Visitor Center is free and does not require a tour ticket to visit.

The gift shop at the Visitor Center has a plethora of books, clothing, postcards, and more featuring the best parts of the castle. I’ve never escaped without purchasing something from this gift shop.