Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument

La Cuesta Encantada, "The Enchanted Hill" high above the ocean at San Simeon, was conceived by 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 estate best known as Hearst Castle -- a magnificent 115-room main house plus guesthouses, pools, and 8 acres of cultivated gardens. The main house itself, "La Casa Grande," is a grand setting for some of Hearst's art collection. It was also a most fitting site for hosting the many influential guests who stayed at Hearst's San Simeon ranch. Guests included President Calvin Coolidge, Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, Charlie Chaplin, and a diverse array of luminaries from show business and publishing industries.

Pre-purchasing tickets is recommended to reserve your spot. For tour tickets, visit Reserve California.

Additional Information

Good For

Families

Hearing Impaired

Visually Impaired

Wheelchairs

Activities

Picnicking

Guided Tours

Self Guided Tours

Rules & Regulations

Dogs Permitted With Restrictions

Accessibility Description

http://access.parks.ca.gov/parkinfo.asp?park=200&type=0

Park Hours

Open Daily except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Facilities - Activities

The Hearst Castle Visitor Center is located at the foot of "The Enchanted Hill", right off Highway 1 and houses the following facilities:

W.R. Hearst Exhibit
Food Services
Gift Shop
Museum Gift Shop
Hearst Castle Theater
Ample parking for cars and recreational vehicles

There are a few picnic tables near the parking area, but no overnight facilities are available.

Tours

To start the tour, visitors board a bus at the Visitor Center that takes them to the Castle at the top of the hill. Tours depart from the Visitor Center by bus at the time printed on the ticket. An audio presentation provides background information during the 15 minute, 5-mile trip to the Castle. All of the tours include the two 15-minute bus rides to and from the hilltop.

The tour program offers various guided daytime tours and one guided evening tour.The three daytime tours, the “Grand Rooms Tour,” the “Upstairs Suites Tour,” and the “Cottages and Kitchen Tour,” are each 60 minutes in length. Descriptions of other tours can be found at www.hearstcastle.org. Following the guided portion of the tour, visitors are welcome to remain on the hilltop to enjoy the magnificent vistas and to explore the grounds, including the gardens and the Neptune Pool and Roman Pools until closing time. Visitors can also take multiple daytime tours without returning to the Visitor Center between tours. At least two hours should be allowed between tour times when scheduling multiple tours to avoid overlap.Tour buses arrive at regular intervals to transport visitors between the Visitor Center and the hilltop estate. Each of these daytime tours also includes the companion movie, "Hearst Castle - Building the Dream,” which is shown throughout the day in the Hearst Castle Theater adjacent to the Visitor Center.The “Evening Tour” is offered on a seasonal basis, usually in the spring and fall on Friday and Saturday evenings, with additional nights added during holiday periods. These tours also depart from the Visitor Center. The guided tour on the hilltop is one hour and 40 minutes in length. This tour also includes a Living History Program with docents dressed in 1930s attire. At the end of this tour, visitors board a bus and return to the Visitor Center.

All the tours entail considerable walking and stair climbing, so comfortable shoes are recommended. The weather on the hilltop can also be changeable. Accessibly designed tours are available as well.

All tours include the gigantic outdoor Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool, an indoor pool lined with mosaics in Venetian glass and gold leaf. The Neptune pool is closed for repair.

Photography

California State Parks encourages visitors to take photographs provided they do so only for personal enjoyment. Flash photography is not allowed inside the buildings. Tripods are not permitted on the hilltop, but monopods are allowed. Please see more on Hearst Castle On-Site Photography

Commercial photography is not normally permitted (e.g., fashion, T.V. commercials and stock photography). Please see Museum Guidelines for Film Crews for more information.