HEARST CASTLE

One of the things high on my list to do/see on this trip was Hearst Castle.  I've heard about it and I love the history of these grand old houses.  I've visited several and it always amazes me the opulence of these grounds and buildings and to hear the history of why they wanted certain things included in the design of their homes. We did the tour of the main rooms which is the one recommended for first time visitors.  They have several tours available.  You can tour the 3 guest houses, the upper rooms, the servants quarters/rooms (I think), and an evening tour where you dress in the period wardrobe and tour as if you were guest there.

Hearst Castle is located near the unincorporated community of San Simeon, California, approximately 250 miles from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. William Randolph Hearst's father, George Hearst, originally purchased the land in 1865. The younger Hearst grew fond of this site over many childhood family camping trips. He inherited the ranch, which had grown to 250,000 acres  and 14 miles of coastline, from his mother Phoebe Hearst in 1919. Hearst was often quoted as saying he would rather spend a month here than anywhere else in the world.

Hearst first approached American architect Julia Morgan with ideas for a new project in April 1919, shortly after he took ownership. Hearst's original idea was to build a bungalow, according to a draftsman who worked in Morgan's office who recounted Hearst's words from the initial meeting:

I would like to build something upon the hill at San Simeon. I get tired of going up there and camping in tents. I'm getting a little too old for that. I'd like to get something that would be a little more comfortable.

After approximately one month of discussion, Hearst's original idea for a modest dwelling swelled to grand proportions. Hearst Castle featured 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, 127 acres  of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, an airfield, and the world's largest private zoo.

One highlight of the estate is the outdoor Neptune Pool, located near the edge of the hilltop, which offers an expansive vista of the mountains, ocean and the main house. Due to drought conditions and leaks in the pool, it is now drained.  The Neptune Pool patio features an ancient Roman temple front, transported wholesale from Europe and reconstructed at the site. Hearst was an inveterate tinkerer, and would tear down structures and rebuild them on a whim. For example, the Neptune Pool was rebuilt three times before Hearst was satisfied. As a consequence of Hearst's persistent design changes, the estate was never completed in his lifetime. Hearst died in 1951 and the castle became a California State Park in 1954 when the Hearst Corporation donated it to the state park system.

Neptune Pool

Another highlight of the estate, in my opinion, is the indoor pool located under the tennis courts. I can't begin to describe it or even capture how beautiful and awesome this pool is.  

I always say that how good your tour is depends on your docent.  The lady who did our tour was excellent.  She was very knowledgeable about Hearst's life, the history of the castle, and the goings on at the castle.  When you were invited to what Hearst referred to as "the ranch", you were pretty much free to do whatever you wanted during the day. The only thing you were required to do was have dinner with Hearst and the other guests and to watch a movie in the theater after dinner.  

After the tour, we drove a short distance and had lunch on the beach and then drove to a beach where the elephant seals hang out.  I have never seen so many in one place in my life! They are in molting season, which means they are shedding the top layer of their skin. It was a crazy sight to see all of them along the beach.

All in all it was a great day.  I highly recommend a visit to Hearst Castle.