Hearst Castle
Castles & Palaces · United States · North America
Hearst Castle is one of the 100 world miracles — a castles & palaces highlight in United States, North America. Below: what makes it special, what to expect on site and everything you need to plan a visit.
About Hearst Castle
On a hilltop along the California coast halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the rolling hills of San Simeon, stands **one of the most extraordinary private residences ever built**: Hearst Castle, the creation of newspaper magnate and media tycoon **William Randolph Hearst**. Construction began in **1919 and continued, with an army of architects, craftsmen, and art dealers, until Hearst's declining health forced him to leave permanently in 1947**. The result was never quite finished — Hearst kept revising his plans, adding wings, relocating buildings, and purchasing more art — but what he left behind is a monument to **wealth, taste, and excess on a scale that has no close parallel in American domestic architecture**. The main building, **Casa Grande, contains 38 bedrooms and 41 bathrooms**; the estate as a whole encompasses **165 rooms across the main house and three guest houses**, plus two swimming pools of legendary opulence. The **Outdoor Neptune Pool, with its Greco-Roman temple facade, marble statues, and mountain backdrop, has been called the most beautiful swimming pool in the world**. The **Indoor Roman Pool, tiled entirely in Venetian glass mosaic in blue and gold**, is equally extraordinary. The art collection includes **ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, Renaissance tapestries, medieval fireplaces transported stone by stone from European castles**, and paintings by Old Masters. At its height, the estate also maintained **a private zoo, the largest privately owned in the world**, whose descendants — **including zebras that still roam the surrounding hills** — can occasionally be spotted from the highway below. Hearst Castle is in San Simeon, **370 kilometres south of San Francisco on Highway 1**. Tours depart from a visitor centre at sea level and take a shuttle up the steep hillside; the **Grand Rooms tour is the recommended starting point**. The best time to visit is year-round, as tours operate daily except major holidays. The **Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) between San Simeon and Carmel-by-the-Sea** is one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the United States; **Elephant Seal Vista Point, 10 kilometres south, offers remarkable wildlife viewing** at certain times of year.
Highlights
- ✦ Extravagant 165-room estate built by William Randolph Hearst
- ✦ Blends Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial styles
- ✦ Features the spectacular Neptune Pool and Roman Pool
Practical info
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Hearst Castle tour cost?
The Grand Rooms Tour, the recommended choice for first-time visitors, costs €32 for adults and €17 for children aged 5-12, including the visitor centre film. Other themed tours, like the Upstairs Suites, are priced similarly; tickets should be booked online in advance since tours can sell out on weekends and holidays.
Can you drive up to Hearst Castle yourself?
No — private vehicles aren't allowed on the hilltop road. You park at the visitor centre at the base and ride a shuttle bus up, which is included in every tour ticket.
Which Hearst Castle tour should first-time visitors choose?
The Grand Rooms Tour is the standard recommendation — it covers the main social rooms of Casa Grande and has the fewest stairs. The Upstairs Suites and Cottages & Kitchen tours suit repeat visitors wanting different parts of the estate, and can be combined with the Grand Rooms Tour on the same day for a fuller picture.
How long does a visit to Hearst Castle take?
Each guided tour runs about an hour, plus roughly 40 minutes for the shuttle rides up and down and the included film. Budget 2-3 hours total for one tour, or half a day if you combine two tours and explore the grounds and outdoor Neptune Pool area.
Is Hearst Castle worth the drive along the Pacific Coast Highway?
Most visitors say yes — the estate's scale and eclectic art collection are genuinely striking, and the coastal drive itself, past elephant seal colonies near San Simeon, is a highlight in its own right. Fog can obscure views along the highway, particularly in early morning, so a midday drive tends to reward you with clearer coastal scenery.
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