Travel in time at Hearst Castle

Amit Somani

Amazing work of architecture. Definitely recommend a visit. Breathtaking views, stunning landscaping, exquisite and opulent. Very interesting to learn how it was built and the tremendous amount of work, planning, detail, and effort that went into creating this masterpiece, especially for its time. The tour takes about 2 hours so plan accordingly. There is sufficient parking. It was closed until May of this year due to Covid but is now open again.

Cadeyrn Craig

I didn’t expect to enjoy this castle as much as I did. But the whole family loved it. A castle, art gallery and a beautiful view with a wild story of it being built and the the people that stayed here. It is way better than it sounds and well worth the time to take a tour. We took the introduction tour and it was fantastic… Highly recommend a visit here if you’re in the area or passing by in the coast.

Pranab

A magnificent 'castle' (it's more of a super luxury mansion and estate) nestled atop a mountain, approached by tour buses from the Visitor Center at San Simeon beside the Pacific coast. Tickets are at $30 per head (adults) per tour. Tour buses take up visitors from the centre, up along winding mountain roads to the castle. There is an interesting narrative that plays on the 20 minute bus journey each way, to and from the castle, but, sadly, parts of it are drowned out by the loud engine noise (I'm surprised they don't run electric buses here, can't say why). The view from this journey up and down, of the ranches, the hill side and the coastline are simply breathtaking. The private Hearst airfield too can be seen from this winding hill side journey. The 'castle' itself appears like a church or a cathedral, with evidence of Italian and Spanish architecture. The terraces and gardens, the awesome Neptune pool, the guest cottages, the grand (Welcome) room and the refectory, the pool room, theatre, the indoor pool - all exceptionally well maintained. The castle exudes splendor, finesse, grandeur and extreme opulence, but is a treat for the eyes. The castle grounds show immaculate upkeep. There are various tours available, but possibly the grand rooms tour is the one that one should go for if it's their first visit. The tours are conducted by eloquent guides who have become pretty well versed with the history and narratives of the castle and make the visit interesting.

Ricardo Melendrez

A historical landmark an actual artifact overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Breath taking views and wonderful sights around the castle. The restaurant is good, one can try the beef raised on location, it's succulent on their burgers. Over-all it was a nice getaway from the monotonous grind that LA life is. I recommend purchasing your tickets online; walk in obtain your wristband and have a seat. In addition, wearing a mask is recommended but not mandatory since people are inside a bus just keep it safe.

Becky Tran

Definitely a must see at least once in your life! As a California native, it took almost 30 years before I came here and it was breathtaking. It's a lot more isolated than I thought and the castle is really up there (15 minute bus ride from the visitor's center). We did the Grand Rooms tour and it felt very quick. I'd recommend booking multiple different tours if you want to see more because after one your - there's a lot more to see. We got Poppy as our tour guide and she was delightful - she was so knowledgeable and took one off questions from everyone. For being so close to the coast, it gets surprisingly warm - so try to book your tour early in the morning.