The Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument, otherwise known as Hearst Castle, is located on the coast of California near San Simeon. It was built by tycoon William Randolph Hearst and architect Julia Morgan during the years 1919-1947. Although it was never completely finished, what they designed, where they built it, and how they furnished both the interior and exterior spaces is something to see.
This post’s video shows the exterior of Hearst Castle, and the next post will show its interior. Lead by Park Rangers, tours cover different parts of the property and each tour can focus on specifics such as the “Julia Morgan Tour,” the “Cottages and Kitchen Tour,” “Art Under the Moonlight,” “Holiday Twilight,” and my favorites “Grand Rooms Tour” and “Upstairs Suites Tour.” Also, there are accessible tours, private tours, school groups and a virtual tour of Hearst Castle (PORTS) for distance-learning. Tickets can be purchased on-line or at the Visitor Center, where buses take you up and down the hill.
Nothing I can say can tell the story better than photographs. However, I felt a little like a Hollywood star just by walking around the place. (Actual Hollywood A-listers like Charlie Chaplin and others were routine guests here through the years.) The pools, artwork, and architecture….WOW. See you there!