Hearst Castle is a palatial estate in San Simeon, on the central coast of California. It was built by the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and today is a California State Park, also known as the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument.
What you will find
The estate features 165 rooms set within extensive gardens, so a visit is as much about the grounds as the buildings. The scale of the place is the first thing most visitors remark on, and it gives a clear sense of how the estate was meant to be experienced: as a grand, carefully arranged world on a hillside above the Pacific.
- Interior rooms of the main house and surrounding buildings
- Extensive gardens around the estate
- Its setting within a California State Park
Planning your visit
The castle sits on Hearst Castle Road, at 750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452. For questions about tours, schedules or tickets, you can call the park at +1-800-444-4445. Because the estate is large and its grounds spread across a hillside, it helps to allow a good part of the day and to wear comfortable shoes.
The surrounding area
San Simeon lies along the central California coast, where the coastline and the wider landscape make a natural companion to a visit. The estate suits visitors interested in historic houses, American architecture of the early twentieth century, and formal gardens, and it pairs well with time spent exploring the scenery of the region.