Contact Info
San Simeon, CA 93452
- Toll-Free:
- 800-444-4445
- Local:
- 916-414-8400 ext. 4100
Basics
- Location:
- In San Simeon at the south end of the Big Sur Coast
- Type:
- Monument-Building
Description
The main house itself, "La Casa Grande," is a grand setting for Hearst's collection of European antiques and art pieces. It was also a most fitting site for hosting the many influential guests who stayed at Hearst's 250,000-acre San Simeon ranch. Guests included President Calvin Coolidge, Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Lindbergh, Charlie Chaplin, and a diverse array of luminaries from show business and publishing industries.
Hours + Fees
Season:
Amenities
Amenities:
Visitor Center
Picnic Area(s)
Details
Additional Details:
Tours depart from the Visitor Center by bus at the time printed on the ticket. An audio tape program provides background information during the 15 minute, 5-mile trip to the Castle.
To start your tour, you will board a bus at the Visitor Center that takes you to the Castle at the top of the hill. At the end of each Tour, you must go back down to the Visitor Center on the bus, even if you have tickets for another tour. Allow at least 2 hours between tour starting times.
Since all the tours entail considerable walking and stair climbing, you should wear comfortable shoes. Although Tour 1 is considered the least strenuous, tours are not recommended for persons with crutches, walking aids, or medical problems such as heart conditions.
All tours include the Neptune Pool, a Greco-Roman outdoor pool, and the Roman Pool, an indoor pool lined with Venetian glass and gold.
