Thanks for sharing awesome pics. There are many other avenues to pursue. Since we live near San Simeon, the 9th year is a trip to Hearst Castle .. .. .. 4 down and one kid to go, we will take him up the enchanted hill next week. That is crazy, in an amazing way! Then you’ll be introduced to your tour guide and given an introduction about the rules of the tours and the building of the property. Call (805) 927-2070 to arrange a private tour. The ADA Accessible Grand Rooms tour covers sections of the garden, the two pools, and the main room highlights within Casa Grande including the Assembly Room, Refectory, Billiard Room, and the Theater. After the bus ride back down to the Visitor’s Center, we grabbed some food at the cafeteria style dining area called Chief’s Galley Cafe at the Visitor Center. We recommend watching this before your tour if you have time, but you can also watch it after your tour. Overall Thoughts on Visiting Hearst Castle, Tips for Making the Most of your Visit to Hearst Castle. It is in such a gorgeous location as well. This includes the oldest antiquity in Hearst’s collection which are granite figures and heads of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet dating to the 18th and 19th dynasties (approximately 1550 BC to 1189 BC). Young William first visited Europe with his mother at the age of 10. First, a brief history of Hearst Castle (without giving away the tour). When we got to the visitor centre we picked up our wristbands and lined up at Gate 1 for the bus ride to the castle. Woodhouse, an English humorist, was a guest at Hearst Castle along with his wife Ethel and dog Winks in 1931. Twice? The nearest bus stop is Hearst Castle, which is just a 1 minute walk from the Visitor Center. Hearst and Morgan started their project in 1919 and construction would continue on the hill until 1947! So this summer when we decided to hit the coast again, we made sure to do some online bookings for a tour, several days before we actually visited Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA. But if you add in the 40-minute film at the Visitor Center, the bus ride up and down the hill, free time exploring the gardens, and a stop at the exhibition and gift shop you can easily spend a full morning or afternoon here. William Randolph Hearst became well-known for his participation in politics, use of yellow journalism, extensive artwork collection, and his long-term affair with actress Marion Davies. After each tour, you can explore the gardens, outdoor art, and two pools at your leisure so I would definitely make time for this and there are great views from the top of the hill. We didn’t stop with the kids though – too pricey for an attraction they weren’t interested in. With a larger group, it can be a bit crowded inside the buildings since at times you have to walk almost single file to stay on the tour carpeting to prevent damage to the original floors and rugs. The one thing that I might suggest is for visitors to pursue a particular interest. There is a total of 161 rooms across these four buildings! Unfortunately, when we got there, we were told that all the tours for the day were sold out. Although I had heard of it. But I never did go and have a look up close. After the bus arrives at the Hilltop, you’ll be sorted into the appropriate group based on the tour ticket you purchased. This is a popular area to stay the night, so be prepared for higher than usual prices, especially in the summer and around holidays. I appreciate the insider’s scoop on how to make the most of a visit to this fascinating place.