Hearst San Simeon State Historic Monument (Hearst Castle)
add photosDiscount prices during off-peak season of September 16– May 1.
While tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Center upon arrival, tour reservations are strongly recommended and may be reserved online or by calling 1-800-444-4445, see below for times.
21 Reviews for Hearst San Simeon State Historic Monument (Hear...
13
30 families found this helpful
"gorgeous!"
agreed! the parties that must have gone on there....one could only imagine!
we were so excited to see and hear the stories of hearst. didn't think i wanted to sit through the movie before the tour - but we had extra time on our hands and it only intrigued us more. great started before the tour.
the landscaping, home, architecture, pools, antiques, statues & stories should not be missed. hearst was definitely a little over the top - but to see his amassed collection is amazing! just imagine the work that went into getting all of these treasures to the top of that hill!
we took our 7&8 year olds. they definitely enjoyed it - but can understand how the "don't touch that" can get a little tedious for the kids. shoot...even i was scolded a couple of times ; )
this is definitely on the do not miss list. a true treasure in California!
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0 families found this helpful
"Fun, but not for littles"
We went on a special tour with the cal Poly engineers group. The staff was very knowledgeable. Our 7 year old daughter enjoyed most of it, but had a hard time not touching EVERYTHING! The pools are both amazing to look at and envy the people from the past who used to party here. not for little people.
'11
1 family found this helpful
"Great for Adults, Leave Kids Behind"
WOW! My husband and I enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the Hearst Castle. We loved learning the history of it. The statues, rooms, decorations, furniture, and even floor tiles were AMAZING to us. It was boring for the kids. We kept telling them "Don't touch", "Shhhh!" and "Stay inside the lines". That was not fun for them at all. Understandably, they didn't want to be there. They wanted to hit nearby Morro Beach. We'll definitely go back and take more tours when the children are old enough to appreciate the beautiful architecture of the Hearst Castle.
0 families found this helpful
"just not that exciting"
We went here in April and it's a beautiful house, but the scenery around it was more exciting than seeing the house. The swimming poof area was the best part. We took the regular tour with nothing added. It was not good enough that I would return for the addtional tours. It was expensive for the experience. I would not recommend this to my friends.
0 families found this helpful
"Beautiful Architecture"
This is a beautiful home, but only that. The tour requires lots of walking which is not always the best for young children. The pools are SPECTACULAR. I was even tempted to jump in as a child. A lovely place but go with patient children. If visiting check out the gardens as well .
0 families found this helpful
"so pretty"
My aunt and I took a trip to Hearst castle and the drive is beautiful to get there. if you go during the holiday they decorate which makes it more homely. The two pools are to die for a large outdoor and an indoor one. they also have a 40 min movie you can watch while you are there
This is something nice to do on the weekend with the whole family. But once again if you have younger children you might want to wait until they are older since the movie is kinda long and walking around can become boring for them
0 families found this helpful
"For teens and adults"
I loved Hearst Castle! Absolutely breathtaking! However it's not the best tour for young children or even clumsy adults. Inside the house they have the walkways taped out on the floor. If you move outside of the tape a buzzer goes off. Our tour guide was a stickler and made sure to draw attention to anyone that moved too close to the line. There are several different tours you can take but in order take another one you must return to the bottom of the hill, purchase your new ticket then return to the Castle grounds by the bus they provide for you. It is well worth it though; the Castle and grounds are breathtaking! I would love to see it again!
1 family found this helpful
"Lovely for adults, not the best for small kids"
Let me start by saying that we really loved Hearst Castle, but I would probably not take a small child or toddler to this site. There are quite a few stairs as well as smaller spaces where kids shouldn't touch. It's lovely, but probably more of an adult tour. If you do end up taking a child...opt to take a carrier vs. a stroller.
0 families found this helpful
"Hated it."
We went to Hearst Castle as part of a wine tasting weekend. We we got there we had to wait in a long line to catch a bus to go see the castle. When we got to the front of the line they said that they do not allow strollers and we had to rent a backpack from them. The busride to the castle was pretty. When we got to the castle we were in a really structured tour. You could only see what your tour was for and if you wanted to see anything else that meant riding the bus back down the hill and paying another 15 dollars. We even hated the tour. Hearing about a power hungry man who liked to just throw away money to have people like him. Even in his death CA has taken on his legacy with charging people out the yang to see this guys stuff. This place also was not very kid friendly. Long waits to see rooms and you can't touch anything.
0 families found this helpful
"Best for Older Kids"
Part Chateau, part Disneyland, Hearst Castle is a Ego monument that is not to be missed. Young kids will have a hard time paying attention to the docents as they regale you with tales of Hearst's exploits, and you may find them amusing themselves with the silver flatware collections/
0 families found this helpful
"So Fun!"
The Hearst Castle is just breathtaking. It is definitely worth the trip. Definitely start with tour #1 because it has a national geographic video that gives you a brief summary of the castle.
Pack a picnic & head over to the beach after you are done touring the castle. It is part of the Hearst property and it is absolutely beautiful!
0 families found this helpful
"Maybe for the older kids"
I agree that toddlers may not necessarily enjoy this place, but my son did enjoy the bus ride to the castle. We opted to do the Experience Tour and towards the latter half, we had to separate from the group because my son was getting too restless. One exciting thing we did see was zebra roaming along Highway 1 after our visit to Hearst.
2 families found this helpful
"Great place, don't miss it!"
This is a great place to visit full of history and antiques. After being whisked up the hill in a bus you will tour a very luxurious castle. See what life used to be like for the well off. Pools to die for!
They are also super disability friendly and will arrange for special tours for people in wheelchairs. Last time I was there my mom and dad and I went on a private tour with a great tour guide that was very respectful and adaptive, as I use an electric wheelchair.
Also features an IMAX movie to view with more history about the Hearst family.
1 family found this helpful
"Great Historic monument for all ages"
Great place to visit and to teach your kids about the all of the artifacts. You can also go here many times because there are several different tours you can attend. The weather is best in the spring and fall. It was amazing to see what Hearst built and collected in his lifetime. You can also have private dinners here and also plan your wedding here for a hefty price of course. The average tour is between 15 and 20 bucks. Make sure to eat before your tour there are no eating facilities at the castle.
0 families found this helpful
"Hearst Castle"
This is a wonderful place to visit. However, it may be a little difficult with young children. There are a lot of stairs to walk up (you can pick different tours with less stairs). Children also may get board because there is a lot of information being told about the history of Hearst Castle. They will enjoy seeing all the pools, but they are not allowed to touch anything. I would wait until children are old enough to understand the history.
There is also a National Geographic Theater that has different showings every so often, this is worth looking into for children.
0 families found this helpful
"Don't miss"
Absolutely amazing! Beautiful castle, beautiful views, the staff is amazing. There are all sorts of different tours to choose from to fit your family. I read some other comments about toddlers and young children not enjoying this and I disagree--my daughter as a toddler LOVED this tour. Unless your child has to be strapped into a stroller every time you go anywhere (in which case I guess you can't go even to the grocery store) do not miss this.
0 families found this helpful
"So beautiful!"
I have been on a couple of different tours of Hearst Castle and it is amazing. It feels like you are in the clouds and you have a great ocean view. The kitchen is amazing as well as the 2 pools. I have heard it is amazing at Christmas time when it is all decorated. There is also an IMAX show that is cool. My 18 month old wouldn't enjoy it but older kids would.
1 family found this helpful
"Friendly staff, history, great theater"
Hearst Castle is fun, but not for young kids. Our tour started with a speedy drive up the hill in a bus with our guide, past the zebras and horses to the Castle. We've done tours 4, 5, & 6 and they've all been expertly led and very informative. My favorite was the evening tour with a view of the sunset. I also really loved the Building the Dream movie and would highly recommend it. Great fun! :)
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
Don’t miss a chance to go on a fascinating tour of publishing baron William Randolph Hearst’s real-life fantasy home built between 1928 and 1951, officially called Hearst San Simeon State Historic Monument and unofficially called Hearst Castle. See for yourself the lifestyle of someone rich and famous. Advance ticket reservations are strongly recommended.This is the most popular attraction on the Central Coast, and there are a limited number of tickets and tour times available. If you arrive without reservations, you most likely will have to wait and might find a sold-out/standby situation (especially in the busy summer, weekend, and holiday times).
There are four different guided tours to choose from. Each is seventy-five minutes long, plus a thirty-minute bus ride to and from the castle. For first-timers, Tour Number 1, also called the Experience Tour, is the best bet. It includes the National Geographic movie Hearst Castle: Building the Dream. When you arrive at the “castle,” park free at the modern visitor center just off the highway. This family-friendly center has a snack bar, gift shop, restrooms, lockers, and a fascinating free exhibition on Hearst himself, which you can visit as you wait for your tour number to be called. You’ll then board school buses for the 5-mile, fifteen-minute drive up the hill to see highlights of the 165-room “La Casa Grande”—the main house—plus three separate guest houses on the 127-acre grounds overlooking the Pacific and the surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains.
There is something for every member of your family to ogle in Hearst Castle, including enormous swimming pools; the lavish dining room (complete with Hearst’s favorite Heinz ketchup bottle among the silver and china); the playroom with billiards and trophy animal heads; incredible art, antiques, tapestries, and collectibles from around the world; plus Hearst’s private movie theater with his vintage home movies for your viewing pleasure.
If you want more of a Hearst fantasy fix, take Tour Number 2 for upper levels of the main house, the libraries, and the kitchen or Tour Number 3 for the North Wing, gardens, and a special video on the construction of the castle. Tour Number 4, for more gardens, the wine cellar, and another private guesthouse, is offered April through October. Tour 5 is a very special lighted evening tour on Friday and Saturday from March through May and September through December. The tour lasts one hundred minutes, plus a thirty-minute bus ride. Tour 5 combines the best elements of the above tours at a higher fee, but it really is appropriate only for older children, teens, and adults.
2 families found this helpful
"Make sure you go on a nice day..."
The fog can really ruin your trip! We went on a foggy day and we could not even see the ocean from the castle pool. We took tour number 1.
The castle itself is pretty amazing. It is pretty gawdy though! The indoor pool did not have water in it, so that was pretty disappointing!
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