Welcome to our Hearst Castle Page!
Our family recently visited Hearst Castle and we had a wonderful experience there. There are five tours currently available not including the Gardens And Vistas self-guided tour. We took tour number one because it was recommended for first time visitors to Hearst Castle. The tickets cost us $24 for the adults and $12 for the kids between 6-17 years of age. Children under the age of 6 are free.
A Garden Path at Hearst Castle
There is also an evening tour available at Hearst Castle that costs $30 for adults and $15 for children. On arrival at Hearst Castle you will enter from the visitor center. Inside the center there are stores, food stands, restrooms and the place where you buy your tickets. If your on a tight schedule you should call ahead and calculate the tour time that will be available to you.
We arrived at Hearst Castle around 11:00 am and were not able to go on our tour until 1:30. If your not in a hurry then there is plenty to do prior to your tour. Once you purchase your tickets you will be able to go to the Hearst Castle Theater in the Visitor Center and watch “Hearst Castle, Building the Dream”. The movie lasts around 40 Minutes and you may leave early if your tour starts while the movie is playing.
Hearst Castle - The Neptune Pool Holds 345,000 Gallons of Water
Some of the highlights of Tour 1 are Casa Del Sol, The Neptune Pool, the Esplanade and Gardens and Casa Grande the main stop where you get to go inside and see the magnificent art work, furniture and numerous collectibles from around the world. Hearst Castle is a wonderland of visual delights, there are so many things to see on Tour 1 that you can’t possibly take everything in during the 1 Hour and 45 Minute Tour. You could spend hours discussing the art, murals, ceiling and furniture in the dining room of the Casa Grande.
The Dining Room Inside the Casa Grande
Tour 1 is a great tour, but I would like to go on it a few more times just to get a few more pictures! While I was walking I was amazed by the statues and detailed artwork every where you look. The tour guides have to keep an eye on the tourists of course since the statues and artwork in Hearst Castle are not behind ropes. There’s nothing between you and the beauty of these amazing pieces of art.
All of the pictures here were taken during our tour. The Tour Guide will remind visitors that there is no flash photography allowed during the tour. Apparently the flash from hundreds or thousands of cameras each day would eventually effect the artwork. As you can see from my indoor photos, the light in Hearst Castle is sufficient to take pictures without a flash anyway. So make sure your flash is off. Our guide also suggested turning off your cell phone during the tour and if you really need to make a phone call the other guide will escort you to an area where cell phone calls may take place.
Enjoy your tour of Hearst Castle, if you have the time and you can afford it , take all the tours, or come back another time.