Today his castle and estate is offered for public viewing with the purchase of ticket allowing you to take a tour to see portions of the property in various tours.
San Simeon has several affordable beach hotels right next to the ocean so that visitors can enjoy an overnight stay. William R. Hearst Memorial State Beach features a great pier for strolls, small but playful sand beaches sometimes filled with driftwood, and plenty of spots for surfers and kayakers to launch into the water for ocean sports excitement.
San Simeon is geographically located at the foot of a mountain range that comprises the Big Sur area. The weather in San Simeon is mild, with incredibly comfortable summers seldom topping 75 degrees and winters in which it never snows, except for a rare instance decades apart and never any accumulation.
Because of Hearst Castle, a world famous attraction, you'll see an amazing, constant stream of visitors to San Simeon.
To the north of the small town is Piedras Blancas Lighthouse and Piedras Blancas Seal Rookery, a beach where seals come to molt. The public isn't allowed into the seal area to protect public safety and offer these giants their own place to relax.
To the south is the popular beach vacation visitors to Hearst Castle like to frequent--Moonstone Beach at Cambria.
For those who are skeptical about spending $15-20 on a visit to see Hearst Castle, you're probably NOT going to be disappointed, so go ahead and dive in! After you've seen one tour, you may want to visit another portion of the castle!