Hearst Castle Spring Evening Tours Feature Living History Programs
You’ll find no attraction in California more beautiful and elegant that Hearst Castle. Located high atop a hill on the Central Coast in San Simeon, vistas include the Pacific Ocean glistening in the distance. From the famous swimming pools, to the the grand rooms, Hearst Castle (hearstcastle.org) is a must-see, anytime.
But there’s a really special tour this Spring timed perfectly as daylight savings “springs forward” clocks one hour on Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 2 a.m.
Conducted on most Friday and Saturday nights, through May 19 and most mid-week nights from March 26 through April 5, the evening tours feature the Living History Program, which evokes the heyday of this great estate. Docents in elegant attire from the 1930s recreate a sense of the social life of William Randolph Hearst’s guests.
Hearst Castle Facts
- 1865 George Hearst purchased 40,000 acres of ranchland
- 1919 William Randolph Hearst inherited the thousands of acres of land around San Simeon
- 250,000 acres eventually encompassed property
- Architect Julia Morgan commissioned to build Hearst Castle
- Hearst conceived a retreat he called La Cuesta Encantada—Spanish for Enchanted Hill
- 1947, still unfinished, it comprised 165 rooms and 123 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways built to specifications and showcasing a legendary art collection
- Historic areas on property include: Hearst Castle Pools, Wine Cellar, Hearst Airport, Hearst Zoo, The Gardens
- Casa Grande (main structure) is 68,500 sq.ft., has 38 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms and 30 fireplaces
- Casa Del Mar is 5,350 sq.ft., has 8 bedrooms
- Casa Del Sol is 3,620 sq.ft with 8 bedrooms
- Casa Del Monte is 2,550 sq.ft. with 4 bedrooms
- Art collection includes Roman works from 79 AD and art and sculptures from France, Spain, Italy and Egypt, spanning the centuries
