Visiting Hearst Castle

Our Visiting Hearst Castle page gives all the practicalities for planning a visit to Hearst Castle, which is one of the very best things you can do along the Pacific Coast Highway.

The indoor swimming pool at Hearst Castle in California

The Indoor Pool

Here we give the practical advice including the location, where best to stay, the types of tour on offer (including daytime and evening tours), the length of tours, how long to allow for your visit, where to book tickets, and much more information for planning that essential visit to Hearst Castle.

Outdoor Art Deco fountain at Hearst Castle in California

Visiting Hearst Castle: Tour Choices

There are several tour choices available, each highlighting a different aspect of this amazing place. From time to time there are also special interest tours, such as one aimed at photographers, and another showing life behind the scenes in keeping the castle running. In summer there are also tours of the gardens.

Costumed actors on an evening tour of Hearst Castle in California

Hearst Castle Evening Tour

Hearst Castle Evening Tours

On some evenings in Spring and Fall it’s possible to enjoy a magical experience and tour Hearst Castle as the sun is going down. Costumed actors create the feeling of a party happening at Hearst Castle, just as William Randolph Heart held them with his celebrity guests. For a full account of our impressions of an evening tour, visit our Hearst Castle Evening Tours page.

Hearst Castle

Visiting Hearst Castle: Practicalities

Taking a tour is the only way to visit Hearst Castle. Tours usually last about 90 minutes or so, including the time it takes to get to and from the Castle, which is at the top of a hill five miles from the Visitor Center.

At the Visitor Center you collect your pre-booked ticket, and board the bus at your tour time. Announcements are made, to make sure you don’t miss the bus. Bear in mind, though, that there are also things to see in the Visitor Center itself, and a large and interesting gift shop.

Our Pick of the California Guides

You might want to try to get there at least an hour before your tour as a fascinating and informative 40-minute film, Hearst Castle: Building the Dream, is shown every 45 minutes throughout the day in the theater.

Check the showtimes in advance on the Hearst Castle Theater page of their website. If you are on an early tour or you don’t get there in time to see the film before your tour, then do allow time afterwards as it does enhance your visit enormously.

The View from Hearst Castle

In total, then, you should plan to spend about three hours at Hearst Castle, and it’s impossible to do it in less than two hours. If it’s a subject you’re really interested in, you might also consider taking more than one of the daytime tours.

There are two other things to bear in mind. One is that the tours involve a lot of steps, so if you have any doubt about your ability to take one, phone Hearst Castle first. The other factor is that the Castle stands at a height of 1600ft, which is enough for it to be cooler than it is down at the Visitor Center. You’ll feel the difference on cool days.

Hearst Castle Statue

Hearst Castle Location

The entrance to Hearst Castle is in the little town of San Simeon, right on the Pacific Coast Highway. It’s well sign-posted on your right about 9 miles north of Cambria (allow 15 minutes). Drive into the large parking area and then go into the Visitor Center to collect your pre-booked tickets. We recommend leaving heavy bags in your car.

View of the Pacific Ocean from Hearst Castle

Further Information
To find out the practical information about a visit to Hearst Castle (how long to allow, how to get there, where to stay etc) see our Visiting Hearst Castle page.

For further information and to book a tour, visit the Tours page of the Hearst Castle website. You must book in advance for tours if visiting Hearst Castle, as places are limited and the tours are extremely popular.

Driving from Los Angeles
If you're visiting Hearst Castle from Los Angeles, see the detailed driving advice on our LA to Hearst Castle page.

Where to Stay

There are several hotels in San Simeon, where Hearst Castle is located, including a really nice Best Western that we've visited. We usually stay in Cambria, though, which we enjoy as it's a lively little place. See Our Cambria page for several hotel recommendations.

Other Hearst Castle pages

Pelican Inn and Suites in Cambria on the Central Coast of California
The Pelican Inn and Suites in Cambria on California's Central Coast has oceanfront views, swimming pool, gardens, and is right on the beach near Hearst Castle.
Moss Beach Hotel
For a Moss Beach hotel just off the Pacific Coast Highway, the Seal Cove Inn offers good accommodation north of Half Moon Bay, minutes from the ocean.
Point Reyes National Seashore
The Point Reyes National Seashore is an hour’s drive northwest of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway and is maintained by the National Park Service.
Hearst Castle Tours
Hearst Castle tours show you round the former home of William Randolph Hearst in San Simeon, one of the best things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Mendocino
Mendocino in Mendocino County is a small but pretty California coastal town, popular with artists and with travelers. It has featured in many songs and movies.
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo in California is half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on the Pacific Coast Highway and with lots of things to do and see.
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica in California is famous for its pier, and beaches, and is one of the best west coast vacation spots, with hotels, restaurants, surfing, museums.
Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey, with photos
A walk around the Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey and Carmel provides lots of photo opportunities, especially of the Harbor Seal Birthing Area.
Stanford Inn by the Sea Mendocino
The Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino on the California coast is an eco-resort with yoga classes and the award-winning Ravens Restaurant.
Dana Point
Dana Point in California is the official start or end of the Pacific Coast Highway, and its attractions include whale watching, and Doheny State Beach.
Encinitas
Encinitas is a beach city in Southern California, famous for surfing, and regularly chosen as one of the best places to live in both California and the USA.
Vagabond's House Inn
Historic and romantic Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Carmel is a great place to stay with free wine and cheese and generous breakfast.
Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay is a small California coastal town on the borders of Marin County and Sonoma County, and the filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds.
Bixby Bridge
Drive the Pacific Coast Highway and you have to cross Bixby Bridge in California, ten miles north of Big Sur and 30 minutes south of Monterey.
Laguna Beach
The Pacific Coast Highway goes right through Laguna Beach, a relaxed artsy beach resort whose attractions include shopping, galleries, dining, and beaches.
Morro Bay
Morro Bay is a delightful small town on the California coast roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and noted for the huge Morro Rock.
Oceanside
Oceanside is a typical southern California beach town with a surf culture and with the Pacific Coast Highway running right through it.
Best Time to Visit Mendocino
PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Mendocino, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz on the Pacific Coast Highway in California has its famous boardwalk, beaches, wine tastings, Surfing Museum, Mission, and Marine Discovery Center.
Eureka Inns
Of all Eureka inns, The Carter House Inns are the most romantic and historic, with one of the best restaurants in Northern California.
Hearst Castle Evening Tours
Hearst Castle Evening Tours are a magical way of visiting one of the best things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach is a small beach town on California's Central Coast, a resort famous for surfing and clams.
San Clemente California
San Clemente in California is a small city on the Pacific Coast Highway midway between San Diego and Los Angeles, noted for its beaches and surfing.
Coastal California Guidebook
Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.
Monterey, on the Pacific Coast Highway in California
Monterey in California is off the Pacific Coast Highway and home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Monterey State Historic Park.