📷 Photo by Mike Hsieh on UnsplashHearst Castle
San Simeon, CA
A hilltop estate with 165 rooms and the marble Neptune Pool. Tours must be booked, and the bus ride up the hill is part of the show.
Hearst Castle near San Simeon was begun in 1919 to designs by architect Julia Morgan as the country estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst; construction continued until 1947. The estate includes the main house, Casa Grande, guest houses, a Roman-inspired indoor pool, and the Neptune Pool with its marble colonnades and ocean views; altogether it has well over 100 rooms. In 1958 the Hearst family gave the property to the State of California, and it is now run as the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument.
You can only visit on a guided tour. Tickets for set times can be reserved online up to 60 days ahead and often sell out quickly on weekends and in peak season. First-time visitors are advised to take the Grand Rooms Tour, which has the fewest stairs. A bus takes you up the hill from the visitor center on Highway 1; with the ride up and down, plan on several hours.
- Nearest town
- San Simeon, CA
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 35.6852, -121.1682
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually April–June and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in March, July–August and November–December. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Hiker-Biker Campsite - San Simeon CreekCampsite7 mi from Hearst CastleTents
- San Simeon Creek CampgroundCampsite7 mi from Hearst CastleTentsCaravansShowers
- Washburn CampgroundCampsite7 mi from Hearst Castle · 68 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToilets
- Camp NatomaCampsite12 mi from Hearst Castle
- Williams Hill CampgroundCampsite22 mi from Hearst Castle
- Ponderosa CampgroundCampsite25 mi from Hearst Castle
All campsites in California · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Hearst Castle?
Hearst Castle is in San Simeon, CA, at GPS 35.6852, -121.1682. It is about 15 mi from Lake San Antonio.
Can you camp near Hearst Castle?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is San Simeon Creek Campground, about 7 mi away; within 25 mi there are 51 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Hearst Castle?
Hearst Castle is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Highway 1: San Francisco to Santa Monica.
What is there to see near Hearst Castle?
Places worth a stop nearby: Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (5 mi), Kirk Creek Campground (28 mi), Madonna Inn (40 mi) and McWay Falls (43 mi).
When is the best time to visit Hearst Castle?
The most pleasant months are usually April–June and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in March, July–August and November–December. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)