Hearst Castle Visitor Center — Attraction in Cambria

This review is more about the Hearst Visitor's Center than it is about the castle (because there are separate entries in Google if you're researching, you might want to look both places). *also I have some helpful ticket information!

Visiting the first week of December 2022 on a rainy day, we found that their bathrooms (all of them) were out of service, and many, many port-a-potties were outside. I'm not sure if they are renovating or having plumbing issues. Just be aware!

The visitor center doors were open likely prior to the 8:30 opening time as we were there a few minutes before, and there were people there already.

Having looked at the website before trying to book tickets - the website kept giving conflicting information about our tour choices being too close together. AND THEY CHARGE YOU A FEE, and frankly, IMO a fee that is too high for the "service" they are providing. I realize it's probably a 3rd party service, and this is how they make money, but no, thank you. It's also not fun to navigate it on a cell phone. This is my advice to you- if you are not going during a peak season just get there when the place opens, walk to the ticket counter and especially if it's your first time there ask the friendly people at the counter their recommendations. We booked the Grand Rooms tour at 9am and at the correct recommendation of the employee the Upstairs Suites (great choice thanks friendly employee!) at 11:20 (which were times we tried to book on the site and it kept telling us that we did not have enough time between the tours- this made no sense to us).

YES, as of our visit, you DO HAVE to take the 15-ish minute bus ride to and from the castle between ALL of your tours. NO, you do not have the option to stay at the Castle until your next tour starts. YES, you have to listen to the recording of Alex Trebeck both ways. If you take more than one tour, try and sit on the other side of the bus for different views. (We had no views really, due to rain/mist/fog, but it was still enjoyable) IF you get carsick- try and sit up front. This is a winding roadway in a bus that wobbles.

YOU CAN ONLY TAKE WATER ON ANY TOUR* NO FOOD, GUM, CANDY, ETC. FOR GOOD REASON.

The visitor center itself was fairly empty most of our visit on Saturday in the first week of December after Thanksgiving. It's a very large high ceiling center. They have a seating area at the very back that includes a very small walk through mini-museum. The boarding areas just outside the middle doors beyond the ticketing counters are in the elements, but you do have a roof over your head in times of rain. There is a photo booth just outside the boarding area so if you chose to take a photo before boarding the bus you can check there for your souvenir photo ($40 for a small package with views of Hearst Castle put behind you) after you come down from your tour. They will offer to take your photo every time you board for a tour (you can have a re-do or just skip it like we did). There is food there- but it's limited when they first open. When we came down from our 9am tour, they had more things out/prepared. They have some grab and go sandwiches and parfaits ($10-16 for most things at a brief glance). They also have a hot bar where the employee will prepare a basic lunch for you. After our 2nd tour , we pulled pork sandwiches and fries (about $16 a piece if I remember correctly). The fries weren't great (likely from frozen) but the sandwiches were good. They have bottled and fountain drinks. Their giftshop is typical but has some very nice things in it, including several books, some local farm products amongst the usual keychains, magnets, postcards, shirts etc. We left with a newfound love for Julia Morgan and bought a recent book about her in the gifshop along with a couple of souvenir magnets.

Overall, we had a great visit, and the Center was a big part of this. We'd wished their bathrooms were functional, but the staff was at least keeping an eye on them and even with rain, trying to make sure they were...

Hearst Castle...La Cuesta Encantada... is nothing short of spectacular. The views are stunning. The Neptune pool, one of the very first things you will see, is the finest example of a Roman style pool anywhere in the world. Built by William Randolf Hearst, who had grown too old for camping in tents, asked architect Julia Morgan to help him design "a little something...". What it became was a getaway retreat for Hearst, who loved to entertain. A place to invite the who's who of American gentry for lavish parties at his hilltop residence. The architecture is a mix of Italian Baroque and a Moorish influence. The interiors are gorgeous. Each room is a little different than the last. The ceilings in particular are my favorite. The Julia Morgan tour is worth the extra $$. You can see everything in about two hours. The tour ends with the famous indoor Roman pool. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful pools you will every lay your eyes on. The grounds are amazing. All manner of flora and fauna so well kept. Several large herds of Zebra. Roosevelt Elk, and Barbary Sheep can be seen roaming free on the acres of open land surrounding the castle on the hill. If you are in the Morro Bay region or heading up or down Pacific Coast Highway 1, it's absolutely worthwhile to stop and see my local wonder here in this part of the World. Be warned that there are MANY stairs involved. The tours are not good for anyone who has trouble getting around. It was built long before ADA and there are no ramps and none will ever be built due to its preserved historic landmark status. You won't be disappointed. Side note: the pier and beach compound at the base of the entrance to Hearst Castle were once used as a filming location for age Arnold Schwarzenegger...

I vaguely remembered visiting Hearst Castle back in the 1990s. This time, my wife and I decided to visit Cambria for a nice getaway, and as an adult, it was fascinating to return to Hearst Castle and experience it again. I had forgotten much of the layout except for the Roman Pool at the end.

To start, we were pleasantly surprised to find free EV chargers in the parking lot. What an absolutely amazing feature. We were able to park our car and let it charge while we went on a tour of Hearst Castle. When we arrived at the visitor center, we actually got to go early on our tour as there wasn't that many people that morning.

Up the hill we went to Hearst Castle which in the 1990's, that experience for me was complete fog and then when we got to the top of the mountain, the fog cleared and you can see all the way out into the ocean.

It was astonishing to see how well-preserved the castle remains, thanks to the ongoing restoration work. We learned many new details during this visit that were not part of the tours back in the 1990s. The efforts to maintain and restore the site are truly impressive.

The castle is still absolutely gorgeous. We were fortunate to visit on a beautiful day and enjoyed the scenic views from the hilltop. Even with some fog over the ocean, the views were stunning. The magnificent architecture and treasures that Hearst brought to the castle made for a memorable experience.

We had a wonderful time and plan to return soon to explore the...