San Simeon, Cambria
Hearst Castle®is
located a few miles from the town of Cambria on Highway 1, northwest
of the city of San Luis Obispo in California. It is easily reached
by car, and the route passes through the beautiful coastal areas
of Central California.
William Randolph
Hearst called his beautiful dream home, La
Cuesta Encantada ®(the enchanted hill©). He loved
it and enjoyed spending time there with friends and family. One
can liken Hearst Castle® to a wonderful museum with tapestries,
art, furniture, ceilings, walls, statues and other architectural
items bought and imported to the site from many parts of the world
and incorporated into the buildings. The Mansion sits high on
a hill on about 120 acres of gardens, terraces and hill sides.
It is a blend of several architectural styles and was designed,
with Hearst's assistance, by Julia Morgan, distinguished architect
from Berkeley. Morgan supervised the total construction for at
least 25 years.
The land at La Cuesta Encantada® was owned by Hearst's parents,
and as sole heir when his mother died, he decided to build on
the site that, as a boy, he had camped on with his family numerous
times. Work began in 1919. The family had owned 240,000 acres
of the ranch land. The landscaping was a special challenge as
water had to be piped from natural springs several miles away.
The gardens are outstanding and maintained meticulously, and they
are very beautiful. Also, blended into the hilltop setting are
many valuable art objects. There are hundreds of feet of retaining
wall and two beautiful swimming pools.
La Casa Grande® (the great mansion), was Hearst's home.
Construction was started in 1922 and the mansion became his permanent
residence. Visitors to Hearst Castle® were well known celebrities
and movie stars of the day, friends who Hearst brought there to
enjoy the marvelous setting.
Hearst loved exotic animals and actually had a zoo on the site.
One can still see, if you are lucky, some of the descendants of
the original zebras roaming the hills in the area.
Hearst Castle® is a must-see attraction. In 1958, the Hearst
Corporation presented La Cuesta Encantada® to the State of
California, with the agreement that it be preserved as is, as
a memorial to Hearst and his mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst. It
is operated by the California State Park System, and 4 different
tours are available. They all are fascinating and very interesting!
If you plan on staying a few days in the area, lodging and restaurants
are available at San Simeon and Cambria, just a few miles away.
The village of Cambria grew in 1866 near an intersection of two
roads in the area. The town provided for the needs of miners,
farmers, and ranchers. Today it is an interesting and fun place
to visit with delicious restaurants, nice motels, and great shopping
at a variety of stores and shops. It is one of our favorite 2-3
day trips in California.
Cambria Chamber of Commerce
767 Main St. Cambria, CA 93428
Telephone: (805) 927-3624
(Hearst Castle® tickets can be purchased here)
Hearst Castle® Tickets (phone orders)
MISTIX: 1-800-444-7275
Our special memories of Hearst Castle®:
This is a magnificent trip: La Cuesta Encantada®. One should
not miss seeing the mansion and all that goes with it. It truly
is the Enchanted Hill® and one of the most beautiful and peaceful
places that we have ever visited!
Useful Links
Cambria Online
Hearst Castle®
San Simeon: Gateway to Hearst Castle®
