Visit: 750 Hearst Castle Road, San Simeon, CA 93452-9740
Begin this full-day tour with pickup from either select Cambria hotels, Vacation Rentals or a central meeting point in Cambria at about 8:30am to 8:45am, and journey to Hearst Castle. View the National Geographic IMAX Movie, Building the Dream, in large-screen format before starting the grand rooms tour.
This tour is recommended for first-time visitors, as it is an overview of the castle's heyday and has the fewest stairs to climb. Every evening, W. R. Hearsts guests gathered in the grand social rooms on the ground floor of Casa Grande (his formal name for the main house).Follow in their footsteps and experience what it was like to be a guest. At the end of the guided portion of your tour, stroll on your own through the gardens and wander at your leisure around the Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool, just as Mr. Hearsts guests did in the 1920s and 1930s.
Enjoy a gourmet deli lunch at or near the castle before heading back to your departure point. Time permitting, stop ata localwinery (own expense) or do some shopping in downtown Cambria on the way back. Your tour will end at around 2pm. Please expect additional time for returns to your lodging.