By Maria Gaura
This story originally appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle
San Simeon, San Luis Obispo County (Oct. 2007) – Fortunately, curiosity got the best of me.
If, like me, you've avoided Hearst Castle for years because you shudder at the thought of being mistaken for a tourist on your home turf, now might be a good time to get over it. The famous Central Coast hilltop palace built for William Randolph Hearst has been in public hands for half a century now, and while the estate hasn't changed in 50 years, experiencing it has.
The visitor center has just completed a $5 million makeover, while the coming year will see special events organized for the public site's golden anniversary.
While it's no Monticello, Hearst Castle is gorgeous, it's fun and it has a dash of Hollywood celebrity. It's a 1930s version of "Cribs," with a professional curatorial staff.
Hearst Castle was given to the state parks department in 1957, and public tours of the site began in 1958. It's curious to realize how briefly newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst (whose company, the Hearst Corp., now owns The San Francisco Chronicle) occupied the site.
Hearst began work on his San Simeon dream house in 1919, and kept hammering away for the next 28 years; building, ripping out and rebuilding everything from the main house to the famous Neptune swimming pool.
The place was a colossal money pit, and a visit here should reassure anyone struggling with a remodel that things could really be much, much worse. Construction finally petered out in 1947, Hearst died four years later, and his heirs, unwilling to shoulder the massive cost of maintenance, donated the place to the state in 1957.
The slice of history that Hearst Castle represents is vanishingly short, especially when compared to Hearst's other castle, St. Donat's, a 14th century fortress in Wales. But that slice is wonderfully presented by the park's museum staff, and the tours are ticked off with military precision, making the experience feel less crowded than one might expect.
When the park first opened, a maximum of 600 visitors per day were driven to the hilltop compound in rattling orange school buses. Today, as many as 5,400 tourists per day are ferried up in natural-gas powered coaches, with a taped narrative calling attention to sights along the way.
We got a good look at the big-horned sheep that wander the property, descendants of animals formerly kept in Hearst's private zoo. A number of zebra and elk have reportedly also gone native. (Fortunately, the polar bears were not so adaptable.)
Once out of the bus and on the hill, I finally understood why people flock to this place, and even spend the day taking one tour after another.
Credit William's dad with choosing a site with the most agreeable climate on earth and buying 300 square miles of it. The setting is incomparable, and feels as though it is perched on top of the world. The Julia Morgan buildings feel very Californian, despite being smothered in Mediterranean detail.
And strolling through the bedrooms and peering into the closets is great fun. Every room is lavish, every window has a dreamy view and the decorating style is simple: profusion.
Each chamber brims with stuff, real-deal, old, impressive stuff that you suspect was bought in bulk and shipped to California by the rail-car load. You've got your Roman sculptures, Persian carpets, Greek vases and Renaissance paintings - it's like a jumble sale at the British Museum, and that's just the guest cottage.
Room follows upon overstuffed room, and it becomes impossible to feel the power of individual works. Fifteenth century Flemish tapestry, took decades to weave? Nice. What else have you got?
The tour pace is brisk, and security is tight - for good reason. On Feb. 12, 1976 a bomb was detonated at the Castle's Casa Del Sol, missing a tour group by seconds. The case was never solved, though the attack was thought to be related to the arrest of Hearst's granddaughter, Patty.
Our tour guide, Bill, could field pretty much every question we threw at him, though there was no mention of dicey topics such as the Spanish American War or yellow journalism.
There was plenty of detail on Hearst's house rules (two-cocktail limit, no drunks, required attendance at evening movies) and his longtime affair with actress Marion Davies, who shared his suite at Hearst Castle and presided as hostess there. (Mrs. Hearst, meanwhile, lived in New York with the couple's five sons.)
One of Davies' films, "Show People," will be screened in Hearst's private theater next April with live accompaniment by the San Luis Obispo Symphony, in a benefit for restoration work.
The tour, including the bus ride, is an hour and 45 minutes. Afterward, head back to the renovated visitor center for a quick espresso and, if you like, a 40-minute film about Hearst at the IMAX theater. You can also purchase Hearst Ranch beef, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and reproductions of Hearst Castle home furnishings.
But nothing has changed up at the Castle itself, as some of the repeat tourists happily pointed out. "It's exactly the same as when I was here before," said one.
Then she asked, to my gratification, "Do you live around here?"
IF YOU GO
GETTING THERE
San Simeon is about a four-hour drive from San Francisco, taking Highway 1 south from Santa Cruz. Taking Highway 101 south to Paso Robles and then Highway 46 to the coast can be faster. Cambria, 6 miles south of San Simeon, has the most lodging and dining options.
WHERE TO STAY
Cambria Shores Inn, 6276 Moonstone Beach Dr., Cambria. (800) 433-9179, (805) 927-8644, www.cambriashores.com. 24 rooms. Dogs ($15 per night) get special welcome basket, a dedicated bath area and pet-sitting options. Doubles from $129 low-season weekdays to $269 weekends and high season, breakfast basket included.
Pickford House Bed and Breakfast, 2555 MacLeod Way, Cambria. (888) 270-8470, (805) 927-8619, www.thepickfordhouse.com. Eight rooms named after silent-screen stars such as Mary Pickford and Rudolph Valentino. $165 to $210 double occupancy, with breakfast.
Cambria Pines Lodge, 2905 Burton Dr., Cambria. (805) 927-4200. www.cambriapineslodge.com. 152 rooms and suites in garden setting. $109 to $399. For details, see Under Covers in the Oct. 25 edition of 96 Hours.
WHERE TO EAT
The Brambles Dinner House, 4005 Burton Dr., Cambria. (805) 927-4716, www.bramblesdinnerhouse.com. Steak, seafood and Greek specialties white-tablecloth setting. Dinner nightly from 5 p.m. Entrees, $16 to $32.
The Sea Chest Oyster Bar, 6216 Moonstone Beach Dr., Cambria. (805) 927-4514, www.seachestrestaurant.com. Oysters, seafood, pasta and salads from $12 to $48 (for lobster). Dinner nightly from 5:30 p.m. (closed Tuesdays September-May). No credit cards.
HEARST CASTLE TOURS
Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument, 750 Hearst Castle Road, San Simeon. (800) 444-4445, www.hearstcastle.org. Four different daytime tours, plus wheelchair-accessible tours with 10-day advance notice. Tour 1 includes the film "Building the Dream" at the Visitor Center's IMAX theater. Tour 4, featuring the gardens and grounds, is available April-October. Evening tours include docents in period dress and a newsreel shown in the Castle theater, Friday and Saturday March-May and September-December, with additional holiday season tours. $20-$30 adults, $10-$15 ages 6 to 12.
50TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS
While 2007 marks the golden anniversary of public ownership, the parks department and local arts organizations have picked 2008 to celebrate 50 years of public tours at Hearst Castle.
The San Luis Obispo Symphony offers "A Symphony at Hearst Castle," April 19, 2008. Includes wine and hors d'oeuvres reception at the Visitor Center; a screening of the silent film "Show People," starring Marion Davies, in Hearst's private theater, with the symphony performing the score live; and dessert by the indoor pool. $500, with proceeds benefiting restoration work. (805) 543-3533, www.slosymphony.com.
Other events are likely to center on June 2, the date in 1958 that the first public tour of the property took place. Check the Friends of Hearst Castle Web site for updates, www.friendsofhearstcastle.org.
This story first appeared Oct. 21, 2007 in the San Francisco Chronicle.
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