If you take all three main tours then you have seen most all of Hearst Castle® that is available to the public. Most Hearst Castle® tours take about 40 minutes including the bus rides up and down the hill but how long you spend wandering the grounds at the end of the tour is up to you; when planning your vacation if you want to take more than one tour figure 3 hours space for each. All tours load on a bus at the bottom of the hill at the Visitor Center; you can not drive up yourself and you are required to return down to the visitor center after each tour.

Brief Tour Descriptions: All tours view the Castle’s two spectacular swimming pools; ticket price also includes the National Geographic Movie Documentary, "Hearst Castle, Building the Dream" , shown on a five-story screen at the Visitor Center’s Hearst Castle Theater. Hearst Castle® The Grand Rooms Tour is the best tour for a first time visitor; physically it is the easiest of the tours with the fewest stairs to climb and gives a broad overview of the Castle, ; it includes the huge Assembly Room, Refectory, Billiard Room and Hearst’s Private Theater (you will get to sit down and view a short film showing footage of the Castle’s architect Julia Morgan, Hearst himself with Marion Davies, and many celebrity guests).
Hearst Castle® Upstairs Suites Tour takes a look at the upper floor of the main house, Mr. Hearst's private quarters and also bedrooms assigned to his most honored guests, Hearst's prized art collection, the library, Gothic Suite, and the ornate interesting Duplex Bedrooms.
Hearst Castle® Cottages and Kitchen Tour includes the kitchen, wine cellar and both guest houses.
The seasonal (spring & fall) Hearst Castle® Evening Tours are long fun completely guided tours enhanced by docents reenacting as 1930’s guests and castle staff. On this tour visitors will walk through the gardens and visit the lavish Casa del Mar guest house and many rooms in the large Casa Grande main house, including several of the larger most impressive rooms on the ground floor like the Assembly Room, Refectory, and Theater, as well as the kitchen and upstairs rooms including guest rooms, the Main Library, Billiard Room, and Mr. Hearst’s own private Gothic Suite. This extensive tour takes approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes including the bus rides to and from the Enchanted Hill®. Visitors should take note that there are many lighting changes and is moderately in that the Evening Tour entails a large amount of stairs, 308 both up and down; an Accessibly Designed Evening Tour is available.
These Hearst Castle® tour descriptions are briefs and only partial, special tours and events are often offered and tours do change.

The Visitor Center is an extensive facility where you can purchase tickets, get information, visit the Hearst Castle® Museum Store , go to the National Geographic Theater or have lunch, shop for Hearst Castle® and Central California Pacific Coast souvenirs and gifts or have an espresso. Located at the bottom of the Enchanted Hill the Hearst Castle® Visitors Center is just a short drive from the Old Village of San Simeon where you can find Old Spanish architecture from the William Randolph Hearst days, the sandy beaches and San Simeon Pier at William Randolph Hearst State Beach, historic Sebastian's General Store and Cafe which is sells souvenir gifts and general merchandise the Sebastian's Cafe features delicious entrees prepared with pasture raised 100% grass fed beef from the Hearst Ranch serving up a great lunch with beer, local wines and espressos; the newest amenity of San Simeon’s Sebastian’s General Store and Café is the addition of a wine tasting room for Hearst Ranch Wines (805-927-4100) Hearst Ranch Wines.

First time Hearst Castle® visitors should always start with tour 1 and two tours is really enough Hearst Castle® for one day so if you want to take all of the three main tours then should split them up over two days. Tour 1 also includes the movie "Hearst Castle® Building the Dream", shown at the National Geographic Theater. Leave time either before or after your Hearst Castle® tour to see this movie.

The State of California has specific rules governing photography at Hearst Castle; you can take your camera and take videos or stills for personal non-commercial use but you will have to forget your tripod and keep your flash turned off. If you just want pictures of Hearst Castle, professional photographs for personal use are available at the Visitor Center Gift Shop, you can forget your camera and enjoy the Castle. You can't take your baby stroller or pets so you might want to make prior arrangements it is not a good idea to leave the baby or the pet in the car.

Classic Photo of Hearst Monument San Simeon, Casa Grande Bell Towers. (opens new window)

It is always best to reserve your tickets ahead of time. You can purchase your tickets over the telephone at 800-444-4445 or you can purchase your Hearst Castle® reservation tickets online. I think I have covered most of the basics but if you have questions check the Free Hearst Castle® Information Brochures or Hearst Castle® Frequently Asked Questions.

Hearst Castle® has all the tour details and tickets for sale at their Hearst Castle® State Historical Monument Website and the Friends of Hearst Castle® have an excellent Website for Hearst Castle® special events and more area visitor information; you need to visit these Websites if you haven't yet.