'La Casa Grande' - The Big House, what Hearst called his castle. Courtesy of Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle
750 Hearst Castle Road
(Visible from Highway One)
San Simeon
California

Closest Hotel:
The San Simeon Lodge
9520 Castillo Dr.
(Highway 1 and Castillo Dr.)
San Simeon
805-927-4601
Newly renovated, upgraded rooms
Pool, restaurant & grill.
Steps from the beach.
Rates: $65-$135

Castle Travel Times:
Highway 1, 5 minutes north of San Simeon.

40 minutes north of San Luis Obispo
(take Highway 101 to Highway 1)

50 minutes north of Avila Beach & Pismo Beach
(take Highway 101 to Highway 1)

75 minutes north of Santa Maria
(take Highway 101 to Highway 1)

Ticket Phone Numbers:
Tour Reservations: 1-800-444-4445
Tours for Mobility Impaired: 1-805-927-2020

Tours:
Four tours, each taking in different parts of the castle, each about 1 hour, 45 minutes of walking. Stairs range from 150 to 400 per tour. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult; be warned little ones might find the 2-hour walking tours to be too much - and strollers are not permitted in the castle.

No-Nos:
No food or drink allowed in the castle or on tours. No pets allowed, either. Photography for personal purposes is allowed.

Prices:
Daytime: Tours 1 through 4 are $10 adults, $5 for youth 6-12, and children under 6 are free. Evening: Tours are $20 for adults, $10 for youth 6-12, children under 6 are free.

Special Events:
Hearst Castle is decorated for Christmas throughout the month of December; tours then are especially popular. Friends of Hearst Castle holds its annual fund-raising dinner at the castle every October.

More information:
Hearst Castle Preservation Foundation, www.hearstcastle.org/
Friends of Hearst Castle, www.friendsofhearstcastle.org/

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Teresa Mariani is a freelance writer based in San Luis Obispo who loves the Hearst Castle refectory.