Hearst Castle- Photography

Perched 1,600 feet above the Pacific Ocean, overlooking the vast expanse of land sea and sky, is Hearst Castle. The nickname La Cuesta Encantada was given by Willam Randolph Hearst to his stunning estate, which means The Enchanted Hill.

Enchanted is an understatement! Every corner of this estate boasts an attention to detail rarely seen in our modern society.

Even during its heyday, this isn’t how “regular people” lived. Hearst dedicated 127 acres of prime land for his castle, offering awe-inspiring views of the ocean and gorgeous fertile land as far as the eye can see.

The gardens all have statues and fine works of art.

Every pillar, garden wall, and building material shows extravagance and a one of kind experience. The home has several pools, many terraces, and gorgeous gardens.

We were on a trip up the California coastline and decided to make this part of our plans. I would definitely recommend you check it out too, if ever given the chance! Instantly, I wished to be a park ranger here, new *dream job*.

San Simeon is only about 250 miles from both Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the coastline is a stunning road trip.

Several tours are offered; we chose the Grand Rooms tour. It is a bit pricey, but so magnificent is the view? It was worth the treat!

A bus takes guests from a museum at the base up the steep and winding road to the main house. Remember, this is 1,600 feet above sea level…

Ah-mazing. Plus, there are animals descended from the original herds owned by Hearst that freely roam the hills.

William Randolph Hearst was the head of a media empire and owned a few newspapers. He inherited the San Francisco Examiner and later bought the New York Journal.

His own press was all far from modest…he was a wildly flamboyant man by most accounts.

Guests were often asked to the home and elaborate extended parties were the norm.

Famed architect, Julia Morgan, designed this home which is now a California National Landmark. She was the first licensed female architect in California, and what a layout to put on your resume!

It broke ground in 1919 and took about 28 years to complete. Hearst’s vast art collection fills the properties. Both the main house, the many guesthouses, and the gardens as well.

Even the guest “cottages” (all bigger than our home!) have lavish gardens and interesting architectural elements.

The smallest one is over 2,500 square feet and has bedrooms. The largest (Casa Grande, the main home)? 38 bedrooms!

The Roman indoor pool is said to be styled after ancient Roman baths and is decorated completely with 1-inch glass tiles.

Oh, it is breathtaking! The shades of blue accented with gold are striking and reminded me of a deep blue evening dusk.

At one time the Castle had its own zoo! I hear zebras still roam the areas, and on this day our bus stopped next to this relaxed herd of what I believe are Arabian Tahrs.

You might have heard of Hearst Castle before, for a completely different reason that of its beauty…Patty Hearst. She was the granddaughter of William Randolph hears and became internationally known when kidnapped in 1974.

The best part about this California castle is the peace felt on its grounds. It is quiet and peaceful. Next time you are on the coast, perhaps you’ll visit and tell me your favorite part!