Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle is one of the most incredible places I’ve ever visited. Believe it or not, it started out as a wilderness where the family with friends went to “rough it”. Believe me…it was nothing like we would call “roughing it”. They had elaborate plans, tents, pavilions, cooks…He finally decided he was tired of camping out in the open so he thought he’d “build a little something”. That “little something” became an unparalleled exotic showcase.
We only completed one tour – there are quite a few you can choose from. The “Casa Grande” is the main house – a spectacular Spanish inspired cathedral. It is spectacular – from it’s elaborate entrance through the extensive front room, exotic dining room (complete with a balcony for the nightly music) and the men’s pool room where they could retire after dinner.
I would absolutely have loved to have stayed in one of the guesthouses. The one we went through was a “Mediterranean revival” style – the plush furnishings and most spectacularly – the views!!! Everything was designed to take advantage of the breathtaking views that are available.
The gardens were exotic. You could move from one to the other and encounter an entirely different style with different flowers and ambiance. The sculptures were representative of styles and periods of history throughout the world. Glad I don’t have to keep it up!!!! There were any number of pools available, though the Greek inspired outdoor one was my favorite.