Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle, known formally as La Cuesta Encantada (Spanish for 'The Enchanted Hill'), is a historic estate in San Simeon, located on the Central Coast of California. It dates from 1919. Look also at Fort Hunter Liggett, 19 mi away.
A state park, 5 mi north of San Simeon
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 255K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 99% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
San Simeon is the nearest base
San Simeon is 5 miles south, with 14 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1919
Hearst Castle dates from 1919. About ↓
Best months: Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct and Nov
February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November are the mild months, with highs of 62–72°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
The months below show the weather around Hearst Castle.
Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle, known formally as La Cuesta Encantada (Spanish for 'The Enchanted Hill'), is a historic estate in San Simeon, located on the Central Coast of California. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, and his architect Julia Morgan, the castle was built between 1919 and 1947. Today, Hearst Castle is a museum open to the public as a California State Park and registered as a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark.
- Type
- State park
- Established
- 1919
- Listed
- National Historic Landmark (1976) · National Register of Historic Places (1972)
- Wikipedia readers
- 255K a year
A base for Hearst Castle
Lodging nearby is in Cambria (47) and San Simeon (14).
Cambria
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
5,978 people · 23% vacation homes
10 mi southeast of Hearst Castle
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Hearst Castle | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambria 23% vacation homes | 10 mi southeast | 15 min | 47 15 hotels · 1 motel · 26 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 5,978 | $930K | — |
| San Simeon 32% vacation homes | 5 mi south | 5 min | 14 7 hotels · 4 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 217 | $443K | — |
| Morro Bay | 28 mi southeast | 40 min | 56 28 hotels · 3 motels · 14 inns & B&Bs · 6 campgrounds · 5 RV parks | 10,613 | $918K | B− |
| El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) | 29 mi east | 45 min | 41 25 hotels · 5 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 31,626 | $687K | C |
| Cayucos 40% vacation homes | 23 mi southeast | 35 min | 14 4 hotels · 5 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 2,427 | $1,012K | — |
| Oak Shores 86% vacation homes | 12 mi northeast | 15 min | 1 1 inn or B&B | 128 | $525K | — |
| Templeton | 27 mi east | 40 min | 5 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 9,580 | $810K | — |
| Fort Hunter Liggett | 22 mi north | 30 min | 2 2 hotels | 1,119 | — | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Nearby, too
Every place here is under 56 miles away.
119 mi LandmarkFort Hunter Liggett
55 mi National ParkPinnacles National Park343K visitors a year228 mi LandmarkLanding of the first Filipinos
327 mi MuseumMission San Miguel Arcángel
43 mi WaterfallMcWay Falls
40 mi MuseumMission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
34 mi State parkMontaña de Oro State Park
44 mi State parkJulia Pfeiffer Burns State ParkPhoto credits
Fort Hunter Liggett: Binksternet, Public domain · Pinnacles National Park: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mission San Miguel Arcángel: Jsweida, CC BY-SA 3.0 · McWay Falls: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa: Stephen Lea, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Montaña de Oro State Park: BorisFromStockdale, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Wordydave, CC BY-SA 3.0
Good to know about Hearst Castle
What town is Hearst Castle near?
San Simeon, CA, about 5 miles south.
When is the best time to visit Hearst Castle?
February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November, with highs of 62–72°.
What is the closest airport to Hearst Castle?
San Luis County Regional (SBP), about 43 miles away. The nearest big hub is Fresno Yosemite (FAT), about 110 miles.
Where should I stay near Hearst Castle?
Cambria (10 mi, 47 places to stay), San Simeon (5 mi, 14 places to stay) and Morro Bay (28 mi, 56 places to stay).
What locals in San Simeon say
Start the conversation in San Simeon’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.