Grand Rooms Tour - Hearst Castle

70 min. guided tour

Best for first-time visitors, this overview of Hearst Castle offers an itinerary through the main building called Casa Grande: the Assembly Room, Refectory, Morning Room, Billiard Room and Theater. Tours begin outdoors with several stairs to negotiate on the terraces.

Includes ticket to “Building the Dream” at Hearst Castle Theater

Physical Requirements:

The Grand Rooms Tour is 70 minutes long and includes approximately 140 steps, both up and down, and 2/3-mile walk. An Accessibly Designed Grand Rooms Tour is also available for those who may have difficulty standing and walking for extended periods of time. It is wheelchair accessible.

$35 Adults | $18 Children (5-12)

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Assembly Room

Gather in the grand social room on the ground floor of Casa Grande just as W. R. Hearst’s guests did decades ago for cocktails, conversation, and to meet their host. Admire the magnificent room’s walnut paneling, Renaissance and Baroque tapestries and masterpieces of neoclassical sculpture.

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Refectory

Mr. Hearst and architect Julia Morgan named the dining room after the word for a monastery’s dining hall. Its high windows, bright silk banners, and gleaming silver candlesticks convey the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, but the mustard and ketchup bottles show that Mr. Hearst liked to keep things informal at his ranch.

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Billiard Room

The Billiard Room was a popular spot, where guests could relax and play both billiards and pool. This room is decorated with a variety of gaming themes, but it also boasts a 15th century Spanish ceiling painted with scenes of courtly life, in addition to a Flemish tapestry from 1500.

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Theater

The Theater is where W. R. Hearst and Hollywood film star Marion Davies joined guests every night to watch a full-length movie and newsreel. Today, as a guest of the Castle, you’ll be able to view historic Castle footage with moving images of Mr. Hearst and his guests.

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The Gardens

The gardens of Hearst Castle were thoughtfully designed by Julia Morgan and a team of landscape architects. The plantings were chosen to complement each cottage’s color scheme. In discussing plans for the gardens, Mr. Hearst wrote to Julia Morgan, “I think a profusion and confusion of blooms there would be attractive.”

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Roman Pool

The 205,000-gallon (780,000 liters) Roman Pool is the final stop on all tour experiences, exemplifying the luxury and craftsmanship throughout the estate. Intricate mosaics accented with 24-karat gold leaf surround the pool and its marble statues.

Explore Other Tours

Upstairs Suites Tour

Explore the upper floors of the architectural wonder called  Casa Grande.

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Cottages & Kitchen Tour

Tour some of the most personal rooms of the property and some of its most practical ones.

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Julia Morgan Tour

Discover the life and career of Julia Morgan, the architect who designed Hearst Castle.

Tour details

All Tours include

A bus Ride to and From the Castle. Board the Hearst Castle bus at the Visitor Center to start your 5-mile ascent to the top of the Enchanted Hill—a journey narrated by Alex Trebek of Jeopardy!

After you’ve finished touring, board the bus to head back to the Visitor Center, and experience a new route home, including the vestiges of the “bear pits” that were built for Hearst’s renowned private Zoo.

Hearst Castle Tour Rules

Reservation Change And Cancellation Policy

Reservations are strongly encouraged. Reservations can be made, changed, or canceled at ReserveCalifornia.com or by calling 1-800-444-4445. Changes to tour date or time: no additional charge if made in advance. A non-refundable registration fee per ticket will be charged for cancellations.