This location, once called the White Oak Terrace, was covered up in 1929 when it proved to be out of step with the rest of the project. Instead of tearing it down, it was simply covered up with a larger more expansive terrace and staircase above. The so nicknamed “hidden terrace” wasn’t discovered until 1975 when State Park staff did some exploratory work under a palm tree.
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Morning Room
Originally referred to as the East Room, the Morning Room became a space used by guests as an additional sitting room, especially late in the evenings. Tapestries were separated by intervals of exposed concrete, scored and textured to look like stone.
The Gardens at Night
The beauty of the Central Plaza in front of Casa Grande glows in the evening light, featuring Galatea on a Dolphin.
House C: Casa Del Sol
Referred to as “House C,” the formal name of this cottage is “Casa del Sol” – Spanish for “House of the Sun.” Experience the Moorish design from southern Spain, including a deep entrance court and round-arched windows, in addition to the two small towers decorated with openwork balcony screens.
Celestial Suite
Located on the fourth floor, in the base of the bell towers, the two tower bedrooms and a common sitting room were created out of once-empty space. These rooms were first used in 1932. Much like the guests who stayed there then, today’s, visitors bask in the golden glow of sunlight as it filters into the South Celestial Bedroom and are treated to spectacular ocean views from the sitting room, the highest point within Casa Grande.
The Kitchen
Explore the enormous kitchen where all meals were prepared for Mr. Hearst and his vacationing guests. The kitchen itself is full of practical devices—including stock pots, industrial-sized mixers, and early refrigerators—which stand today just as they did decades ago. Admire the Monel countertops, a metal alloy of nickel and copper with trace amounts of iron, manganese, carbon and silicon.
House A: Casa Del Mar
Referred to as “House A,” its formal name is Casa del Mar—Spanish for “House of the Sea.” Hearst’s family stayed there while Casa Grande was being built. Stroll through the sumptuous house overlooking the California Central Coast to see where Mr. Hearst lived for the last two years of his residence at this hilltop estate.
House B: Casa Del Monte
Walk through the first building ever completed at La Cuesta Encantada, which served as the Hearst family’s earliest residence in the summer of 1922. Referred to as “House B,” its formal name was Casa del Monte—Spanish for “House of the Mountain”—which referred to the sweeping views of the Santa Lucia Mountains.
Wine Cellar
Although William Randolph Hearst was a moderate drinker, he was a passionate connoisseur of fine wine, serving nothing but the best for his famous guests. Descend the spiral staircase to the underground wine cellar to see where he kept his impressive collection of wine and spirits—even during the prohibition era.
Duplex Bedrooms
Proof of architect Julia Morgan’s masterful skill, the Duplex Bedrooms’ two tall sitting rooms topped with loft bedrooms were constructed as open light wells, and transformed later into delightful guest accommodations. Stroll through these charming rooms decorated with tapestries and painted ceilings, redefining open spaces into creative and unique suites.