Hearst Castle

Some things haven't changed much.

Hearst Castle
San Simeon, CA

As children, my brother and I had matching briefcase-looking containers which held our Legos.  They were large, made of thick, sturdy and rough red plastic, and, in the case of my container, held all of the pieces needed to construct my Lego Garage.

I remember getting that particular set one Christmas, and I was ecstatic.  I don't think the type of set was as important as the fact that it was a higher level of difficulty compared to previous sets.  There were numerous tiny, single-studded pieces, and little did I know the advanced instructions would be good training for assembling Ikea furniture nearly three decades later.

My point is that the assembly and anticipation of the finished product was the most satisfying part of the experience.  When I was finished, it bummed me out.  Sure, I could tear it down and rebuild, but it would be with the same parts, producing the same final product.

Now consider William Randolph Hearst, who also appreciated the building process to an extreme: not only did he have grand visions of building his dream home upon the nearly quarter-billion acres he had inherited from his mother, but he spent decades building, tearing down, and rebuilding time and time again until the property grew to over 150 rooms and more than 125 acres of gardens, walkways and pools.  Housed inside the castle is a phenomenally extensive art collection, along with other amenities such as an indoor pool and movie theater.  You know, just like your parents' house.

The castle's tours allow you to explore the main rooms, suites, cottages and kitchen, along with the extensive grounds and luxurious pool area.  Feel free to take all the photos you'd like.  Before boarding the buses to travel up the hill, Hearst employees will take a photo of you in front of a green screen, then offer you a "magical" portrait with the Castle in the background...for just around thirty dollars.  Ack! Photoshop anyone?