"San Simeon: Fruits of t ..." a San Simeon Travel Page by yooperprof

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree. . . "

William Randolph Hearst's Estate at San Simeon is a must see for any lover of architecture and design. Hearst was one of the great newspaper tycoons in American history, and not coincidentally served as the model for Charles Foster Kane in Orson Welles' greatest film. San Simeon is actually a State Historical Monument, but a considerable admission fee is charges for a tour of the gardens and house. The Visitor's Center is just off SR 1, close to the shoreline; those who pay to see the Estate are taken up the hill in tramcars to begin their tour. After an elevation climb of several hundred feet, visitors first see the magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean which are possible from the patios below the mansion.

Although the grounds of the estate are officially California State property, the family and their business associates are still allowed to use the mansion for personal and professional occasions. In the evenings, after the tourists have gone, San Simeon returns to its original function as an exclusive retreat for the powerful and wealthy. Certainly the grounds and gardens are immaculately maintained, evidence of the great love that both private individuals and state preservationists have bestowed upon the property.