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Hearst Castle - Is the Grand Rooms tour really the best for first timers?

Hearst Castle - Is the Grand Rooms tour really the best for first timers?

Old Jul 24th, 2014, 02:46 PM
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Hearst Castle - Is the Grand Rooms tour really the best for first timers?

Hello!

My friend and I will be driving from Big Sur to LA in August and are wanting to stop at the Hearst Castle. We only have time for one tour. Preliminary research has people saying two different things: 1) First timers should do the Grand Rooms tour and then 2) The Grand Rooms tour is crowded and too short (not enough rooms).

I'd love to get some other perspectives so we can choose which tour to take. We're late 30's - early 40's women, no kids. We are artist types and love historical things, architecture, costumes, etc.

We'll be there too early for the evening tour, unfortunately. Should we follow everyone's advice and do the Grand Rooms tour, despite the crowds and few rooms? Or should we go crazy and see the Upstairs rooms or the Cottages & Kitchens.

I very much appreciate any feedback!
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 03:46 PM
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I don't think it has anything to do with first time, but rather how much you enjoy this sort of thing. I suggest you see as much as your inclinations, budget and timeframe will allow. I enjoy it all, a glimpse of a past era and how the other half (99%) lived, and hard to come by in this part of the world.
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 03:54 PM
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I did the Grand Rooms tour last month. It was also my first time going and am in my late 30's. I didn't want to spend the money to go on multiple tours so picked the Grand Rooms. I agree with the information you found. I thought I would see more rooms so was a little like "this is it?" in the last room after the film. We were on the 10am tour and the bus was packed on the way up from the visitor center. We did catch the earlier tour as they had a few seats still open, so maybe 50 people were on the tour. You can not stay at the end of the tour to get a few mins to just see the (I think 5) rooms with no people. They have guides pushing you along. Outside on the steps going to the front, I was told by one the "guides" not to leave the group. I was only maybe two arms length away to quickly take a picture. I didn't wonder off as I only stopped to turn around to take the picture and it was outside. I thought it was a bit strange and thinking now maybe a bit rushed. I guess they need to do that not that I wanted to spend hours in each room. Since I didn't go on the other tours, I can comment on them.
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 03:57 PM
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Sorry the last sentence should say, Since I didn't go on the other tours, I can't comment on them.
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 04:33 PM
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Certainly not like the old days when one tour covered everything including the pools and the zoo (no longer there, I think)...

As to the 'wandering off' story... Many, many years ago, a friend of ours managed to 'escape' her tour group. She jumped into the Roman (indoor) pool and swam a lap. Her husband snapped a photo, and she received some sort of citation when she got out of the pool. I wish I had thought of that!

wrigley32, both tours are the same length (technically 40 minutes) and both cover four rooms plus the two pools and gardens. If you go to the website, you can scroll through photos of the rooms included in each tour. Both tours are interesting, IMO, for different reasons. Only you can decide which interests you more... grand public spaces or Hearst's (grand) private rooms. No 'wrong' choice, I think.
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 04:40 PM
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FYI - The Neptune Pool is now empty . . . and the restrooms in the visitors center are closed. Can you say porta potty.

The pool did need repairs but they decided to empty it for the foreseeable future due to the drought.
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Old Jul 25th, 2014, 08:03 AM
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Thanks for all the responses! All this information is totally helpful!

We only have time to go on one for sure. It's nice to know that there's no wrong choice! It sounds like either of them would be good for us, but the Grand Tours might be a little more crowded. We may be better off in one of the other tours - the Kitchens/Cottages or the Upstairs tours. Does anyone have any thoughts about those two? Or think that as first-timers, we'd miss out on something important by missing the Grand Rooms tour?

p.s. Jean - I love the "wandering off" story! That would be worth a citation, I think!
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Old Jul 27th, 2014, 09:41 AM
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I don't think the Kitchens/Cottages tour would give you an idea of just how 'grand' and over-the-top the decor of the Grand Rooms and Upstairs areas are. If you only have time for one tour, I would choose between the two tours of the main part of the castle.

Have you watched the movie "Citizen Kane"?
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Old Jul 27th, 2014, 09:47 AM
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I would go for the Grand Tour, the rooms are the most impressive.
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Old Jul 27th, 2014, 09:49 AM
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Another vote for the Grand Tour .
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 08:39 AM
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Thanks so much for your feedback! I did watch Citizen Kane this week, as someone on fodors or tripadvisor suggested it. Now I'm even more excited.

Looks like we really should do the Grand Tour.

Thanks all!
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 08:49 AM
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Just noticed your screen name and maybe you'd be interested in visiting Catalina Island, if you haven't already.

There is a lot of Wrigley history associated with it.
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 12:23 PM
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Wow! I just read up on Catalina Island! I had no idea that Wrigley was so instrumental in creating it. I would love to visit there - it sounds lovely and full of interesting stuff. Not sure if I'll make it this time, but I'm putting it on my list and maybe next time we come to California I'll manage to get over there. Thanks for the tip!

Ironically, the name isn't really mine nor am I a giant gum or baseball fan, although I do live in Chicago! I named my first cat from Chicago after driving past a sign for Wrigley field. For some reason I just enjoy using it as a screen name.
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 12:38 PM
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Well I had a cat named Bucky after Bucky Dent, so there!

One of the interesting things I learned on a tour of the "Casino" is that the ramps up to the ballroom are based on the design at Wrigley Field.
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 02:25 PM
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Delightful!

That's totally cool - I have been to Wrigley Field several time - definitely have to check out all of Catalina including the "Casino."
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