I am almost decided to take the Hearst Castle Experience Tour on our trip.

Me, my spouse, and 3 daughters - 11, 13, and 14.

On their website it says this 1hr 45min tour; includes the "Building the Dream" film - 40 min long.

Does that mean that only 1hr is left for the tour itself, including bus up/down?

Also; do you have time at the end of the tour , before reboarding the bus, for looking out at the views (fog permitting)?

Yes, I think the hour includes the bus ride up. It is a great experience and majestic site but too bad they are using it as a cash cow. Why four different tours all including the pools? To milk more money, of course. A solid 90 minute tour could include all areas. For someone to see the whole place he has to keep going up and down the hill all day. Silly.

So, this tour is NOT 1 hr 45 min, plus 40 minutes for the film?

And they allow NO extra time for looking over the views before reboarding the bus?

If it is only 1 hour walking through the castle; I am not sure that is worth $84 to me.

The film can be viwed anytime--before or after. I'm pretty sure the tour is an hour including up and down. The guide talks for about 5 minutes at the pool area but then they herd you to the next room and with another tour soon on your heels, I don't recall any loitering time by the pool. I've taken 2 tours which tells you I really like the location and abience of the place but the tour seems more like a sneak glimpse rather than a place to savor.

I think I will pass on Hearst Castle.

If you take the Experience Tour; it is only 1 hour long (after watching the film). Plus it seems too guided.

And if you want to take more time to see the castle; you'd probably take 2 to 3 of the other tours -- at $168 to $252 for the 5 of us, that seems too expensive; not to mention the fact that you bus up/down each time.

Oh well -- we can now spend more time on more "outdoor" activities; which my daughters will probably like more anyway!

And, I don't mean to "knock" Hearst Castle -- sounds like a wonderful place to visit, just not for us.

The Hearst Castle is absolutely amazing. I think your daughters would really enjoy it.

The Hearst Castle is really a unique experience -- you won't find anything else like it in the US. Just to see what enormous wealth Hearst had and the possessions he accumulated (art, tapestries, ceilings from Europe) -- the experience really can't be duplicated. The grounds are beautiful -- fabulous roses. I've been many times and always enjoy it and learn something new each time.

I traveled down via the coast from Monterry to the Hearst Castle as a day trip and the tour was the 14 year old's highlight of the entire California vacation. In fact, we crossed paths 10 years later when she was an adult - and the Hearst pool was the first thing she mentioned.

"Good value" is in the eye of the beholder.

I don't understand the reasoning that you need to take 2 or 3 tours total to "see" the Hearst Castle.

It would be on my "must do" list if I were doing the trip you are describing.

My parents took us to CA during my senior year in high school. We did the drive down the coast and stopped at Hearst Castle and did the tour - it was amazing. I don't know what kind of "value" tag one can put on such a unique experience. I can't imagine any tour of Hearst Castle being "too guided" since you really need to take the tour and have a guide to point out where all the beautiful things came from and the stories behind them all. I guess if you don't have much interest in history or art, it would be a waste of time & money, but if you do, don't miss it.

Sorry to hijack the post, but could I take a 2 y/o on the tour? We're hoping to go this summer.

I took my 3-year old to Hearst Castle this past winter. It was okay - but the history/commentary is a bit long for her. The views are beautiful and she enjoyed the bus ride up.