hearst castle with lulu*s

Lulu*s shirt, Lulu*s shorts, sixtyseven boots c/o of Lulu*s, cool bracelet tag c/o Hearst Castle

Have you guys heard of this incredible historic beauty, Hearst Castle? I was shocked to stumble upon this while researching things to do near Paso Robles - how could I have not known that an actual castle this grand exists in the United States, let alone in California?! Princess dreams came flooding back to me as I clicked picture after picture, wide-eyed at this unreal discovery. Kyle has a distinct appreciation for architecture and pretty things in general, so I knew this would be a fun little surprise along the way home (and as it perfectly turns out, it's been a place to visit on his to-do list for quite some time, so secret brownie points to me). We sadly departed our wonderful B&B and drove through the hills that captured surreal views above rolling clouds, as far as I could see while clinging my grab handle for dear life.  As we neared the castle along the PCH, I had to double take, then confirm with Kyle, that we were seeing zebras grazing along the highway (safely behind a fence, of course). Per habit, I immediately googled "zebras San Simeon" and it turns out those zebras belong to the estate of Hearst Castle, as one of the only groups of animals left from William Hearst's private zoo back in the day. He not only had zebras, he had pet lions, giraffes, even polar bears! Like hashtagphuckyodog.  Getting to the estate was an adventure in itself, but it didn't stand to compare to the breathtaking grandeur of Hearst Castle itself, as it unfolded before us coming up the hill. The first step in, you can sense the liveliness and grasp the ambition in every luxurious and state-of-the-art detail of the time. Imagine all of the trees and flowers that had to be transplanted, all the marble and all the gold, and all of the painstaking details carved into the ceilings and walls. That was done and done at Hearst's passable request for something more comfortable than camping grounds to stay in atop this very hill. At Hearst's coveted invitation, the Hollywood and political elite frequented the castle, which they made their uninhibited playground. This estate at its heyday was the place to be.

I know exactly where I'll go when I travel back in time.

It's a blessing to get a chance to see a place like this, to feel a moment in history. We naturally left with inspiration to keep going so that one day we will come back here and take notes for our future floor plans.

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