Does taking 2 tours make sense?

Question

I'm visiting for one night with my 28 year old daughter. I was thinking of booking the Grand Rooms tour and the Upstairs Suites tour. Is there a lot of overlap ? Do you get to visit the grounds on either tour? I was last there when I was in 2nd grade which was eons ago and I remember the pool so I'd really like to see it again. Has anyone done the cottages and kitchen tour? How did you like it?

Answer

Visiting Hearst Castle for just one night with your daughter can be a rich experience, and deciding which tours to take depends on what you want to see and how much time you have. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Grand Rooms Tour vs Upstairs Suites Tour:

Both tours give you a chance to see the main building, Casa Grande, but they focus on different aspects. The Grand Rooms Tour emphasizes the historic and formal rooms on the first floor, including the grand dining room, assembly room, and the main living spaces. It’s a classic introduction and gives a good sense of the scale and décor.
The Upstairs Suites Tour focuses on the private suites and bedrooms upstairs. It’s more about the personal spaces of the Hearst family and some of the guest rooms.
There is some overlap in terms of seeing the hallways and main staircases, but generally, each tour has unique highlights. If your interest is in seeing both the public grandeur and the private bedrooms, taking both tours is worthwhile.

Grounds Access:

Neither the Grand Rooms nor the Upstairs Suites tours spend a lot of time wandering the extensive grounds. However, you do get some views of the gardens and terraces from the house itself. For full access to the gardens, pools, and outdoor areas, the Evening or Cottages and Kitchen Tour might give a better perspective of the grounds.
The famous Neptune Pool is visible on the Grand Rooms tour from certain viewpoints. If seeing it again is important, either of the first two tours will offer glimpses, but for a more extensive outdoor experience, a specialized tour is recommended.

Cottages and Kitchen Tour:

This tour explores the guest cottages and the kitchen area, offering insight into the behind-the-scenes operations and accommodations for staff and guests. It is well-loved for showing a different perspective of the estate, more intimate and less formal than the main house tours.
It’s particularly nice if you have an interest in the daily life and workings of the castle, rather than just the opulent rooms.

Summary Recommendations:

If your priority is to see both the grand public spaces and the private bedrooms, booking both the Grand Rooms and Upstairs Suites tours makes sense. They complement each other without excessive overlap.
If seeing the pool and gardens is important, consider a tour that includes more outdoor access, like the Cottages and Kitchen tour, or allocate some time to walk the nearby viewpoints outside of the guided tours.
Given you only have one night, plan your tour times carefully to avoid conflicts and ensure you can see your top priorities.

Overall, combining the Grand Rooms and Upstairs Suites tours gives a comprehensive picture of Hearst Castle’s main building, while a cottage or kitchen tour adds a unique behind-the-scenes perspective if time allows.

Does taking 2 tours make sense?

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