Has anyone here been to the Hearst Castle?

[bongEstrella]

Hi everyone, just like what the title says, has anyone here been to the Hearst Castle in California? I'm planning to go there in 2 weeks and have a few questions in mind that hopefully any of you have any information with:

1. What is the cheapest (affordable), closest hotel/motel in the area that you can recommend?
2. Reading through their website, it looks like every tour starts at the Visitor Center. Do they have free parking there? Or do I have to pay?
3. What are your recommended tours? I think I'm definitely taking Tours 1 and 2, but not sure whether to take either Tour 3 or 4. Any thoughts?
4. What about their 40-minute film? Do I have to pay for that? Or is it included on any of the tours?
5. How about the Self-Guided Tour? Do I also have to pay for that? Does it also start from the Visitor Center?
6. Last and certainly not the least, I know they dont allow tripods and flashes there, so, what lens would you recommend bringing? I have the Canon 15-85 but I think I'll rent the Canon 10-22 and use it exclusively there. Thoughts? Also, they'll at least let me bring a gorillapod right?

I realize I could probably just call them but I was thinking hoping I could get more specific answers from first-hand experiences from people in here. Thanks in advance!

[BreitlingFan]

It's been some time since I've been there; I can't speak to the specifics of the tours, but:

We stayed in Goleta, just north of Santa Barbara, and made a day trip out of it. I would actually suggest something like that. That way you're availing yourself of the photo ops along the way! There aren't any "close" hotels that I remember.

I used my Sigma 17-70mm and was quite happy with the results...

[jonsegal]

As I remember, Hearst Castle is a highly controlled experience. I don't recall having to pay for parking in the visitors' center, but I think the only way to be on the actual grounds of the castle is to be on one of the tours. For each tour, you take a bus up to the castle from the visitors' center, and then take the bus back down after your tour completes.

You can stay in San Simeon or Cambria, or for a breathtaking drive, stay up in Monterey/Carmel and drive down. Of course, the Big Sur coast offers some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the whole world. (Where much of Ansel Adams' work originates.)

[jonsegal]

Also, in San Simeon there is a beach with elephant seals, who are highly photogenic.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.innatmorrobay.com/img/elephant_seals_color.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.innatmorrobay.com/nature/&h=360&w=355&sz=52&tbnid=7fofzCkRYce74M:&tbnh=121&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3Fq%3Delephant%2Bseals&usg=__XLq0iYHlK-i7ippd8dNFLYlDJc4=&sa=X&ei=NRI6TJn1N4eisQPqxKRS&ved=0CCMQ9QEwAQ

[bongEstrella]

@BreitlingFan, thanks for your info, just a question, was your 17-70 enough for the most part? did you think you missed a couple of shots because 17 wasnt wide enough?

@jonsegal, i heard that too, when you signed up for multiple tours you have to ride back and forth from the visitor center to the castle, which is a bummer. and thanks very much about the info on the elephant seals! id definitely check them out!

anyone else?

[Tbirder]

@anyone else?


Hi, I'm a New Zealander (kiwi), we went to the US on '06 for a bunch of car events. One was at Paso Robles, Paso had no accommodation left so we stayed at Cambria, a neat small town. With a day spare we went to hearst castle and loved it, one of the trip's highlights. I only had a Canon S40 POS, but as it has full manual I could do long exposures, discreetly sitting the camera on something and using timer, flash turned off. The POS gave me a good spread of focal ranges, was light and didn't detract from the experience. You're right, no tripod or flash allowed, and in some parts you can't move off a carpeted walkway, otherwise an alarm sounds. Parking was free then. Tours are well worth it, can't remember which one we did but it was a longer indoor/outdoor one, included the bedrooms etc, very informative and added a lot to the trip. Some great photon ops such as the indoor pool with awesome reflections of the pillars, and real gold embedded in the floor tiles.
I'm back at work in four days, where my images are kept, I'll post a couple of pics

[bongEstrella]

thanks Tbirder, i actually got a hotel just a few miles away from the castle, pretty cheap too, i guess ill see how it is. and yes, i would love to see your pics! ill be there on thursday next week so ill also post some pics by then. thanks again!

[Tbirder]

thanks Tbirder, i would love to see your pics! ill be there on thursday next week so ill also post some pics by then. thanks again!

Sorry about the delay, struggled to find the pics. Please excuse the noise etc, these were taken with a canon S40 pont and shootwith the iso cranked up

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4813382155_6161f84f90_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4813381519_da08e6a0a6_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4813380895_733d2fb78f_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4813380519_4425a95794_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4814003878_fcd35c0b7c_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4814004210_1fb2ce42a8_b.jpg

[will-san]

My wife and I went a few months ago. We stayed at the El Colibri (http://www.elcolibrihotel.com/) hotel in nearby Cambria and really enjoyed it. I am sure there are cheaper hotels around but we got a pretty good rate and it was quite comfortable.

I think Renting the 10-22 is a good idea. I shot my Tokina 11-16. the tours are pretty tightly controlled. the thing I like about a short lens for situations like that are that you can sort of move to the front of the crowd and get good shots. If you use a longer lens you have to back up and you end up with lots of people in your shots.

Next time we go I will try to book a tour closer to sunset to take advantage of the late afternoon light.

Here are a few shots from that trip all taken with the Tokina on the Tour Number 1

http://gallery.me.com/willhastings/100227/Cambria-0746/web.jpg?ver=12705087480001

http://gallery.me.com/willhastings/100227/HearstIndoorpool1HDR/web.jpg?ver=12705075850001

http://gallery.me.com/willhastings/100227/Cambria-0680/web.jpg?ver=12705085780001

http://gallery.me.com/willhastings/100227/casagrandeHDR/web.jpg?ver=12705086870001

[bongEstrella]

nice pictures everyone! i was there just a few days ago and it was a very good experience! unfortunately i missed the delivery of the canon 10-22 so i had to cancel it for a 50% refund (thanks again roger of lensrentals). theres actually several hotels/motels just a few miles from the castle so it was all good. ill be posting some pictures in a few days (hopefully!). thanks again guys!

[Tbirder]

nice pictures everyone! i was there just a few days ago and it was a very good experience! unfortunately i missed the delivery of the canon 10-22 so i had to cancel it for a 50% refund (thanks again roger of lensrentals). theres actually several hotels/motels just a few miles from the castle so it was all good. ill be posting some pictures in a few days (hopefully!). thanks again guys!

Shame about the lens, but sounds like you had a great trip. It certainly is an impressive place. I look forward to seeing your pics.

[bongEstrella]

sorry about the delay, ive been busy..but anyways, here are some of my shots as promised..this is tour 1, which is the experience tour, really recommended for first timers..

http://bongestrella.smugmug.com/Trips/Hearst-Castle-Tour-1/IMG5534/959989127_P6jkY-XL.jpg

http://bongestrella.smugmug.com/Trips/Hearst-Castle-Tour-1/IMG5541/959993154_JHHq9-XL.jpg

http://bongestrella.smugmug.com/Trips/Hearst-Castle-Tour-1/IMG5555/960002317_T5koZ-XL.jpg

http://bongestrella.smugmug.com/Trips/Hearst-Castle-Tour-1/IMG5574/960010725_xZ7Nf-XL.jpg

http://bongestrella.smugmug.com/Trips/Hearst-Castle-Tour-1/IMG5599/960020515_5Vbzt-XL.jpg

[Sil3ntP8nd8]

I took a bus from San Fran to Hearst. And I forgot which tour I took :P

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sil3ntp8nd8/sets/72157622435849326/