Hearst Castle visitors are being invited to step back in time this holiday season with the return of the estate’s popular Holiday Twilight Tour.
The seasonal experience is designed to showcase how publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst celebrated the holidays with family, friends and famous guests in the late-1800s. The tour features multiple Christmas trees, along with thousands of twinkling lights illuminating Hearst’s art collection.
Museum Director Cara O’Brien said the holiday tour allows visitors to experience the estate in a more immersive and intimate way.
“Just really, really fabulous stories of what holidays were like,” O’Brien said. “We know what movies were shown. We know what food was served for Christmas, and we love to bring that to life in each room.”
In addition to the decorations, tour guides share stories of holiday celebrations once hosted at the estate, offering visitors a rare glimpse into life at Hearst Castle during the festive season.
O’Brien said many families have made the Holiday Twilight Tour part of their own annual traditions.
“Families dress up, they really get into the spirit of it,” she said. “They’ll have a meal together, maybe in town, and then come up and enjoy the magic. It’s just like stepping back into the past.”
Hearst built the nation’s largest newspaper chain, Hearst Communications, which later expanded into magazines, radio and film, making him a powerful figure in American media history.
The Holiday Twilight Tour is offered on select nights through Dec. 30 and lasts approximately 75 minutes.
