Hearst Castle doesn't have any special Christmas tours or activities, but the holiday season is a great time to visit. The big living room, dining room and morning room are lavishly adorned, with smaller touches in other areas.
See It Now: Hearst Castle at Christmas Photo Tour
The Experience Tour (Tour 1) is a good way to see the house during the holidays, but even better is the Evening Tour. On days when evening tours are given, they also offer Tour 1 in the late afternoon so you can see the lighted decorations at twilight.
When to See the Hearst Castle Christmas Decorations
Decorating such a big house takes a long time. Hearst Castle staff usually start working on it the second week in November. Decorations start to come down on January 2, and it takes a about a week to remove them all.
Hearst Castle is seldom crowded in December, but if you want to take the evening tour and to avoid disappointment at other times of day, learn how to make Hearst Castle and California state park reservations.
Hearst Castle is closed on Christmas Day.