SAN SIMEON, CALIF. — Way up on "The Enchanted Hill" overlooking the Santa Lucia mountains and Pacific Ocean, there's a luxury world once enjoyed by America's wealthiest and best known citizens at Hearst Castle. Some were moguls, some politicians, and some actors and actresses. Invited by William Randolph Hearst to visit his castle in San Simeon (approx. 250 miles north of Los Angeles,) the lucky guests often spent a few days at the mountain oasis living in the lap of luxury. Hearst wasnt' always around for his own parties but the guests had plenty to see during each stay. In addition to a variety of animals on the estate to rival most zoos of that time, Hearst's inner sanctum or humble castle included both lap size indoor (Roman) and outdoor (Neptune) swimming pools so you could swim with the powdery clouds and blue skies in view, or stay indoors where the water temperature was cozy and there wasn't a chill in the air.

Today, the castle is filled with crowds of tourists who drive long distances, traveling from around the globe to get a look at the opulent palace. The place is so big that you can only see portions of it on each tour. Carefully restored antique relics and priceless collectibles are kept in near mint condition, and the operations owned by the California State Parks system gets lots of loving help from the friends of Hearst Castle group. (800) 444-4445 Highway 1, San Simeon, CA hearstcastle.org