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Keys to the Coast: From Hollywood to the Hearst Castle 

From Hollywood, the 221-mile journey to Hearst Castle was longer than you might think.

From Hollywood, the 221-mile journey to Hearst Castle was longer than you might think.

Follow in the path of the stars along the Central Coast

Donna Polizzi is a regional travel expert and founder of Keys2TheCoast.com, a free travel resource that gives honest recommendations based on personal experiences to help uncover local treasures. Wine, dine, explore and more on the California Central Coast. 

Donna Polizzi is a regional travel expert and founder of Keys2TheCoast.com, a free travel resource that gives honest recommendations based on personal experiences to help uncover local treasures. Wine, dine, explore and more on the California Central Coast.

By Donna Polizzi of Keys to the Coast

Living on the California Central Coast is like living the dream. The mountains and ocean views are simply awe-inspiring. It’s no wonder tourists flock from around the world to visit the numerous cities in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties.

Would you be surprised to know that it was no different in the early 1900’s? Let’s narrow the scope and simply look at the trek taken by numerous famous movie stars who came from Hollywood and the surrounding areas to accept invitations from the late William Randolph Hearst to visit his famous Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Architect Julia Morgan built and added to Hearst Castle from 1919 to 1947. Today it is a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark.

At one time, Hearst owned one-fourth of the world’s art, much of it bought from castles and manor houses throughout Europe after World War I, which was fought from 1914-1918. It is estimated today that Hearst Castle is worth $240,000,000. Over 25,000 priceless artifacts are held within the castle walls.

The Castle, also known as the “Ranch,” has seduced moguls, politicians and stars from the silver screen for nearly a century. The 90,000 square foot castle, surrounded by 128 square miles of privately owned ranch land and Heart’s personal zoo, has cast a spell on visitors since the 1920’s.

Can you imagine how thrilling it would be to open your mailbox and receive an invitation from William Randolph Hearst?

A peek of the Santa Maria Inn through the rose garden.

A peek of the Santa Maria Inn through the rose garden.

From Hollywood, the 221-mile journey to Hearst Castle was longer than you might think. Speed limits in the 1920s were very low, since most roads were still unpaved and one could only travel approximately 10-30 miles per hour by automobile, due to the vehicle’s unsophisticated two-wheel braking systems. If you’re doing the math, it would take approximately eleven hours if you drove straight through from Hollywood to San Simeon without any breaks, if you drove at the average speed of 20 miles per hour.

In 1917, California’s El Camino Real was the current Broadway, then a dirt road through the Santa Maria Valley. Frank McCoy saw a need for a nice hotel in the area and built the now Historic Santa Maria Inn. It was, and still is, the perfect place for travelers traveling midway on the California Coast. The stories that can be told of the Santa Maria Inn are riveting.

Santa Maria was the place that the privileged stopped to rest and party on their trip to the castle. The rosters at the Santa Maria Inn read like a Who’s Who of Hollywood icons from the 1920’s through 1940’s.

Once you pass through the Inn’s revolving door, you’ll understand the allure. Charming, warm and classy are what come to mind. The architecture and gardens are magnificent.

Today, 30 rooms at the Inn have stars with names on the doors so guests can actually stay in a rooms where John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Shirley Temple, Rudolph Valentino, and so many others partied, entertained and slept. The list is long and I can’t help but think of rip-roaring good times that were had. Ohhh, if the walls could talk.

Famous stars that have stayed at the Santa Maria Inn.

Famous stars that have stayed at the Santa Maria Inn.

The allure of the Santa Maria Inn still holds true today. On May 16, 2017, the Historic Santa Maria Inn will celebrate its 100-year Anniversary.

Charlie Chaplin was so impressed that he and a few investors decided to build an upscale facility of their own. In 1928, the Montecito Inn on Coast Village Road was born. I asked Jon-Luc Garon, the General Manager at the Santa Maria Inn, if the Inn still draws famous people from near and far.

“The Santa Maria Inn has a steady flow of prominent people,” he said. “TJ Thyne, the actor from Bones, was recently here. Other known talents like James Hetfield, the lead singer of Metallica, actor Kiefer Sutherland and former Lakers Coach Phil Jackson are a few that come to mind. This can be an exciting place to manage,” said Garon.

Back in the day, if you ran into Jimmy Stewart at the Santa Maria inn, my guess is that he would tell us, “It’s a wonderful life.”

 

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