Be honest, you play the What-If-I-Had-Millions-Of-Dollars Game. You dream of the house you would build, where you would live, how you would spend the millions. Some people don't just play this game, they know the reality of life with seemingly limitless amounts of money. One of these individuals was William Randolph Hearst. He inherited his fortune, created even more wealth in the newspaper industry, and built homes all over the world.

Perhaps his most famous residence was the vacation home he called “The Ranch,” the universally known Hearst Castle. Located along Highway 1 on the California Coastin San Simeon, Hearst Castle is now a part of the California State Parks system and a lasting tribute to one man's dream and fortune. Tours of the grounds and the buildings are conducted year-round and make Hearst Castle a unique family destination.

Getting around Hearst Castle

Since the Castle is located five miles uphill from the highway, visitors park for free in the Visitor's Center parking lot at the base of the hill and ride a bus to the Castle. This bus ride helps guests feel transported back to 1920s and ‘30s, when the Castle was the most coveted getaway location of the rich and famous, by playing prerecorded facts about the Castle over the speakers of the bus.

If your tour is lucky you may see zebras as you wind your way up the mountain. These zebras were some of the exotic animals Hearst acquired for his zoo and they still roam the property. Most often, they mingle and move with the herds of cows grazing the 250,000 acres of Hearst-owned land surrounding the Castle. So if you see a strange-looking cow, look closer, you might be seeing a zebra!

Tour 1 at Hearst Castle

We took Tour 1, considered the best tour for first-time guests. The one hour and forty-five minute tour includes Casa Grande,the two pools, the gardens, and one of the three guest houses. These tours require walking, climbing stairs, and standing. Visitors should be capable of moving easily, however, limited mobility tours are available. At certain times of year, evening tours are a special feature in the tour line-up, as well as tours to see the Castle decorated for Christmas.

Inside the buildings, guests must walk only on specially designated, carpeted areas. Therefore, these tours are not recommended for unattended young children who are used to wandering where their curiosity wills them. Due to the amount of stairs on the property, strollers are not allowed, but baby-carriers, whether a backpack or front-carrier, are permitted.

Our friend, who is old enough to know better, became fascinated by a painting, strayed off the carpet, and loud alarms went off. If an adult can't even contain herself, imagine how a child would behave in this situation! Our boys, ages 11, seven and four, enjoyed the tour and followed the requirements with only a few reminders for our youngest son.

Each space contains a collection of priceless paintings, tapestries, and furniture gathered from all over the world. Rooms were designed around ceilings purchased in Europe and walls are certain lengths to accommodate church pews from past centuries. Everywhere you look, you see a masterpiece.

The tour guides are meticulously trained on each artifact, including the artwork in the gardens. They could talk for hours in each room, but don't have the time. Therefore, each tour gets the information they seek by asking welcomed questions. I have taken Tour 1 several times over the years and learned different information because each group asks unique questions. As a guest at Hearst Castle, you will not hear a rehearsed dialog, but a customized tour based on your inquiries. So speak up and ask questions!

As the bus took its time along the five mile drive back to the Visitor's Center, my family scanned the golden hills for a glimpse of a zebra. While unsuccessful in our zebra-sighting-quest, we enjoyed our successful journey back in time to a place of unfathomable wealth and limitless dreams: the place called Hearst Castle.

When Eileen isn't looking for a bag of money so she can build her own Calandro Castle, she spends her time as the Chief Mom Connector at Mom Central. You can connect with her on Twitter at @MomCentralChat and read about her family adventures at calandroclan.com.

Eileen Calandro