Before leaving the Morro Bay area, I decided to have lunch at a local landmark. The Madonna Inn was very unique. To dine or stay here, you definitely have to love the color pink!

The Madonna Inn was built in 1958. And all of its room are decorated in different themes. I had lunch in the dining room called Copper Cafe. It was beautifully decorated with copper accents. I’m not quite sure what the theme was, but it was pretty.

I had a wonderful lunch of a hot open-faced turkey sandwich with gravy, mashed potatoes and salad. I had heard they had a famous dessert called the Pink Champagne Cake. I just had to order it!

This slice of cake was huge!!! It lasted me several days. But it was divine! The whip cream in the middle and the cream icing were just heavenly. And it was just so beautiful!

After having lunch, I decided to walk around the common areas of the inn. It was so pink! But just beautiful.

My next stop along the California coast was San Simeon. I stayed at the campground right next to the beach. I love how I can camp and just walk to the beach. The California coast is just gorgeous.

The rocky shore just calls to me to photograph. Walking along this beach was so fun with the old timber and rocks and shells. It was a feast for the eyes and senses.

The pelicans and cormorants loved the large rock. They squabbled all the time trying to get a spot on the top.

Maddie was thrilled to spend more time at the beach. She has learned it’s lots of fun to dig in the sand.

The shoreline got even more beautiful when the sun began to set. I love how the setting sun shone on the wet rocks.

A little way north of my campground, was a place to park and see the resting Sea Lions. They come and winter here for several months. I learned that they come ashore and literally don’t leave until it’s time to go back to sea. They use up all of their fat storage while hanging out on the beach. By the time I arrived at this shore, most of the Sea Lions had left. But there were a few left to enjoy and photograph. Such a marvel to see. These guys are huge!!!

One day it was forecasted to rain all day. Instead of sitting in the RV all day, I decided to tour the Hearst Castle nearby.

Hearst Castle (formerly known as La Cuesta Encantada [The Enchanted Hill]), was created by William Randolph Hearst, a publishing tycoon. Construction began in 1919 but wasn’t completed until 1947. The reason it took so long to build is because Mr. Hearst was always changing his mind during the construction.

The property was originally located on 40,000 acres. He had a private airport and brought in all kinds of wild animals. For the more dangerous animals, he created a zoo on the property. The tamer animals were let loose to graze the acreage. He had zebra, kangaroo, ibex and many others that grazed along with his cattle. Today, most of the wild animals have been relocated to zoos. But there are still some zebras still roaming the land.

Hearst was known for his delicious beef, and he was sure to serve his beef at all of his parties. While visiting the property, I got a Hearst beef hamburger. It was soooooo delicious!

The tour did not disappoint. The opulence was over the top! We started at the outdoor pool. The statues around the pool are all carved out of real sculpted marble, and are replicas of actual statues in Europe.

The entrance to the main house (Casa Grande), was just stunning. It was inspired by the gateway of Seville.

The grounds around the main house and the three guess houses were so lush. Hearst was known for wanting his guests to spend as much time outdoors as possible. So he ensured his gardens rivaled those of Europe.

Mr. Hearst was an avid collector of antiquities. He wanted his home to be a “museum of the best things I can secure.” When we entered the assembly room of the main house, the number of antiquities was almost overwhelming.

The tapestries hanging in the main room are true antiquities. The Louve has copies of these. Hearst had to raise the height of the ceilings to accommodate these tapestries. The rugs are real antique Persian rugs.

The dining area was truly amazing. The number of antiquities in this one room was staggering.

Everywhere you looked there were antiques. From pitchers to candelabras to the chairs and the ceiling.

Most of the rooms were too dark to photograph well due to the overcast day. I wish I could share more photos of the beautiful property.

My very favorite area of the castle was the indoor pool. It was just amazing! Back in the day all of the pools were heated. I would have loved to swim in this pool in the wintertime.

If you are ever in the area of Hearst Castle, I highly recommend the tour. The drive up to the property, touring the grounds and walking the halls of this magnificent estate was a true delight.

My next post will cover several stops along the Oregon coast.