Hearst Castle’s Neptune Pool Is Reopening for Just 2 Nights This Summer
The only caveat is that it has a $1,000 entrance fee.
Having access to a pool during heat waves, or any time of year, for that matter, is worth its weight in gold. Over here at Thrillist, we’ve exhausted our options, from using the Airbnb of swimming pools, Swimply, to patronizing poolside bars. However, a new option just opened up— taking a dip in the Hearst Castle’s Neptune Pool.
Hearst Castle, publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst’s historic estate in San Simeon, was once the home of Gatsby-esque parties during the Roaring Twenties, attended by star-studded guests like Cary Grant and Greta Garbo. Since opening to the public in June 1958, the Spanish Colonial-style landmark has attracted millions of visitors who come to tour the 127 acres and observe its iconic art.
Now, for two nights only, members of the Foundation at Hearst Castle can shell out a whopping $1,000 and rally up to 40 of their friends to take a ride up to the Enchanted Hill for a lavish pool party decked out with a curated selection of treats, as well as fine wines and spirits from the Central Coast of California.
The first pool party, titled “Hollywood at Hearst Castle Neptune Pool Swim,” is set for August 19 and will be hosted by the castle’s celebrity committee, including Sterling K. Brown and June Diane Raphael. The second date, sans celebrities, and the fancy name, is on August 26.
The pool, which underwent a four-year-long renovation, is 104 feet long and 58 feet wide and lined with Vermont marble. Fountains, Roman-style columns, and various Art Deco sculptures of Venus, cupids, and mermaids adorn the 345,000-gallon body of water, making the swim unlike any experience you’ll ever have.
And don’t worry—all this opulence isn’t for naught, as the funds raised from the pool parties will go toward the foundation’s STEAM programs serving youth from underserved communities in California.
So, grab some pals, pool your savings, and go see how the other half lives.