Literary Road trip—California

Visit The Historic Homes of Steinbeck, London, and Hearst

Nov 12, 2009

Cruise up the coast and explore the home state of many writers past and present. Tour the homes of three famous California writers.

A Road trip up the California coast is one of America’s great pleasures. Highway 1 is long and windy and slow, but every inch is worth the time—the cliffs, the spraying ocean, the elephant walruses lounging on the beaches all make this part of the country a joy to travel. Spend a few days drive along the coast and visit the homes of some literary Californians.

Writers From California

Here are three historic sites along the highway dedicated to the memories of their famous former inhabitants. Visit The John Steinbeck Center outside Monterey, The Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, and Hearst Castle in San Simeon. See where these characters lived and explore the trails they walked.

William Randolph Hearst

Hearst wasn’t exactly a writer. He was more of a media tycoon—nearly half the major magazines coming out of New York still, today, are Hearst magazines. Hearst Castle was built on the site where William Hearst had his fondest childhood memories. The Castle took many years to construct, but when it was finished it was his perfect dream home, filled with imposing sculptures and ancient relics from all over the world. A visit to Hearst Castle is an experience not to be missed, as it combines elements of American History, Art History, Architectural History, and Hollywood Entertainment.

Attractions at Hearst Castle

Touring the enormous estate and garderns takes all day, or even two days if you want to see everything. There are five guided Hearst Castle tours to choose from at the welcome center. Get ready to see farm animals, gardens, marble pools, tennis courts, and a movie theater where you can watch the story of Hearst’s adventure building the castle.

John Steinbeck

Drive north up scenic highway 1 from Hearst Castle to Salinas, California, home of John Steinbeck. Salinas offers two Steinbeck-related activities.

Steinbeck House

Steinbeck’s childhood home, a picturesque two-story Victorian, is now open for tea service, lunch, and tours. Call ahead for reservations and hours. Note: The house is also available for special occasions.

The National Steinbeck Center

The National Steinbeck Center offers a full-blown educational experience. There are three museums on site, one literary, one agricultural, and one frequently evolving cultural center. The literary museum includes artifacts from Steinbeck’s writing career, and seven movie theaters onsite show the film versions of Steinbeck’s books East of Eden, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, and The Grapes of Wrath throughout the day. Call for reservations and hours.

Jack London: Jack London State Historic Park

The author of Call of The Wild and White Fang lived on the sprawling grounds of what is now Jack London State Historic Park. Walking trails lead all around the 1,400 acres of Jack London’s Beauty Ranch. Visit the House of Happy Walls Museum, the official Jack London museum onsite, to view photographs and exhibits on the life and work of the estate’s former inhabitant. Visit the ranch where Jack and his wife Charmian raised livestock and grew fruits, grain, and vegetables. Walk by the ruins of Jack London’s personally designed dream house, The Wolf House, which burned to the ground two weeks before London was set to move in. Self-guided tours are available daily, and guided tours are available on weekends. Call for reservations and hours.

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