Top 7 Castles in California

Hearst Castle, once an impressive home to businessman William Randolph Hearst, is now a museum with sweeping views of the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. There is a road leading up to the mansion, with an observation deck on its east end, worthy of a stop to take in the incredible views.

Looking to rebuild after the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, California's wine industry constructed Winehaven the very next year. This was the largest wine distribution center in the world until 1919, and was taken over by the U.S. Navy during WWII. Winehaven has been closed since 1995 but the original buildings from its winery days, including the castle, remain largely preserved.

Vikingsholm is situated at the head of Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, and is renowned for its Scandinavian architectural style and stunning natural surroundings. Built in 1929 by Lora Josephine Knight, who was inspired by Scandinavian fjords, the estate is considered one of the finest examples of such architecture outside the Nordic countries. The property spans 232 acres, including Lake Tahoe's only island and a unique waterfall flowing directly into the lake. After Knight's death in 1945, the estate was sold to Lawrence Holland and later to Harvey West, who donated it to the State of California in 1953. Now part of the Harvey West Unit of Emerald Bay State Park, Vikingsholm is open for tours from June to September, accessible via a one-mile trail or by boat. There is a visitor center, beach access, hiking trail access at this spot.

A small paradise at this glacial kar lake, a remnant from a hanging glacier. In summer, and in winter in snow, this is a good spot to camp, protected from the wind that can blow fiercely a little higher along the PCT trail and on Leavitt Mountain. In summer, a diverse variety of wild flowers blossom in this sheltered location, close to water.

Now just a storage facility, it was built as a winery by an enthusiastic entrepreneur in the early 20th century.

Currently just used as storage, also the old baracks stand abandoned, despite the lack of housing in the bay area. Winehaven was a winery and town in Richmond, California, that held the title of "world's largest winery" for 12 years (1907–1919). It later became a fuel depot for the United States Navy. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake left the city in ruins, the California Wine Association moved to Point Molate, a promontory on the east shore of San Pablo Bay, and began construction of Winehaven. At the peak of the season, as many as 400 workers lived here, as all of the California Wine Association's shipments to foreign, coastal and New York markets sailed from the Winehaven dock—shipment capacity was 500,000 gallons (1,892,705 liters) a month, and 40 ships sailed annually for New York alone. The winery was shut down by Prohibition in 1919, and the company sold off its assets to avoid bankruptcy. Winehaven went mostly unused from about 1920 until the late 1930s. A post office operated at Winehaven from 1910 to 1925. The Navy bought the 412 acres (167 ha) site in 1941, moved into the winery buildings, and constructed 20 large concrete tanks on the hillsides above for a fuel depot. Thousands of drums of fuel were stored in huge buildings, pipelines were laid, a new pier was built and the old one was eventually removed. The old Winehaven Hotel was pressed into service for a period as barracks and mess hall, and the workers' houses were renovated for the use of naval personnel. The Commanding Officer of the Naval Fuel Depot was assigned the largest house on the bluff overlooking the others, which previously had been the home of the winery superintendent. Despite the switch from wine to fuel, the historic district remains virtually unaltered from its days as a winery. There are 35 buildings in the National Register historic district built between 1907 and 1919, the most notable being the castle-like Winehaven Building adorned with crenellated parapet and corner turrets. Also within the district is the Winemaster's House (Building 60), which became the Commanding Officer's residence, and the Village of Point Molate, a row of turn-of-the-century cottages used to house Winehaven and military families. The Navy continued to operate the fuel depot during the Korean War and Vietnam War until it was decommissioned in 1995. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winehaven,_California

Winehaven was a winery and town in Richmond, California, that held the title of "world's largest winery" for 12 years (1907–1919). It later became a fuel depot for the United States Navy. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake left the city in ruins, the California Wine Association moved to Point Molate, a promontory on the east shore of San Pablo Bay, and began construction of Winehaven. At the peak of the season, as many as 400 workers lived here, as all of the California Wine Association's shipments to foreign, coastal and New York markets sailed from the Winehaven dock—shipment capacity was 500,000 gallons (1,892,705 liters) a month, and 40 ships sailed annually for New York alone. The winery was shut down by Prohibition in 1919, and the company sold off its assets to avoid bankruptcy. Winehaven went mostly unused from about 1920 until the late 1930s. A post office operated at Winehaven from 1910 to 1925. The Navy bought the 412 acres (167 ha) site in 1941, moved into the winery buildings, and constructed 20 large concrete tanks on the hillsides above for a fuel depot. Thousands of drums of fuel were stored in huge buildings, pipelines were laid, a new pier was built and the old one was eventually removed. The old Winehaven Hotel was pressed into service for a period as barracks and mess hall, and the workers' houses were renovated for the use of naval personnel. The Commanding Officer of the Naval Fuel Depot was assigned the largest house on the bluff overlooking the others, which previously had been the home of the winery superintendent. Despite the switch from wine to fuel, the historic district remains virtually unaltered from its days as a winery. There are 35 buildings in the National Register historic district built between 1907 and 1919, the most notable being the castle-like Winehaven Building adorned with crenellated parapet and corner turrets. Also within the district is the Winemaster's House (Building 60), which became the Commanding Officer's residence, and the Village of Point Molate, a row of turn-of-the-century cottages used to house Winehaven and military families. The Navy continued to operate the fuel depot during the Korean War and Vietnam War until it was decommissioned in 1995. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winehaven,_California