California’s historic mansions are palatial shrines, built to assert wealth in borrowed, blended, and reimagined styles. These estates were mainly built during California’s short-lived Gilded Age, where barons of oil, railroads, and film imported European grandeur to the golden coast. In Beverly Hills, Greystone Mansion looms like an English manor airlifted into Hollywood. Up in Belmont, Ralston Hall wears its 19th-century Italianate veneer like a baroque fairy tale recreating European fantasy as West Coast reality. Further south, the Spanish Revival architecture of Hearst Castle at San Simeon is a surreal dreamscape where Gothic spires, Roman pools, and Moorish tiles play out an eccentric Hollywood-inspired fantasy. Villa Montalvo in Saratoga flirts with Mediterranean design, wrapped in vineyard views that echo Tuscany while basking in California sunshine. These West Coast estates pay tribute to an era when California’s wealthy decided restraint was someone else’s problem.
15. Greystone Mansion (Beverly Hills)
Built in 1928 for Edward “Ned” Doheny Jr., son of oil tycoon Edward Doheny, this sprawling Tudor Revival mansion is a display of unimaginable wealth. Designed by architect Gordon Kaufmann, Greystone Mansion takes up over 46,000 square feet, boasting 55 rooms filled with English oak, Italian marble, and opulent flourishes meant to dazzle. The exterior, all grey limestone with steeply pitched gables and towering chimneys, evokes the English manor style, though its dramatic setting feels uniquely Californian. Greystone took three years and over three million dollars to build. Just months after Ned Doheny, his wife and five children moved in, he was found dead in one of the upstairs bedrooms, alongside his secretary, Hugh Plunkett, in what police labeled a murder-suicide — a scandal that would go on to rock Los Angeles society. Rumor has it the two men were involved in personally delivering $100,000 to Albert Fall, U.S. State senator from New Mexico and Secretary of the Interior under President Warren G. Harding. The money came from Doheny’s father at a time when the senator was doling out oil leases without competitive bidding. Fall was the only person ever convicted in what became known as the Teapot Dome Scandal. This piece of history, along with other tales of Old Hollywood, is now chronicled in a new book, Beverly Hills Noir: Crime, Sin, & Scandal in 90210. Greystone’s rooms have since become familiar backdrops in films and TV, their elegance layered with shadows of wealth, tragedy, and intrigue that make it one of California’s most haunting estates.
14. Ralston Hall Mansion (Belmont)
Ralston Hall stands in Belmont like a grand reminder of California’s Gilded Age ambition. Built in 1868 by William Chapman Ralston — banker, bon vivant, and a founder of San Francisco — the mansion combines architectural excess with Old World charm. Inspired by European castles and grand American estates, Ralston crafted a four-story Italianate mansion that includes Corinthian columns, sweeping balconies, and a ballroom that once hosted the region’s high society. Designed for opulence, Ralston Hall’s every corner seems to have been curated to impress. The interior is a theater of impeccable detail: gold leaf, marble floors, and mirrors that stretch nearly to the ceiling, reflecting an era that never did anything halfway. The staircase, with hand-carved woodwork, curves upward as if it were a grand invitation to ascend into 19th-century California’s most exclusive circle. Ralston even added his own version of a Parisian ballroom, with chandeliers and frescoed ceilings, that come straight out of a baroque fairy tale.
13. Filoli Estate (Woodside)
Filoli Estate, nestled against the Santa Cruz Mountains in Woodside, California, is a Georgian Revival masterpiece wrapped in gardens that would make any English lord envious. Built between 1915 and 1917 by mining magnate William Bowers Bourn II, Filoli was designed as an elegant escape from the busy pace of San Francisco. Architect Willis Polk took the job seriously, creating a mansion that’s both stately and inviting, with red brick facades and classical columns that echo the symmetry of its landscaped grounds. The interiors are a study in restrained luxury, with each room carefully appointed to impress without overwhelming. The reception hall opens onto a ballroom bathed in natural light, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing views of the estate’s meticulously crafted gardens. The gardens features 16 acres of formal beds, reflecting pools, and rose-lined pathways that blur the line between natural beauty and human craftsmanship.
12. Annenberg Sunnylands Estate (Rancho Mirage)
Sunnylands, the Annenberg estate in Rancho Mirage, stands like a polished relic of mid-century elegance, a modernist mirage in the California desert. Completed in 1966 for publishing tycoon Walter Annenberg and his wife, Leonore, the 200-acre estate was designed by architect A. Quincy Jones. It’s all flat lines and open spaces, its pink walls and sprawling glass windows perfectly attuned to the vast landscape. Inside, it’s more private retreat than palatial home, where the desert light dances off walls lined with Impressionist paintings and ancient Chinese artifacts. Sunnylands is famous not only for its minimalist beauty but for its high-profile visitors. It was the unofficial “Camp David of the West,” hosting everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to Ronald Reagan, who adored the nine-hole golf course and frequently visited. Barack Obama held a summit here with China’s President Xi Jinping, and Frank Sinatra married his fourth wife, Barbara Marx, at Sunnylands.
11. Doheny Mansion (Los Angeles)
The Doheny Mansion in Los Angeles is the kind of opulent, turn-of-the-century estate that oil built. Constructed in 1899 for Edward L. Doheny, the mansion sprawls in French Gothic splendor on the campus of Mount St. Mary’s University. Architects Theodore Eisen and Sumner Hunt crafted a 22,000-square-foot residence that combines marble, mahogany, and stained glass, a mix that could almost be gaudy were it not so well-executed. Towering turrets, arched windows, and a striking exterior of imported French stone make it a standout even in Los Angeles, a city hardly starved for grandeur. Inside, the mansion is a labyrinth of riches. The centerpiece is its Tiffany glass dome, casting a soft, eerie glow that feels like it belongs more to a cathedral than a private home. It’s said that Doheny, connected with both oil and scandal, entertained the elite here amid Persian carpets, frescoed ceilings, and fireplaces imported from European estates. After Doheny’s death, the mansion was left to charity and eventually to Mount St. Mary’s, where students now study under the gaze of marble cherubs. For a house rooted in Gilded Age extravagance and rumors of darker dealings, the Doheny Mansion wears its legacy like a well-fitted coat.
10. Villa Montalvo (Saratoga)
Villa Montalvo is tucked into the lush hills of Saratoga, California, an estate built for a U.S. Senator with a taste for Mediterranean charm and West Coast landscapes. Built in 1912 by James Duval Phelan, a three-time mayor of San Francisco and the state’s first elected senator, the villa is a study in early 20th-century grandeur with clear nods to Tuscany. Its red-tiled roof, archways, and stucco facades speak of Italianate elegance, a piece of old Europe nestled in the California mountains. The gardens are as captivating as the mansion itself. Designed to capture the spirit of a European retreat, they spill over 175 acres with meticulously pruned hedges, statues, and fountains, creating a setting that feels part Eden, part carefully cultivated escapism. Phelan, a bachelor with considerable wealth and political pull, hosted luminaries of his era here, from artists and writers to politicians looking to relax and network in the sun-drenched gardens. Today, Villa Montalvo has found a second life as an arts center. Visitors might find Shakespeare performed on the lawn or hear live jazz drifting through the porticos. Phelan’s Mediterranean-inspired paradise has gone from private indulgence to a public jewel, retaining its old-world mystique amidst Silicon Valley.
9. Chateau du Sureau (Oakhurst)
Château du Sureau in Oakhurst, California, might be the closest thing to a Provençal dream on American soil. Conceived by Erna Kubin-Clanin in 1991, this 10-room estate is the product of her vision to create a French-style château in the Sierra foothills. And a château it is — complete with turrets, ivy-clad walls, and antique furnishings sourced directly from Europe. Each room is named after an herb or spice, from Lavender to Thyme, adding to its cultivated charm, as if one were wandering through a storybook rather than a hotel. The property’s style is classic French manor meets California countryside, with touches like limestone floors, high-beamed ceilings, and tapestries that look like they’ve absorbed a hundred years of European stories. The grounds spill out to include gardens, a fountain, and a romantic path lined with aromatic herbs and wildflowers. Kubin-Clanin herself said she designed Château du Sureau for “lovers of the good life,” and she didn’t disappoint. Château du Sureau has been a favored escape for those who prefer the scenic quiet over the glitz of Beverly Hills. Its reputation as a tucked-away paradise with European flair has made it an exclusive, somewhat secretive jewel among California’s retreats.
8. Camron-Stanford House (Oakland)
The Camron-Stanford House sits along the shores of Oakland’s Lake Merritt, a witness to a century of California history. Built in 1876 for William Camron, a wealthy lumber baron, this Italianate Victorian mansion was once a symbol of Oakland’s high society. With its ornate, bracketed cornices, wraparound verandas, and large bay windows, the house exudes an air of genteel authority. Its grandiose design reflects the opulence of a time when Oakland was considered the epitome of Bay Area sophistication. Inside, the mansion is an intricate tableau of Victorian charm. Parquet floors lead through high-ceilinged rooms adorned with intricate plasterwork, while large, gilded mirrors capture a world now past. The front parlor, painted in deep greens and furnished with velvet settees, transports you to an era when social gatherings were as much about status as enjoyment. Over the years, the house has seen mayors, industrialists, and socialites pass through its doors. Today, it remains one of the few 19th-century houses on Lake Merritt, preserving a slice of Oakland’s past.
7. Winchester Mystery House (San Jose)
The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose is the architectural epitome of restless energy. Built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune, this 160-room labyrinth grew without plan, purpose, or blueprint over 38 years. Sarah let her imagination run amok. Stairs lead to ceilings, doors open to walls, and hallways twist without reason, as if she aimed to confuse more than decorate. Architecturally, the mansion is a strange hybrid: Queen Anne meets Gothic, with stained glass, Victorian trim, and dark wood interiors that seem suited for a fever dream. Workmen added rooms, towers, and windows at her whim, all built on a fortune without rhyme, reason, or even a basic floor plan. The mansion’s grand ballroom, apparently never used, and its repeating motifs of spiderwebs and the number thirteen are reminders of the eccentricity of its mistress. When Sarah passed, carpenters walked off the job mid-hammer, leaving nails half-driven. Now a California landmark, Winchester’s chaotic mansion still stands as a peculiar relic of wealth and paranoia.
6. Hearst Castle (San Simeon)
Media mogul William Randolph Hearst spent decades transforming Hearst Castle into an eccentric blend of architectural ambition and lavish indulgence, hiring Julia Morgan — the first woman licensed as an architect in California — to bring his vision to life. The result is part Gothic cathedral, part Spanish palace, and all Hollywood glitz, with 165 rooms and 123 acres of terraced gardens, fountains, and pools. Hearst stuffed the place with relics from Europe’s past: medieval ceilings, Flemish tapestries, and Greek vases. And if Hearst was the king of this castle, his queen was actress Marion Davies, his longtime partner and one of early Hollywood’s darlings. Davies’ charm helped grease the wheels of Hearst’s Hollywood connections, turning San Simeon into a hotspot for film stars, moguls, and political elites. The Neptune Pool, lined with Roman marble and built three times to satisfy Hearst’s perfectionism, became a natural centerpiece for glamorous poolside parties, with Davies and Hearst playing host to the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, and even Winston Churchill. Hearst’s parties were famously strict — arrive late and you risked banishment to a less favorable table and dining solo.
5. Getty Villa (Malibu)
The Getty Villa in Malibu is J. Paul Getty’s eccentric idea of what California needed — a Roman villa in all its ancient glory, right on the Pacific Coast. Built in 1974, this place channels more marble and columns than the set of Ben-Hur, all inspired by the Villa dei Papiri buried in Herculaneum. The villa itself is a sprawling homage to ancient architecture, with courtyards, fountains, and a garden lined with perfectly manicured hedges. The entrance hall features frescoed walls, marble floors, and statues galore. Instead of pool toys, there’s a 220-foot-long reflecting pool stretching out like it’s awaiting a procession of toga-clad dignitaries. Getty never lived long enough to set foot in his Roman fantasy. He left behind this peculiar mashup of a museum and a Mediterranean retreat, where statues of gods and emperors look out over the LA coastline.
4. Casa del Herrero (Montecito)
Casa del Herrero is an Andalusian dream that somehow landed in the Santa Barbara hills. Built in 1925 for industrialist George Fox Steedman, this Spanish Colonial Revival estate captures the essence of Old Spain with Californian swagger. Architect George Washington Smith crafted the house with immaculate detail, from wrought-iron balconies to intricately painted tiles, pulling directly from authentic Spanish design sources. It’s a master class in how to create a slice of Seville, right down to the Moorish-inspired gardens and cool, shaded porticos. The interiors are a baroque fantasy: hand-carved ceilings, custom furniture, with imported pottery filling every possible niche. Steedman, who had a meticulous mind for design, obsessively curated each piece. The gardens, planned by landscape architect Ralph Stevens, unfold in terraces with citrus groves, boxwood mazes, and fountains. Casa del Herrero remains a remarkable blend of elegance and historical accuracy, preserved like a time capsule.
3. Mortimer Fleishhacker House (Woodside)
The Mortimer Fleishhacker House, better known as Green Gables, is a Woodside hideaway set in the middle of a 74-acre forest. Built between 1911 and 1935 by banker and businessman Mortimer Fleishhacker, this estate wasn’t aiming for gilded opulence — it’s more of a refined woodsy retreat, as if Mortimer wanted to play aristocrat, but with a West Coast twist. Architect Charles Sumner Greene mixes Arts and Crafts sensibility with a cabin-like charm. The house avoids showy decor, instead sticking to a blend of function and form that’s incredibly subtle. Gardens stretch out with pools, ancient oaks, and hedgerows that seem to go on forever. Still owned by the Fleishhacker family, Green Gables keeps a low profile in Silicon Valley.
2. Spadena House (Beverly Hills)
One of the LA’s most iconic and surreal homes, Spadena House looks like it belongs in a dark fairytale. Built in 1921 by Hollywood art director Harry Oliver, this eccentric residence was originally designed as a studio office for film productions before it was moved to its current location. Also known as “Witch’s House”, the structure features pitched roofs, crooked chimneys, and uneven walls that appear to have aged under a spell, looking intentionally disheveled. The window frames are warped, and the house’s stucco exterior is unevenly splattered. Spadena is an oddball masterpiece of Storybook style, a trend that briefly swept Hollywood in the 1920s. The landscaping follows the same aesthetic, with a swampy moat-like pond in front and twisted trees that look straight out of a gothic horror scene.
1. Adamson House (Malibu)
Built in 1929 for Rhoda Rindge Adamson, Adamson House channels Spanish Colonial Revival with a twist. Architect Stiles O. Clements loaded the place with handcrafted tiles from the Rindge family’s own Malibu Potteries, decking out every surface from kitchen walls to bathroom sinks in rich blues, fiery reds, and intricate Moorish patterns that pop against the California sun. Walking through Adamson House feels like stepping into a kaleidoscope of early California meets Moroccan spice bazaar. Arched doorways, carved wooden ceilings, and iron fixtures amplify the setting, but nothing competes with the tilework, a full-on sensory experience that makes even the staircases look like art galleries. Now a state park, Adamson House is a timeless slice of old Malibu.
