Frequently Asked Questions
Is Esalen Expensive? Can I Afford to Come?
Esalen offers a wide array of accommodation options and short- and long-term programs to suit every need and budget (as low as $41/day for our Work Study Program) as well as work exchange, scholarship, and senior discount funds to encourage people of all financial abilities to participate in the magic and mystery of Esalen.
Is there a Shuttle or Van Service to Esalen?
On Fridays and Sundays we have van service from the Monterey Airport at approximately 4 pm and also in Monterey at approximately 4:20 pm at 438 Calle Principal between Jefferson and Franklin.
Look for the Monterey AirBus Station sign. It is located in front of a parking garage near the Montrio Bistro Restaurant. There is also a pick up at the Monterey Transit Center at the corner of Pearl and Alvarado, next to Ordway Drugs.
If you plan to use this service, please inform the Esalen office by fax at 831-667-2724 at least 24 hours prior to your arrival.
The $65 one-way fee (subject to change) is payable to the Esalen office when you check in. Return reservations may be made at that time. The only departing van service from Esalen is on Fridays and Sundays at approximately 5:30 pm. If you plan to use this departure service, please make sure that your plane reservations are after 8 pm.
What is the Road Like? Where Do I Check Road Closures?
For the most up-to-date information about Highway 1 toward and through Big Sur from the north and south, please call the Caltrans Highway 1 Big Sur Hotline toll-free at (888) 836-0866.
Alternatively, you can check the Caltrans Website on their District 5 page at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/road_information.htm
We also recommend checking the Caltrans Facebook page for updates at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caltrans-Central-Coast-District-5/1658706...
Can I Choose My Roommate?
We use an elaborate bed and room matching service that houses people of the same gender together unless they have identified themselves as a couple.
If you have saved your partner/couple as part of your online registration account, and indicated them during registration, we will make every attempt to house you together. In addition, there is a text field option later during the check-out process to allow you to specify a particular roommate. We can generally accommodate these requests up until the day of the workshop.
Can I Sleep in My Car, RV, or Tent?
To reduce our environmental impact, we do not offer camping (car or tent) on property. There is camping nearby both north and south on Highway 1.
See the Big Sur Camping Guide at http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/camping.html for details.
Can I Come Take a Tour and Just Look Around?
Unfortunately, we do not offer guided public tours. To preserve the sanctity of the Esalen experience, self-guided tours and walkabouts are also prohibited.
How Do I Tip my Massage Therapist?
We offer tipping envelopes beside the massage tables, or you may leave a tip in an envelope for a practitioner in our Office. Tipping for bodywork and other alternative healing modalities is done by cash and check only.
Do You Have a Pharmacy on Property?
What Time Should I Check Out?
Check-out time is 12 noon on departure days, and lunch is provided on those days. We ask that you leave the property by 2 pm.
What Time Can I Check In?
Feel free to arrive any time after 2 pm; room keys are available through the Office after 4 pm.
Can I Bring a Guest or my Spouse?
Unfortunately, no. We are small by design (with only 125 beds on property) and when you make the pilgrimage to Esalen you (and you only) become part of the community. For this reason, and to protect the privacy and experience of our other community members, we request that you not bring visitors or guests.
Can I Bring my Child?
Yes, although additional fees may apply. Children under 14 enrolled in family workshops are $100 for a weekend workshop, or $200 for a 5-day workshop.
Two full-paying adults housed in standard accommodations may have their children stay with them for a meal charge of $20 per child per day ($10/day for children under 6.)
Day care is available through our Gazebo Park school for an additional fee.
What Payment Methods/Credit Cards do you Accept?
How Can I Market My Workshop?
A few things make a big difference. First, craft a very concise and compelling workshop description and include a good current photo of yourself.
Make sure you publish your Esalen workshop page link on your website, your Facebook wall as an event, and if you use Twitter, via Twitter.
Make sure to begin promoting your Esalen workshop to your prospect list at least 6 months in advance via email and phone.
Distribute the Esalen catalogs that you are given as an Esalen leader. If you have any related books or youtube videos, make sure to let us know so we can promote you through Amazon and Youtube.
It is also helpful to create a PDF flyer and we can help you with a logo and images to use to make it nice visually. See our logos, photos, and templates page for some digital files to make this process easy.
Contact our Marketing Department at marketing@esalen.org for more resources.
I need Audiovisual (A/V) Equipment. Can Esalen Provide it?
Esalen does provide basic audio/visual equipment for our workshops and private conferences. Workshops with elaborate a/v set-ups would need to be discussed well in advance on a case-by-case basis.
How Many Hours of Class Time are in a Typical Esalen Workshop?
A weekend workshop consists of approximately 10 hours of class time; a 5-day workshop consists of approximately 26 hours. A 7-day workshop consists of a total of 36 hours.
What Are the Qualifications to Teach at Esalen?
Esalen usually works with leaders who have a deep understanding and level of experience in their field.
Usually they have teaching experience, or can demonstrate an ability to design curriculum and hold a group. Often, leaders have an existing student base and teach topics that have a broad appeal, but we do consider any and all workshops that are aligned with our mission and vision.
How Long Until I Hear from Esalen About My Workshop Proposal?
We will send you a confirmation email once we receive your proposal. We schedule a year in advance, so it could take a year or more for us to have room to schedule your workshop if accepted.
Unless you hear otherwise, it is possible that your workshop will be scheduled in the future but there isn’t currently space. If your program is not going to be scheduled, we will contact you in writing.
We have the blessing of receiving many more proposals than we could possibly schedule. Please do not take it personally if we are unable to schedule yours.
Will My Cell Phone Work at Esalen? Is there Internet Access?
Esalen is located approximately 45 miles from "civilization," and there is currently no cell coverage. This isolation and tranquility, while deepening the experience of your stay at Esalen, can also be a significant change. While there is no cell service, there are three pay phones and calling cards available in the bookstore.
We use a bulletin board for important messages and calls from home and offer a few wired Internet kiosks for limited use. Wireless internet is available in the lodge anytime but during mealtimes.
Is There a Pharmacy or a Doctor on Property?
Esalen does have an on-call doctor for emergencies, but there are no other medical services or pharmacy available on site. If you will require medical attention or supplies during your stay, please come prepared to administer to your own needs, or make advance arrangements with the Big Sur Health Center in Big Sur.
Is There an ATM on Property?
Please bring sufficient funds for incidentals, as Esalen does not have an ATM, nor are we able to cash checks. We do accept cash, checks and credit cards as payment, however.
Can I Smoke? Is Smoking Allowed?
Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas only. It is not permitted in accommodations or meeting areas or near the lodge and outdoor deck during mealtimes.
What if my Roommate Snores?
All of our accommodations are shared. Please come prepared (nose strips, earplugs, etc.) as you or your roommate may snore.
Can I Bring my Dog? Cat? Other Pet?
Sorry. Other than animals in service, pets are not allowed on the property.
Do You Have a Safe or a Place to Keep my Valuables?
Unfortunately, the Esalen office has no facilities to safeguard your valuables. For peace of mind, it is best to leave them in either the locked trunk of your car or at home.
Will I need a flashlight?
Can I bring my stash?
What if I lose something? Is there a lost and found?
Must I Get Naked? Is Esalen a Nudist Colony?
The hot springs at Esalen have been in use for over 6,000 years and are clothing-optional. Nudity is common in the baths and the swimming pool but by no means mandatory.
We encourage each individual to find their own edge between comfort and growth, either wearing a swimsuit or not, knowing that the environment we strive for at Esalen is one of personal sanctuary and respect for the human body.
For those who do choose to use the springs, in a bathing suit or without, daily or once in a lifetime — the hot springs experience embodies much of what continues to make Esalen a singular place of adventure, contemplation, and community.
What is your Cancellation Policy?
Cancellations must be made by phone at 888-837-2536 with one of our reservation staff. If you cancel or change any part of your reservation at least seven full days before the start of your workshop(s), your nonrefundable deposit, less a $75-per-workshop processing fee, will be transferred to a credit account to be used at Esalen within one year.
If you cancel with less than seven days' notice, you forfeit your entire deposit. If you have prepaid your entire reservation fee, we will retain the deposit, as above, less the $75 processing fee, and return the balance to you. Donations to the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable. See this page for full details.
Do You Offer Assistance/Accessiblity for Disabled Persons?
We are committed to accommodating guests who have disabilities. If you have a disability and think you might need assistance participating in a workshop or other Esalen activity, please give the office as much advance notice as possible about your needs. We require a minimum of 72 hours' notice to arrange for accessible accommodations. If you will need sign language interpretation at an Esalen workshop, we require at least two weeks' notice to arrange for interpreter services. In all cases, we will do our best to assist you with your needs.
Although we are in the process of increasing our disability access, access to some parts of our property continues to be difficult. Although many of our paths are paved, they are extremely steep due to our cliff-side setting, which is the steepest meeting of land and sea in the continental United States.
How do I get to Esalen? How far is Esalen from the Nearest Airport?
Esalen is approximately three hours from SFO, 2 and a half hours from San Jose Airport (SJC), 2 hours from SLO, and an hour and 15 minutes from Monterey Airport (MRY).
From the north:
- If you are driving from San Francisco or points north, take Route 101 south.
- At Prunedale, take Exit 156 west to the Monterey Peninsula and Highway 1.
- Take Highway 1 south approximately 60 miles, passing Monterey, Carmel, and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Nepenthe, a popular restaurant located on the ocean side of Highway 1, is 11 miles north of Esalen.
From the south:
- Those driving from the south should take Route 101 north to San Luis Obispo and then Highway 1 to Esalen. We are approximately 100 miles north of San Luis Obispo.
- When you reach Lucia, a bend in the road where there is a restaurant, and motel, you are 10 miles south of Esalen.
From either direction, watch for the Esalen Institute sign on the west (ocean) side of the road.