Esalen Institute is open! However, Highway 1 to the south is closed — please review the current travel advisory.
Learn More.

Learn more.

Due to road closures along Highway 1 to our north and south, Esalen is closed through April 11.
Esalen Institute is open! However, Highway 1 to the south is closed — please review the current travel advisory.

Esalen opens May 3, 2024

Visitors are now able to access Esalen as well as other businesses and trails in northern Big Sur via twice-daily convoys on Highway 1 operated by Caltrans.

Convoys run only at 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. each day. These are the only opportunities to travel into and out of Big Sur, so visitors must plan accordingly.

Learn more.

Laura Davis

Laura Davis is the author of seven nonfiction books, including the classic bestseller The Courage to Heal. Her new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars, the story of her tumultuous relationship with her mother, won the BookLife prize for Best Memoir/Autobiography of 2021, the 2021 Goldie for Best Nonfiction, an IPPY Gold in Aging/Death and Dying, and a bronze Wishing Shelf Book Award for Adult Nonfiction. Laura’s groundbreaking books have been translated into 12 languages and sold two million copies.

The work of Laura’s heart is to teach. For more than 25 years, she’s helped people find their voices, tell their stories, and hone their craft. Laura loves creating supportive, intimate writing communities online, in person, and internationally. She leads trips combining writing, cultural exploration, and adventure around the world. In 2024, she’s leading a writer’s trip to Bali, studying Balinese spirituality and healing practices. 

Laura has been published in Publisher's Weekly, Writer's Digest, CrimeReads, Brevity, and the New York Times, has been featured in the Los Angeles Review of Books, and has been an engaging guest on dozens of podcasts, a featured speaker for the National Association of Memoir Writers, and a popular craft teacher at the San Miguel Writers Conference. You can learn about her work and read the opening of her memoir at www.lauradavis.net.

Laura Davis is the author of seven groundbreaking books, including The Courage to Heal and her award-winning memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars. Laura loves creating supportive, intimate writing communities online, in person, and on international writing adventures.

Laura Davis

Laura Davis is the author of seven nonfiction books, including the classic bestseller The Courage to Heal. Her new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars, the story of her tumultuous relationship with her mother, won the BookLife prize for Best Memoir/Autobiography of 2021, the 2021 Goldie for Best Nonfiction, an IPPY Gold in Aging/Death and Dying, and a bronze Wishing Shelf Book Award for Adult Nonfiction. Laura’s groundbreaking books have been translated into 12 languages and sold two million copies.

The work of Laura’s heart is to teach. For more than 25 years, she’s helped people find their voices, tell their stories, and hone their craft. Laura loves creating supportive, intimate writing communities online, in person, and internationally. She leads trips combining writing, cultural exploration, and adventure around the world. In 2024, she’s leading a writer’s trip to Bali, studying Balinese spirituality and healing practices. 

Laura has been published in Publisher's Weekly, Writer's Digest, CrimeReads, Brevity, and the New York Times, has been featured in the Los Angeles Review of Books, and has been an engaging guest on dozens of podcasts, a featured speaker for the National Association of Memoir Writers, and a popular craft teacher at the San Miguel Writers Conference. You can learn about her work and read the opening of her memoir at www.lauradavis.net.

Laura Davis is the author of seven groundbreaking books, including The Courage to Heal and her award-winning memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars. Laura loves creating supportive, intimate writing communities online, in person, and on international writing adventures.

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