Visitor Frequently Asked Questions

Shuttle van service is available from from San Francisco, San Jose, and Monterey airports on Fridays and Sundays. For shuttle schedules and pricing, please click here.

Highway 1 south of Esalen is currently closed due to a land slide. Read more about transportation options to Esalen.

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...

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.

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.

Please note that Esalen does not have parking spaces for RV's and large vehicles. Large vehicles need to park on Highway 1 at the Esalen entrance.

Unfortunately, we do not offer guided public tours. To preserve the sanctity of the Esalen experience, self-guided tours and walkabouts are also prohibited.

Tips may be charged to your credit card if you stop by the Office following your session. We also provide tip envelopes where you can enclose cash or a check, and either leave this in the Office or hand it directly to your practitioner following your session.

Check-out time is 10:00 a.m. on departure days, although you are welcome to stay for lunch and remain at Esalen until 2:00 p.m. If you are participating in a workshop we ask that you have your belongings out of your room before the start of your final session.

Feel free to arrive at Esalen any time after 2:00 pm. Room keys are available from the Gate or the Office/Bookstore by 4:00 pm. Room check-out is 10:00 am on the day of departure.

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.

If you are interested in bringing children to Esalen, please speak directly with one of our reservations staff to register. Guests staying in Premium or Point House accommodations or two full-paying adults housed together in standard accommodations may have their children in the room for a meal fee of $25 per child per day ($10/day for children under 6), or for the workshop rate in the case of a family workshop (see below). Single-parent accommodations are limited. Children must be supervised at all times.

Family Workshops

Children may only attend workshops with their care-givers that are specifically designated as family workshops. The fee for children 10 and under is $150 for a weekend family workshop, or $300 for a 5-day family workshop. Fees for youth 11-17 enrolled in Family workshops are $420 for weekend workshops and $675 for five-day workshops. Parents/Guardians pay regular rates.