Esalen is open and accessible from the north.
Highway 1 south of Esalen remains closed.
In addition to unparalleled access to the leading minds of the day and pioneering virtual gatherings, we also welcome visitors to our California campus and retreat center, which features natural hot springs, an organic farm and garden, rustic guest accommodations, and more, all set on over 100 acres of the beautiful Big Sur coast.
Our all-inclusive workshop tuition includes accommodations, three meals per day, open classes, and use of the hot springs baths. Guests also have access to other campus facilities like the pool, Meditation Hut, and Art Barn (if not in use for a workshop).
Tuition varies depending on the length of stay and the type of accommodation. Some programs may also have additional faculty fees. Click "Register Now" from any program page to see availability of accommodations, as well as program-specific tuition.
Sleeping Bag
Standard Queen Room
Standard Two Double Beds
Premium Queen Room
Premium King Room
Premium Plus King Room
Point House Suite
Fritz Point House Plus Suite
South Point House Plus Suite
The hot springs hang between sea and sky, an awe-inspiring respite for mind and body and a great equalizer. Simultaneously comforting and challenging, the baths nourish conversation, contemplation, and community.
While clothing is optional at the baths, nudity is by no means mandatory. You are invited to soak either with a swimsuit or without, knowing that the environment we strive for at Esalen is one of personal sanctuary and respect for the human body.
Once you arrive on campus, a path down the hill from the Esalen Lodge brings you to the baths’ upper level, with an outdoor massage deck, living roof featuring a crystal and succulent garden, and hot tub with a lift for ADA access. Head to the lower level to find the changing area and the springs themselves.
Beginning August 1 we will be back to full communal bathing in our larger tubs. If you prefer to bathe alone we have single tubs available on a first-come, first-served basis. Our Healing Arts Team can assist you when you arrive.
At this time the hot springs are only open to guests with reservations to be at Esalen. We are not accepting reservations for public night bathing.
In 1869, arthritis sufferer Thomas Slate visited the hot springs in search of relief. It became the first tourist destination in Big Sur, frequented by people seeking relief from similar afflictions.
The Esalen Farm & Garden is a holistic model of local food security and sustainability, producing organic food that sustains, heals, and educates the people who live at and visit Esalen. More than just a food source, the farm is a constant education in moving through transition and transformation.
We cultivate four acres of rough, dramatic marine terrace. We’re committed to the health and vitality of this land and proudly compost nearly 500 pounds of food and green waste every day to build the fertility of our soil for future generations.
Our produce grows a mere 400 steps from where it is served, and we take advantage of a year-round growing season to produce as much as we can for our kitchen. We specialize in culinary and tea herbs, heirloom root crops, and every variety of kale and lettuce we can find.
From Esalen guests taking part in a mindful harvest to day volunteers, there is a range of ways for visitors to engage with the earth. We aim to facilitate meaningful, relational experiences that connect people and land.
Our kitchen staff uses a mix of Esalen-grown produce and products from local purveyors to create delicious, nutritious, and inventive menus.
While you’re with us, you’ll enjoy three hearty, healthy meals per day served buffet-style in the Lodge. Choose from vegan and omnivorous options, both gluten-free. (If your diet is stricter — paleo, keto, macrobiotic, etc. — we will unfortunately not be able to provide a meal under those restrictions.)
Specialty coffee drinks, beer, and wine are available for cashless purchase in the bar during meal times. Please note that alcohol is served during dinner hours only.
Breakfast: 8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Lunch: 12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Since we can't provide self-serve snack options right now, feel free to keep food or drinks that don't require refrigeration in your room, or browse a selection of non-perishable snacks in the bookstore.
Wander to the north side of campus, and you’ll find a turquoise barn adorned with an inspiring riot of sculpture, mosaic, and stained glass. On any given day, curious seekers inspired by the wild beauty of Esalen might gather in the Art Barn to experiment, play, take risks, and travel one of the most ancient human paths of transformation: the creative process.
When art workshops aren’t in session, the Art Barn becomes an open studio. Paper, paint, brushes, and clay are just the beginning. See what your imagination can dream up.
Adjoining the Lodge at the heart of campus, the Conley Bookstore offers sweatshirts, hats, chocolate, drinks, and more.
Note: While COVID-19 is ongoing, we have new safety protocols in place:
Grounded in the wildly alive Big Sur landscape, Esalen exists in deep relationship with the forces of nature. From the transfiguring force of a wildfire to a glimpse of infinity in the night sky, Esalen honors the myriad ways that nature is our source and greatest teacher. Water flows at our heart, where three sources converge in a trinity of creation, renewal, and destruction.
Heated by the molten core of the earth and laden with minerals, the hot springs flow at a rate of 80 gallons per minute and emerge at a temperature of 119 degrees Fahrenheit.
Esalen hovers at the edge of the Pacific. There is nothing like a clear view of the ocean to center ourselves in the unity of all things.
Note: due to dangerous ocean conditions and currents, direct access to the ocean from Esalen is prohibited.
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org
