Big Sur Hotels

The latest from the beloved Ventana Big Sur resort, these new souped-up campsites offer up a decidedly different way to connect with the great outdoors. Set inside a 20-acre Redwood covered canyon, 15 safari-style tents, which sleep two, are outfitted with all the creature comforts you could want for a weekend stay in the wilderness. (Think: daily housekeeping, a wood-burning fire pit, s'mores ready for roasting, heated blankets, and ample plugs for charging up devices, should you want to.) Come the morning, there's coffee, tea, and light pastries in the welcome tent for campers. Meanwhile, a private bath house, accessed only by key card, features subway tile-lined showers, large vanities, and heated floors. For an additional fee, guests can access Ventana's resort grounds, including the hotel pools, spa, gym, and Social House. Although the resort is adults only, the campsites are kid-friendly.

Nestled amongst the Redwoods on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort, is kind of hard to beat. While the beaches and hikes of Big Sur are a bit of a siren song, it’s hard to budge from the property’s two on-site pools, Japanese soaking tubs, and nap-inducing hammocks.

360-degree coastal views and the wild mountain terrain of Big Sur provide a fitting backdrop for Post Ranch Inn (the property is powered by sun panels year-round and guests are chauffeured in Lexus hybrid vehicles). Though the area faced devastating flooding and mudslides earlier this year, as of October 2017, the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge on Highway 1, just north of the property, reopened to cars and the area is excitedly ushering in travelers once again. As picturesque as ever, Post Ranch is situated on jagged cliffs—it’s a 1,200-foot drop to the Pacific Ocean—and shrouded in semi-permanent fog. Also, of note: the dining experience at Sierra Mar, an ingredient-driven restaurant which is open to the public for a prix-fixe lunch and dinner. The beautifully plated dishes are matched only by the killer views. Fair warning: Securing one of the 39 rooms requires quite a bit of patience and planning ahead. (Kiddos aren’t allowed.)