Discover Big Sur: Where Your Monterey Getaway Gives Back to the People Who Call It Home

Discover Big Sur: Where Your Monterey Getaway Gives Back to the People Who Call It Home 

When I first moved to California over 10 years ago, I thought it would be fun to drive up the coast through Big Sur at the southern end of Monterey County. It was slow going as I drove the approximately 70 miles between Ragged Point and Carmel, not only because of the twists and turns of Highway 1, but because around each corner, there was somehow an even more beautiful view. The more that I come back to this incomparably beautiful stretch of the coastline where the Santa Lucia mountains meet the Pacific Ocean, the more I find to love here. The dreamy fog that transforms the landscape, the sound of the waves as I lie on the beach, spotting sea otters diving for food, and hiking through stands of ancient redwoods or along windswept bluffs. Big Sur is a true feast for the senses.

And visitors to this special area now have the chance to do so, knowing their visit will benefit the community. Treebones Resort and The Big Sur River Inn are both a part of Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back Program, and funds from the program go to support Big Sur Health Center. Here’s what makes each of those destinations so special, and just what Big Sur Health Center is doing with the money.

Treebones Resort

I’m not the only one who’s visited Big Sur and fallen in love with the place. It’s what happened to John and Corinne Handy, who first visited the area on their honeymoon in the 1980s. It took years to get permits in place to open this eco glamping resort, but anyone who’s stayed there is glad that they persisted. It has become a premier glamping destination, known for its comfortable, spacious yurts that come furnished with a king-size bed, sink with hot and cold running water, and a private deck where you can lounge on an Adirondack chair. Restrooms and showers are just a couple of minutes’ walk.

Along with the 16 yurts, there are a handful of campsites as well as some specialty housing, including a “Human Nest” built by Big Sur artist Jayson Fann. An open-air platform, including a full-size futon mattress, is built within a woven nest of branches. Fann also created the two-story Twig Hut. If you want a few more creature comforts with your stay, there are two Autonomous Tents that are like giant clamshells overlooking the ocean. They’re completely self-sustaining with their own solar arrays, and they have their own bathrooms, complete with a shower. The latest addition to the housing here is the 3D printed Cove Tiny House. It has its own private bathtub out on the porch, an indoor bathroom, and a private fire pit that's the perfect place to sit and watch the ocean.

Treebones Resort truly a place to disconnect. There is WiFi available only at The Lodge, and the cell service is pretty much non-existent. But there is enough to do here without wanting to go online. Most mornings, there is a yoga class for guests, and you can book a massage, even take a hands-on massage class where you and a loved one can learn more about the restorative practice of bodywork.

And when it comes to food, Chef Yancy, who helms Wild Coast Sushi, has truly perfected his craft. There’s a twice-daily seating for just eight people (closed on Sunday and Monday) to enjoy a 15-course omakase experience that features locally sourced seafood whenever possible; sometimes Chef Yancy has harvested it himself. And you can pair it with wine or specialty Japanese tea. You can also dine in at The Lodge, which has a patio overlooking the ocean and cozy indoor dining by a fireplace. There’s a buffet breakfast for guests every morning, lunch, and a four-course menu each evening.

There’s a real feel of being connected with the land and community at Treebones Resort, and that’s only enhanced with the Kind Traveler partnership. “Giving back to our community has always been important to us, and [the Kind Traveler ESGB] model was actually something we already had in practice, through a Community Services Fee added to each night booked,” Megan Handy, assistant general manager and daughter of John and Corrinne, explained to me. “We decided to work with Kind Traveler because they have a great platform to highlight this type of community engagement and hopefully inspire other hotels to do the same.”

They chose the Big Sur Health Center to receive the proceeds from the ESGB program. “Big Sur is a fragile community, and for that reason it's always been a priority for us to focus our giving directly to our local community in Big Sur,” Handy said. “[It’s] an organization we love and have supported for a long time. They provide a necessary service to our community. That help is very much appreciated.”