Tucked among redwoods off Highway 1, this 16-room, National Register of Historic Places-designated inn is a rambling collection of locally-milled redwood cottages dating to the 1930s. There’s no Wifi, phones or TVs—but that’s the beauty of a stay here. At the restaurant’s magnolia-filled garden try chef Domingo Santamaria’s hearty breakfast burrito.

This crescent-shaped beach located halfway between Cambria and Big Sur Station is a longboarder’s dream spot. Thanks to its gentle and perfectly peeling waves, it’s a great place for beginners, so there is no excuse not to don a wetsuit and paddle into the Pacific. Be sure to walk down to the rocks at the southern end of the beach, where you might spot nuggets of rare minerals like serpentine and jade.

By now an established American classic, Big Sur Bakery is known for its pastries (get the mocha cookie and the pecan sticky bun) and American comfort-food with a California woodland twist (the mushrooms-peas-Gruyère veggie strudel). More community hub than mere coffee spot, the town’s namesake bakery is also its nexus, for locals and visitors alike.

A worthy stop for wellness seekers along Highway 1, at Loma Vista Gardens, is Mother Botanical & Shop, where you’ll find all your modern earthly essentials—Ylang Ylang CBD Facial Serum, The Mushroom Tarot cards, and How To Love by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Then have a peek into the little gallery, which features the works of local women artists.

To not hike down to the iconic 80-foot-high McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, which flows year round over granite cliffs and spills directly into the sea, is to not experience the power of the place at all. Known the world over for its soft purple sand and pink sunsets, it’s a wonderful spot for picnics and long walks. In the winter months, those who snag a seat on the benches at the end of the Overlook trail might see blue and humpback whales migrating south.

This institute is a center for wellbeing, and its cliffside hot springs have been used for rituals and healing by the indigenous Esselen people for more than 6,000 years. Esalen helped bring New Age therapy into Modern Age America, and today still offers a range of tested and true mind-body-spirit workshops. Moon worshipers take note: Esalen also offers public night bathing ($35 pp) from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. Advance booking online is required; reservations often run weeks in advance.

If you’re going to do “sundowners” then you might as well toast sunset at what seems like the edge of the earth. Nepenthe’s terrace, perched 800 feet above the thundering surf below, was founded by Lolly and Bill Fasset in the late ‘40s. The restaurant, according to locals, has remained every bit as charming and laid-back as it was during their time, and the Ambrosia Burger—a ground steak sandwich served on a French roll with special “Ambrosia Sauce”—is still the thing to order.

Fernwood Campground & Resort is a great affordable option where you can stay in heated “adventure tents” with queen beds, or set up your own tent. Some of Big Sur’s best hiking trails are accessible from the campground, like Buzzard’s Roost Trail, which follows the Big Sur River and climbs through shady redwoods to an exposed sunny ridge, with views of the Pacific and the surrounding Sycamore Canyon.