Great Escapes Locally: Lucia Lodge in Big Sur

This weekend we had a chance to get away and explore the beauty of Big Sur. Located 150 miles from San Francisco it's a popular destination for tourists, but also Bay Area residents looking to be surrounded by nature. The beauty of Big Sur is hard to describe. The incredible rock formations cascading down into the ocean create a breathtaking landscape. Highway 1 snaking along the Pacific coast becomes an incredible scenic adventure. Our destination was Lucia Lodge which was established in the 1930's by Wilbur and Ada Harlan. It's run by the 5th generation of the original setters. The lodge is comprised of 10 small rustic cottages perched up on a cliff-side overlooking the Lucia Bay. Check out more photos after the jump...

The decor of the cottages is simple and clean. It goes with the historic feel of the place. Most of them are small, but offer plenty of space for one or two people. We liked the massive wood bed, gas fireplace (which works great for the colder nights), vaulted ceiling, and photos on the walls that highlight the history of the early settlers and their struggles. A few of the cottages offer a magnificent view of the Big Sur coast and some face the mountains surrounding the lodge. There's no TV, radio, or telephone in the rooms. Also all around Big Sur mobile phone reception is very spotty. It's a place to relax and enjoy the scenery.

The main building which houses a restaurant and a gift shop is right on Highway 1. The historic dinning room has a fireplace and mood lighting which goes perfectly with its decor. The restaurant also has outdoor seating from which you can admire the majestic feel of this place.

To find out more about Lucia Lodge visit their website.

Comments (5)

I have stayed here before the view is what it is about.

posted by LoriSF on July 13th 2009 at 7:01pm
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I love big sur but this is not my fav part. I like the area around Deetjen, Ventana, Andrew Molera, & garrapata...
How is big sur doing after last summer's fire?

posted by SydneyBristow on July 13th 2009 at 7:26pm
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Saw this place while driving by many years ago - it's a place I have often longed to return to.

posted by dianalily on July 13th 2009 at 10:44pm
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When I was a kid, this is the sort of road trip my parents would do -- down the coast from Vancouver, all the way to San Diego, then the interior (Death Valley, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone).

This part of California (along with Yosemite) was always our favourite.

Lovely!

posted by mschatelaine on July 14th 2009 at 2:21am
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On a windy road, about a mile and a half above the Lucia Lodge, is the New Camadoli Hermitage (run by Catholic monks). If you are going to Big Sur to spend some time on your own to contemplate life or whatever--I'd recommend it highly. It's a silent retreat--and that makes it even more special. You can't share your room with anyone, but that's what retreats are for anyway. It's beautiful and once you've been there it's very hard to forget. There are no phones, no computers and yes, women and men can stay there--just separately. http://www.contemplation.com/Hermitage/retreat.html

posted by bcthree on July 26th 2009 at 9:46am
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