Great Escape: Coastside Edition

Only a 3.5-hour drive south from Half Moon Bay in majestic Big Sur is a unique, close-to-nature lodging experience: Treebones Resort, sitting on a triangular piece of land that’s surrounded by the Los Padres National Forest and the Pacific Ocean.

On the east side of Highway One tucked high above the coastline, Treebones Resort, once a recycling wood mill with sun-baked silvery tree-bones lying around, feels as if it's on the edge of the earth — and certainly strives to be off the grid, too.

Guests stay in yurts, the circular domed tents made of fabric stretched over a lattice framework originally used by the Mongol nomads of Siberia. Treebone’s version features insulated walls and ceilings, wooden framed doors and polished wood floors— all the comforts of a cabin with cozy beds, fresh linens and towels, electricity, gas fireplaces, and purified mountain spring water pumped to vanities with hot and cold faucets.

But you won’t find a flatscreen TV in the rooms here. And there is no cell phone reception at Treebones, either. Guests are encouraged to leave their children at home with a babysitter and to unplug and unwind. In fact, Treebones is completely off the grid, using two propane-fed (zero emissions) turbines to power the resort and employee housing community. The heat exhaust from the turbines, in return, is used to create radiant heat in the Main Lodge flooring as well as assist in heating the outdoor pool and hot tub with ocean views.

Indeed, Treebones is the place on the Central Coast to decompress with a sense of adventure, a desire for serenity, an admiration for nature, and an appreciation for green initiatives.

From your yurt, you can hear the waves crashing on the beach and the elephant seals barking on the shore below. And the best part of these yurts? You can watch the sunset from the deck or view the moon and stars through the sky dome (a bubble-shaped skylight) above your bed.

Treebones is also definitely the place to stay if you want to experience all the best aspects of camping next to the beach, like falling asleep to the sound of the waves, waking up to chirping birds, star gazing at night, and having clean showers and restrooms facilities just a short walk away.

The heated pool and hot tub and Main Lodge with gift shop and restaurant provide all the additional comforts expected of a luxurious stay. A sitting area in front of a wood-burning fireplace is the perfect spot for reading a book and enjoying a glass of wine or beer on tap. And an outdoor countertop made of driftwood with stools make for an ideal place to play a board game, cards, or just relax and enjoy the panoramic view of the Big Sur coastline and Pacific Ocean.

The Wild Coast Restaurant inside the Main Lodge, featuring fresh fish, meat and vegetarian entrees for both lunch and dinner, uses garden produce harvested from the resort’s organic garden, a lovely well-tended plot that's centrally located on the resort's grounds with everything from herbs, apple trees, kale and strawberries to tomatoes, brussel sprouts and leeks. Farm-to-table dinners are the theme at the restuarant, using recipes from around the world creatively crafted with locally grown ingredients. With your stay, breakfast is included and features make-your-own waffles, farm fresh eggs, yogurt, and homemade granola.

Ocean view campsites are also available for a quarter of the price of a yurt with full ocean view. If you’re looking to go beyond the comforts of a yurt and fall asleep cradled in a human-sized nest, reserve two nights in The Nest, woven wood art with a suspended platform nestled in the trees to plop your tent on.

Hiking and day trip ideas are compiled in a book in the Main Lodge with detailed information about where to go for beach excursions, surfing expeditions, bike rides, and hiking trails.

A highly recommended hike that has it all is Cruickshank Trail, four miles south of Treebones on Highway One. This hike has great mountain, ocean and creek views along with a wide variety of tree and plant life. Scrubby sage and a chaparral landscape that switchbacks up the mountain side above the Pacific Ocean gives way to shaded oak and redwood groves. Go the extra half-mile to Villa Creek Camp. A small creek cascades into a lovely pool.

End your day at Treebone’s outdoor sushi bar with sunset views and sushi rolls by Sushi Chef Carlos-san such as the Albacore Roll with spicy tuna, cucumber, albacore, onion with tataki sauce and the Carlitos Roll with tuna, crabmeat, tempura shrimp, avocado, asparagus and soy paper.

IF YOU GO

Treebones Resort, 71895 Hwy One, Big Sur, CA  93920. Call 877-424-4787 or go to www.treebonesresort.com to make reservations. Full Ocean View yurts are $199/night; partial ocean view yurts are $179/night. Nest with campsite is $95. Campsites are $65. Massage appointments are available.