Escape to the Monterey Peninsula
Located on the Monterey Peninsula, Asilomar Conference Center (www.visitasilomar.com) dates back to 1913, when it opened its doors as a YWCA leadership camp. Over the years the 107-acre beachfront campus morphed into a full service conference facility. That said, remnants from the past remain, as 11 of the original Julia Morgan buildings dot this refuge by the sea. And although the venue is an excellent choice for a conference, reunion or retreat, Asilomar is also a good pick for a leisurely seaside getaway. As an added bonus, since Asilomar Conference Center is located on a state beach (www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=566), a good deal of attention has been paid to access, so it’s also a great option for wheelchair-users and slow walkers.
Spend the Night
Built in 1913, the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall originally housed a classroom, the library and a gift shop. Today this Julia Morgan building serves as a lobby, front desk and information center for this favorite Monterey Peninsula lodging choice.
There’s accessible parking in the adjacent lot with barrier-free access to the building. Inside there’s plenty of room to roll around the thick redwood floor to the front desk. Although the building serves a utilitarian purpose, take some time to admire the architecture; from the massive stone fireplace to the exposed redwood beams.
Although Asilomar has added some modern rooms over the years, two of the accessible rooms are located in a historic building, close to the social hall. Nicknamed the Stuck-Up Inn, this building was once home to a group of college women who thought the menial work they were hired to do was beneath them. Accessible parking is located near the front entrance and there is ramped access up to the front door. The large public room features plenty of room to wheel around, and it has an accessible public restroom.
Accessible rooms 401 and 413 both feature good pathway access, and hardwood floors for easy rolling. One room is furnished with a full bed, while the other offers two twin beds. And both bathrooms are nicely equipped with a roll-in shower with a hand-held showerhead, grab bars and a fold-down shower bench. Other access features include plenty of room to maneuver a wheelchair, and toilet grab bars. A plastic shower bench, and a toilet seat riser with attached grab bars can also be added to these — or any other — rooms upon request.
Explore the Area
Asilomar is definitely the place to reflect and commune with nature; in fact it’s not unusual to look out your window and see deer grazing in the surrounding woodlands. That said, take some time to get out and discover what the conference center itself has to offer.
Although the property is hilly in places, an accessible shuttle service is available. This ramp-equipped van is available 24 hours a day to transport guests and their luggage anywhere on the property. Just Dial 0 on any house phone or call the front desk (831-372-8016) from your cell phone.
Several of the historic Julia Morgan buildings now boast modern access features. These include Merrill Hall, the Crocker Dining Complex and the Chapel. And if you work up an appetite while exploring the grounds, Phoebe’s Cafe in the social hall offers a selection of sandwiches, salads, beverages and sweet treats. There’s also an accessible picnic and campfire area, as well as a lift-equipped pool on the grounds.
Of course the best thing to do at Asilomar is to enjoy the natural surroundings. The accessible Dunes Boardwalk begins near the Crocker Dining Complex and travels over the dunes for a quarter mile to the rocky ocean shore. And if you’d like a longer hike, the Coast Trail begins just north of the conference center. This accessible one-mile trail runs along the coast and offers some gorgeous ocean views. If, on the other hand, you’d like to explore the beach, a beach wheelchair is available for loan at the front desk. In the end, there are no shortage of ways to enjoy this accessible slice of the Monterey Peninsula.
