A globe-trotting roundup of the season’s most enticing openings, exhibitions, hotels, and tastemakers across Industry’s favorite cities.
Big Sur
BY TIA KIM
Cliffside Cravings
Nepenthe is one of Big Sur’s most iconic dining institutions, a cliffside restaurant perched roughly 800 feet above the Pacific with panoramic vistas that seem to stretch toward infinity. The experience is pure magic; imagine sipping a glass of wine on the terrace while fog drifts through the Santa Lucia Mountains and sunlight dances across the ocean. The menu is a love letter to Cali classics, from chimichurri-blanketed ribeye and pan-seared diver scallops to the signature Ambrosia burger, a local legend. The wine cellar features more than 400 labels, with a particularly impressive selection of award-winning pinot noirs.
A Tale of Land & Sea
Lauded as the crown jewel of California’s state park system, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is one of the Pacific Coast’s most spectacular natural wonders. Located just north of Big Sur, the reserve sweeps across 550 onshore acres with another 775 acres of protected waters, home to one of the richest marine habitats on the planet. From land, spectators are treated to the hissing spouts of orcas, humpbacks, and gray whales (especially during the summer months), while otters bob along the surface like furry corks. The tide pools of Weston Beach and Moss Grove are teeming with starfish, while old-growth cypress trees provide shade along the many hiking trails. For more intimate wildlife experiences, you can scuba dive to explore the vast underwater ecosystem. Access is capped at 150 vehicles at a time, so arrive early.
Pamper Post
Post Ranch Inn touts almost too many awards to count, with dozens of prestigious decorations from Forbes, USA Today, Wine Spectactor, Conde Nast, and more. (It recently landed the Michelin Guide’s highest honor, Three Keys, for the second consecutive year.) Overlooking the wild waters of the Pacific, the breathtaking boutique features just 40 creatively designed guestrooms, suites, and private houses, each intentionally devoid of TVs and alarm clocks to foster a deeper connection with the coastal expanse. Freestanding Tree Houses feature skylights over the bed for first-class star gazing, while Ocean Homes are wrapped in a wildflower-rich living roof. Wall panels were crafted from re-milled redwood from wine casks, while hand-woven rugs and wood-burning fireplaces lend an air of coziness.
Off-Grid Glamour
Years before glamping entered the travel mainstream, a honeymooning couple in the ’80s stumbled upon a stunning stretch of coastline that would one day become Treebones Resort. The rustic-glam eco-retreat trades traditional brick-and-mortar hotel suites for ocean-view yurts, solar-powered tents, 3-D printed tiny homes, woven twig huts, and even a pine-cradled treehouse accessible by suspension bridge. Furnishings go far beyond basic, marked by plush king beds, polished wood floors, and private decks overlooking the bewildering forest. Don’t skip the sushi experience, an intimate 18-course omakase by Chef Yancy Knapp that winds through grilled black cod, ice-cold oysters, and melt-in-your-mouth otoro.
Knock on Redwood
Big Sur is the southernmost home to California’s legendary coastal redwoods, and tucked beneath the shade of the ancient behemoths lives Alila Ventana Big Sur, an adults-only hideaway that puts the grandeur of the Pacific on full display. The design here leans rustic-chic, with 54 suites crafted from natural wood and stone. The activity menu offers total immersion into the untamed landscape: beekeeping courses, wilderness walks with the resort’s resident master falconer, forest reiki, natural cold plunges, and thrilling treks along the rugged ridgeline. At the spa, outdoor massage cabanas overlook the mountain’s majesty, while infinity-edge hot tubs invite you to soak in a sea of 300-foot sequoias.
