Last updated Thursday, 10 July 2008

Venue information:

Asilomar Conference Grounds, located at 800 Asilomar Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950, USA, is known today as Monterey Peninsula's "Refuge by the Sea,” was originally founded in 1913 as a retreat area for the YWCA.  Starting as a piece of land dotted with canvas tents and simple structures, the property was turned over to the California state park system in the 1950’s in a combination purchase/donation under the agreement that the conference facilities be utilized.

While still rustic in many ways, the Asilomar of today is a comfortable resort which prides itself on tranquility and a closeness to nature that is truly rare in conference centers of today. Located on the Pacific shoreline, Asilomar offers stunning views of the ocean and boasts a boardwalk through a world-class dune restoration project, which speaks volumes for the resort’s commitment to ecology and its own future at this site.

Directly nestled on the central California coast, the city of Pacific Grove benefits from the California current, a result of the cold Arctic current coming down from the north and mixing with the warmer waters of the central Pacific ocean. Because of this, the temperature at Pacific Grove and Asilomar State Beach is a steady 65-70 Fahrenheit all year round. However, while the weather does not change drastically over the course of a year, it may change quite a bit during the course of a single day, often starting out cool and foggy, clearing up to a brilliant afternoon, then becoming chilly and breezy later in the evening.

Asilomar’s surrounding area is home to numerous other parks and beaches, golf courses and marinas, as well as opportunities for shopping and dining in beautiful downtown Pacific Grove, or in the world-famous neighboring towns of Monterey and Carmel-By-The-Sea.

How to get to Asilomar:

Airport options and driving times*:

*Monterey Peninsula Airport it the closest airport to Asilomar - however it is generally more cost effective to fly into San Jose International Airport or San Francisco International Airport and either rent a car or choose from other ground transportation options.

Driving Directions:
Asilomar is approximately 120 miles south of downtown San Francisco (about 105 miles from San Francisco International Airport) and about 75 miles south of San Jose. Take 101 South to 156 West. Take 156 West to Highway 1 South, through Monterey to the Pebble Beach / Pacific Grove exit, turn right on Holman highway / 68 West. Stay on Highway 68 West/Holman Highway for 3.5 miles until it becomes a city street called Forest Avenue. Continue on Forest Avenue for about 1 mile and make a left turn onto Sinex Avenue. In just under 1 mile, Sinex Avenue ends right at the front gates to Asilomar.

From San Jose International Airport:

Call (831) 373-7777 for Air Bus information and reservations (highly recommended) from San Jose International Airport, or visit the San Jose International Airport web site for more information on ground transportation options: http://www.sjc.org/travelers/ground_trans.html

From San Francisco International Airport:

Visit the San Francisco International Airport web site for ground transportation options:  http://www.flysfo.com/transport/services/gt_tsv_search.asp

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