Fernwood is definitely a hidden gem up in Big Sur! Finding a campground where the bathrooms and showers are actually clean is a massive win, and having that river right next to the site sounds incredibly peaceful. It's great that they have options for everyone, whether people are pitching a tent or staying in a cabin. The only negative we ran into was the skunks. They would come out at night looking for food. But other than that it was a fun experience! read more

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The best resort ever in Big sur. The river was flowing fast as it was rainy the nights before. Brought our dog to the tent cabin and had an awesome time, 3 beds to sleep on, one of them being a bunk. Comes w a water spout on the side and a picnic table/fire ring. Had no neighbors and it was the BEST!!!!! Felt like we had the whole tent cabin area to ourselves. Highly recommend coming here. Super family friendly, bathrooms are clean, staff is nice. Not too far from all the sight seeing stuff, Carmel, & Monterey! read more

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1 star. I tested positive today for Covid, which is the day before my reservation. I canceled immediately, out of basic consideration for their staff and other guests. Instead of any compassion or flexibility, Fernwood Resort kept my deposit and hid behind a rigid 14-day cancellation policy, no exceptions, no matter the circumstances. Think about the incentive this creates: a guest who's contagious and doing the responsible thing by staying home gets penalized financially for it. A policy like that doesn't protect the resort, it just pressures sick guests to either eat the cost or show up anyway. Neither of those is good for staff or other guests staying there. After going back and forth, they still charged me $132.50, prioritizing money over public health. I tried to do the right thing by canceling my reservation and was met with a bill for it. There are plenty of other places in Big Sur that will treat you like a human being instead of a walking transaction. I won't be back, and I'd think twice before trusting this place with your money, especially if you ever get sick before a stay. Fernwood, do the right thing and be in touch about refunding my deposit. read more

Our favorite place to camp and get away from it all! We stay in our tents for several days and enjoy the scenery and the river. It's not for everyone as people rely on tech and WiFi" as the experience is truly meant to be disconnected and enjoy the surroundings! the area offers nearby restaurants and stores for your convenience, there are plenty of hiking trails nearby. Remember, your time spent out in nature is what you make of it. Don't let rough moments be a killjoy, adapt and shrug it off. Grab your favorite drink, a water raft and relax in the refreshing waters! read more

Fernwood Resort - Our annual tradition. - Hotels Near Me - Big Sur, California

My husband and I started coming here over 10 years ago before we had kids and have kept it a summer tradition. It's a magical spot and you never have to leave given the river play and market/ restaurant at the top. We have our favorite campsites and know to book out a year in advance at midnight. Although I wish they would change the booking time as I hate staying up that late. My only complaints and the reason I deducted stars is the bathrooms. They get cleaned everyday so that's not the problem but they really REALLY need to add more toilets. Especially if you stay on the "RV" side there is only 2 stalls in the women and 1 for men. It's absolutely bonkers they can charge SO much a night and not provide more bathrooms. Also, I wish the staff would remind people when they check in to please DRIVE SLOW. We were in spot # 18 with our 2 kids ( one being a toddler) and I cannot tell you how dangerous and fast people drive. And they kick up lots of dust. I also wish the staff would drive around at 10pm to ensure all the music is off and voices are down as some campsites can be very loud very late. It just shows this place cares little about your comfort and all about your money. Most state parks will Have rangers drive around to ensure noise is down. read more

This review is for the campground. I haven't been car camping in a minute and when friends invited us to join them here, we went. Reservations aren't easy to get and Big Sur is an absolutely beautiful location. We rented an RV site right next to the water and set up 3 tents. Plenty of space, dog friendly with lots of pups around, clean, very cool old schoolhouse now used as the "ranger station." Located right on Hwy 1 (you can't miss it), in proximity to several very cool local spots including Nepenthe, Djeetens, Henry Miller Museum and Library. Admittedly I'm not a fan of crowds but that's what you get at Big Sur these days in nice weather, for better or worse. The tavern up at street level was welcoming, clean, and serve a good bloody mary. The best of both worlds. Would def camp here again! read more

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Adventure tent was nice and clean, nice shared bathroom. Pricey for what you get but that's the market with limited accommodations in the area. There's a lot of road noise. Tent could use a ceiling fan. Staff was kind and helpful read more

I love the location and the patio. We have been here several times before with no issues but we were there last Thursday and I had the carrot ginger soup and came down with food poisoning. It was the only thing I ate that day that husband didn't eat. It ruined my weekend. I hate to leave bad reviews but I would also hate to see someone else go through what I went through. Hopefully this review will encourage them to improve their food safety measurements. read more

This was my first time eating here and it was great!! They have an awesome patio that overlooks the Big Sur river. And at each table they had nice flowers, so great ambiance! And the food was really good. We got the fried brussel sprouts, which came with a bourbon honey, golden raisins and blue cheese crumbles (def order these) and I got the fried chicken sando-no bun! Also really good. My bf had 2 great margaritas! We will definitely be back the next time we are up there! Oh and great service too! read more

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This review is for the campground. We loved our stay there, camping in the redwoods by the Big Sur River. The scenery is fantastic, and there are swimming holes in the river here, so be ready for a swim. There are showers too, with warm water. The ones near the entrance are coin operated so bring quarters. Quiet hours are from 10pm til 8am, so respect that. There are people playing music in the campground, starting pretty early, and the sound carries. Dogs are allowed and there are plenty of them. Love the ducks along the river. It's also nice that you can walk up the stairs from the campground to the Fernwood store and tavern. The store is well stocked. There's also a trail that starts at the back of the campground, to Pfeiffer. read more

We needed a room as the 101 was shut after an accident, so got the last room, was absolutely disgusting, so small, very very dated, only room for bed, no air con, was just rubbish & wasn't cheap, too tired to try get anything else, but would not recommend. The food we had was decent, but no breakfast available??? Weird read more

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Great stay in the motel. Pretty clean rooms which was great, friendly staff, and great little restaurant/bar. Extremely thin walls, can hear your neighbors, the traffic, and critters throughout the night. But it was the perfect location as you're so close to so many major Big Sur spots. Food and bar were unexpectedly great-- amazing service, great bartenders, and really good food and drink. read more

my favorite place to stay in big sur! We lucked out and were able to book the room with the hot tub on the balcony and it was so amazing! the price was definitely worth it and i felt it was very reasonable. Loved how private and peaceful it was! We've gone to big sur multiple times but this time was my favorite and staying here heavily influenced that! Will always come back to stay! read more

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this place is amazing cute: eco - friendly and so calm. I truly want to thank you for great support : Carlos did a great job, thanks lot amigo for such a great human touch. truly mean this , carlos did not bother me for nothing. he truly know the business he run into it . great great great. my respect. he is a truly professional of this industry, capable, professional and most important with a own human touch . Gracias Carlos. God bless you. read more

Our favorite camping spot! We come here annually every year. The beautiful river, trees, and foliage is always so relaxing and allows one to recharge instantly. But, it does book quickly; thus, you should book a year in advance to get the dates you desire or else it is slim pickings! You can bring your RV, get a spot to tent camp, rent their tent cabins or get a hotel room. So many options! I so love Fernwood! read more

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I have mixed feelings about this place. While some campsites looked good, most of the areas seemed pretty compacted, where we were surrounded by three+ families. They all had multiple families in a single site, which made it a bit chaotic, far from being peaceful. Our neighboring people were being rude from day one, and we were interrupted multiple times during the stay. I can't blame them entirely, there was just not enough space for everyone. There was also "unannounced" construction that started early at 9 am and continued into the evening. On the positive side, the staff was super nice, and I appreciated that they were keeping people in order. Honestly, I think they should consider combining some of the smaller sites together for more space. Also, it doesn't make sense for quiet time to start at 10 pm when there's a bar open until midnight -- that was contradictory. I also think they should prevent people from using tents at RV/car sites. The RV site is just right for an RV to fit, but it's not meant to handle four family tents invading someone else's space. The designated tent sites looked more spaced out and calm. Was it worth $135 a night? Probably not. read more

Loved it when I came a few years ago but now feel like it was overpriced this time for what it is. The cabins are really expensive for how small they are and the campsites are also extremely overpriced. Our cabin and our friends' cabin both had the same issue with water getting all over the floor after a shower- not sure if it was because the curtains had holes. It was not a normal amount of water. They should take care of that to prevent water damage in the future. Cabins smelled a little weird too. read more

I reserved a cabin for April online a could weeks ago. I am not able to attend and wanted to cancel. They are charging me almost $70 to cancel (cancellation fees and online registration fees). Their cabins get booked all the time and there's plenty of time for someone else to book it. These cabins are super popular. No need to charge anything for canceling. read more

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My family and I stayed at the motel overnight when we realized we'd be setting up camping in the rain and in the dark down the road at Pfeiffer Big Sur. We called while on the way and were able to secure a room over the phone no problem. Our room was clean and the perfect size for us - it even had a small bonus bedroom my husband and I were able to hang out in after we put our son to bed. We had dinner in the main lodge restaurant the night we arrived restaurant and were really impressed with the garlic pasta and veggie pita. The general store attached to the restaurant has most supplies one could need for camping. We loaded up and stopped back a few times even after we left. Glow stick bracelets were a huge hit. We didn't explore the campground as we only stayed the one night. All the staff we chatted with were super friendly! We would 100% return and recommend Fernwood to our friends! read more

Amazingly beautiful camp with very clean bathroom and shower. Also had electric with 30 amp and 120 v for my tesla. Will be coming back again soon. read more

Fernwood Resort - Tent and Tesal - Hotels Near Me - Big Sur, California

Had an awesome first camping experience with our young children at Fernwood! We stayed in one of five cabins on site during July 2023. The cabin is fully furnished with five beds, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, even pots and pans and bedding. Basically all the comforts of home. Staff is kind and helpful and they have a small restaurant and convenience store on site. Great location tucked away off the highway in the trees along the Big Sur river where we spent a long time playing in the water and soaking up the sun. Lots of tents and RVs set up but it didn't feel loud or crowded. Quiet time after 10 pm but you're able to stay outside and enjoy a bonfire Ave the sounds of nature. So peaceful and relaxing. On that note, no Wi-Fi at the cabins but there is Wi-Fi and reception up by the store and restaurant. I left my favorite jersey behind in the cabin so I called them right away. They found it and shipped it back to my house! Overall this was a great experience and we can't wait to return! read more

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2/12/25 the female at the front was so kind with so much information but we came back at 8:30 pm and the experience was so different the girl at the store knew nothing and was so rude. . read more

I stayed here for 2 nights with my boyfriend and another couple who camped in their car. We camped in our tents near the water. The campsite is quite small for what's priced. The ground is very hard and rocky, so if you have one of those tents that needs to be staked, be cautious that it's super hard to stake out. Depends on the location of the campsite, it's quite impossible if you have 2 cars + 2 family style tents for one campsite. A lot of people are just parking half in the campsite and half on the road. This is a great place if you have kids, but if you don't, then running kids can be annoying. For example, our car got hit by toys kids thrown multiple times, sometimes there are parents on the side watching but most time they are roaming free, causing it hard to manage (safety reason mostly). And at night, you can clearly smell weed in the air. And I think there is a bar-like place at the entrance place near the highway, and that's the music after quiet hours. I mean it's nice to have a quiet hour rule to begin with, but if you have loud business nearby, what's the point? The entire campsite is relatively small, but packed with too many campsite spots. read more

Had a good camping experience here. Beautiful spot, and friendly staff! Cleanest restrooms I have seen at a camp place!! We had a blast! We will be back. Awesome store too! Shout out to Zeke and his dog....for being a friendly and helpful check in person. read more

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My review is based on TENT/CAR CAMPING: If you're used to camping, you might think the price is pretty hefty for this place. But it's worth it! You get really clean flush toilets, free showers, clean bathrooms, great forest ambiance--lots of shade. A lot of the campsites have access to the river. When we went in April, the water was shallow but still a river. As far as food goes, you can walk up to the restaurant. On Saturdays at 7 pm, they have a live band playing. Super chill woodsy vibes. Their food is great too! You can sit outside or inside, and even order take-out, but I would recommend sitting outside. They have access to the state park within the camp as well. Would recommend it. You would have to turn back around as it does not loop to a different entrance in the campground, as far as I knew. We went 1.5miles in and there was still more to go. It's a clear path and relatively on the more accessible side. You can hike up to a waterfall. The roundtrip would have been about 5 miles. Also if you forgot firewood for the campfire, they have some available at the entrance for $13 when I went. Overall, the best camping ground I've gone to so far. Would definitely come back, probably in the summer to have some river fun. read more

Fernwood Resort - Entrance to the camp. It's kinda a one car at a time type road for some parts - Hotels Near Me - Big Sur, California

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We ate here 3 nights in a row and enjoyed everything we had. Blake the bartender is wonderful. He makes fantastic drinks and is very knowledgeable and makes suggestions both with food and drink. We will be back! read more

There's no internet connection from my room when I came here to stay at the motel. My friend and I were bored out of our minds at night. I like this place but perhaps there are better places in the area for the same price. This is the first hotel I've been to in Big Sur. read more

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Totally Recommended!! Our first time staying at the Motel. We loved the friendliness of Jennifer Verdeja- we had the best customer service! Rooms fine for the inexpensive BIG SUR price you pay!' We had Room H with our own hot tub. Heating worked great ... Rustic but comfortable! Redwoods are in your backyard. So beautiful!! We loved the Restaurant! It was our first time.Our server was super friendly !! Again prices were reasonable!!! I am looking forward to going again and again!! read more

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For camping: Pros: bathrooms are pretty clean, WiFi (although it's spotty) and proximity to the restaurant and market Cons: spots are very very close to each other, and families let their kids run wild. In a state owned campsite there's a camp host who enforces the rules but here you just hope your neighbors are considerate (mine weren't). Fernwood let me move to another spot so I could get away from the noisy neighbors, but they probably won't stay here again. It's twice the cost of Pfeiffer Bug Sur and the spots are less than 1/3 the size. Not worth the extra money to stay here. read more

Amazing views from back patio, dog friendly and GREAT FOOD & fast service with a super pleasant staff. Their cocktails are also great. Definitely suggest stopping by if you are in the area! read more

Beautiful location with convenient access to nearby state park but that is where it ends. I have come here for years and am sorry to say that I will not be coming back. They have continued to jam more and more camping spots into their little location, while increasing their rates significantly. Despite this, their customer service is comparable to a call center in India. On our recent last minute trip we had to stay in two different spots due to limited availability. This was not their fault and we accepted that we would have to pack up and switch spots. Accordingly we packed everything hastily in our van to comply with the 11am checkout. Unfortunately the people staying in our second spot we're not as considerate and remained long after the checkout time. We then asked the person at the check in booth if we could a) leave our vehicle parked in the original spot (everything packed inside) until the noon check in time; b) park our van in clearing next to the original spot; or c) any alternative that would not require me to reorganize the van in order to fit my wife and toddler inside while we wait for the other people to leave. The only accommodation we were provided was to park our van on highway 1 outside of the campground--even though technically nobody could move into our other spot till 12 anyways l--and wait till 12 to reenter start the process all over again. For a $125/night camping spot I would expect more. I will be looking at alternative for our next stay. read more

I just spent 3 days at this lovely campground in Big Sur and it was such a great time! We had a nice, private Camp spot with plenty of shade and a great view of the Big Sur River. We encountered a lot of very friendly fellow campers and the staff was helpful. It is a great place to camp with kids because they can play in the river all day long. I am already planning a trip for next summer! read more

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Fernwood is my absolute favorite place to stay in Big Sur. The cabin tents are the perfect camping experience for people who don't want to sleep in regular tents and don't have RVs. Each cabin tent has a parking spot and a fire pit right outside. We usually make hot dogs and smores but I've seen people cook salmon and steak out there. It's beautiful and clean and there is nature EVERYWHERE. We've been here about six times and the restrooms and showers have always been clean. It feels so magical being there, like a dream or a movie. We always meet the sweetest people and drive further down the coast seeing all of Big Sur which is close by. read more

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We called to cancel our reservation due to the landslide on Hwy 1, and were informed that they charge a $25 cancellation fee. So, even though there are unsafe road conditions leading to and from the resort, they still refuse to waive the $25 fee, which is hidden in the fine print on their website. Don't worry, we will be disputing this with our credit card company, and we will not be including Fernwood in any future travel plans. read more

Had an absolutely amazing time out in Fernwood recently! My friends and I rented an RV from LA and dove right into the lifestyle... This is where Fernwood gets its points for accessibility. Yes, the Resort costs more than most other campgrounds and RV parks, but the amenities you get in exchange were worth it for our novice group. To start, the RV campsites are mainly located in a prime spot around the gorgeous Big Sur River. Electric and water are easy to hookup to. If you don't want to use the bathroom on your camper, there are multiple large, clean campground bathrooms for you to use with showers. The convenience store was also a must for late night and early morning snacks! It's truly glamping in every sense of the word and we loved every minute of it. If you're looking for something more rugged, go elsewhere. But if you're looking for a fun, family-friendly time, Fernwood is the way to go! read more

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We had an amazing time on thanksgiving this year. The tent cabins were clean and water proof. Also our site(6 & 7) were right next to the river with towering redwoods all around us. We are locals and this is one of our favorite spots. Clean, organized with friendly staff and a nice layout. Highly recommend! read more

The outdoor patio is so spacious with large redwood trees wherever you glance, even coming up in the middle of the deck. Unique menu items that feature the local picked chanterelle mushrooms, had a delicious root vegetable soup that I'm still dreaming about how I might recreate. Nice affordable wines from the kegs, which is better for the environment! read more

Fernwood Resort - Hotels Near Me - Big Sur, California

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We camped here for Thanksgiving and it was SO cute!! Not the cheapest campsite ($100) and you're deff pretty packed in there. But we woke up to a river, the camp was clean and the restaurant is really awesome. Lit up by twinkle lights in the middle of a red wood forest, we had the whole place to ourself practically and enjoyed a 5 course Thanksgiving meal ($35). Just really enjoyed this place as a camping splurge, would recommend! read more

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A beautiful, serene campground. Considering they've been closed for a while, I was impressed with how clean and attentive the grounds were- from the bathrooms to the trash area near our campsite. The trash area near the check in office was always overflowing and it looked gross, but this could be the fact that this area of the campground was more condensed with a lot more campers. We stayed at sites #23 and #24 and both sites were big enough for 3 families, 3 large tents. Site 24 is on the border of the campground that is adjacent to the state park with no one next to you, so you have so much more space and privacy to put down more than 1 tent. River access is not bad, a little bit of an embankment but all our kids had a blast floating down the creek on their rafts. Sites 20-24 are more private and you feel like you're in your own campground. read more

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Stayed here 5 nights in our RV as part of a month-long trip up and down the California Coast and would give it 3.5 stars. Have to say - Big Sur was pretty underwhelming. The Coastline is beautiful, but a lot of the trails are shut due to fire restoration, making everything else extremely crowded. For Fernwood - the stay mid-week was lovely. Not nearly as busy, and the wildlife came out abundantly. The RV sites along the river were peaceful, and we appreciated the electric and water hookups. We did not enjoy the price tag, especially as you had to pay extra for dumping, showers, pets, and children (seriously, our one child was extra per night). It is extremely noisy in the campground on the weekend. Quiet hours we not enforced, and sites are close together. The site next to us was having a party and it was extremely loud. My husband had to leave our RV and ask them to quiet down at midnight. Blaring music, yelling vulgarity...it was just too much. Additionally, just really poor traffic patterns to get down to the river. We had unattended kids running through our campsite to go to the river at all hours, along with people walking their dogs. We were chill with it until a child nearly ran into our fire if we hadn't blocked him. Also, kids throwing rocks at birds, ducks, and people leaving trash on the riverfront. I get it is not Fernwood's behavior, but for the price you pay, this should be patrolled more. The general store and ice cream shop is great. The food from the restaurant is quite good (though, like everything in Big Sur, very overpriced). Just again left feeling nickel and dimed for a very dusty, uncontrolled and not peaceful environment which is is disappointing for a place you come to so you can escape and be with nature. read more