Asilomar Conference Grounds, Convention center and National Historic Landmark in Pacific Grove, United States

Asilomar Conference Grounds is a complex of buildings on the western tip of the Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove, California, designed by Julia Morgan between 1913 and 1929 in the Arts and Crafts style. The photographed building has a steep gabled roof with a tall stone chimney near its center. Its facade mixes pale, rough-cut stone cladding with reddish-brown wood shingles in the gables and upper walls, and large windows sit in vertical bands, arched above and rectangular below, divided by dark brown vertical wood panels. A small rectangular plaque is mounted on the stone between the lower windows.

The YWCA held its Pacific Coast conferences at a Capitola hotel until 1911; growth in attendance led Phoebe Hearst to host the 1912 gathering at her Pleasanton hacienda, and the proceeds secured a permanent site. The Pacific Improvement Company deeded 30 acres in 1912, construction began in spring 1913, and the Social Hall and Longhouses opened that August with 300 girls. Julia Morgan designed 16 buildings between 1913 and 1929, 11 of which stand today; Merrill Hall, her last design, was dedicated in 1928. California acquired the grounds in 1956 and named them a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

The buildings display Arts and Crafts features through exposed wooden beams, stone fireplaces, and handcrafted details worked into every space. These handmade elements shape how the grounds feel today and show a respect for craftsmanship and natural materials.

The grounds sit on the western tip of the Monterey Peninsula, with Asilomar State Beach bordering the property. Rooms have no televisions or telephones by design, though Wi-Fi is available. Between 2012 and 2014 old asphalt paths were replaced with brick pavers and several buildings were made more accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The name comes from two Spanish words: asilo meaning refuge and mar meaning sea, chosen through a naming contest in 1913. This pairing directly reflects the location between land and ocean and its purpose as a gathering place away from daily life.