The Asilomar Conference Grounds are located right by the famous 17-mile drive — a scenic road on the Monterey Peninsula, located on the central California coast. The closest international airports are located in the San Francisco Bay Area, namely Mineta San Jose International (SJC) 80 miles North, and San Francisco International (SFO) 110 miles North. The Bay Area is known to host the headquarters of many well-known companies, as well as universities such as Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley.

Monterey (12-minute drive East from Asilomar) is the biggest city in the vicinity, and has a variety of hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping venues. Cannery Row in Monterey, former home to defunct sardine canning factories, is a local attraction that has restaurants and bars set in cannery buildings (pictures below). The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a key attraction in Cannery Row; 2.2 miles away (9-minute drive) from Asilomar, the aquarium is among the top 10 largest in the world. For golf enthusiasts, there are highly rated golf courses in the surrounding area, namely next door at the The Inn at Spanish Bay and Pebble Beach.

Carmel-by-the-Sea (16-minute drive South) is a charming coastal city at the end of the 17-mile drive. The Carmel beach is a famous spot for sunset-watching. Further away, the famous Bixby Bridge on Highway 1 is about a 30-minute drive from Asilomar, and a bit further South sits Big Sur – a spectacular area where the Santa Lucia mountains meet the Pacific ocean, home to many stunning hiking trails. Big Sur has been considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world!