Entry No. 18 — the Monterey file — filed under: folk architecture

Deetjen's Big Sur Inn

Norwegian immigrant Helmuth Deetjen hand-built this cluster of single-wall redwood cottages starting in 1926, glazing one building with glass he'd made himself in King City and hauled over the mountains by mule, and hand-carving the candlesticks, bowls, and cabinets still scattered through rooms that famously have no wifi, no cell service, and doors that don't quite meet their frames.

The move: Book one of the low-ceilinged, uneven-floored cottages for a night, then eat dinner by candlelight in the slanted, low-beamed dining room built from the same salvaged lumber as the rest of the property.

• 📍 Big Sur
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 48865 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · Official site

last checked: 2026-07-20