The big green road sign on Highway 1 just south of Carmel reads “Big Sur—26 miles.” But in popular parlance, this entire stretch of craggy California coastline south to San Simeon is collectively known by that moniker. Nearly everyone who experiences the region’s breathtaking beauty comes away enthralled, and a piece of Big Sur remains with them. The people here are renowned for their tightly-knit sense of community—a vibe they are happily willing to share with guests. Several legendary businesses have taken root here and among the most beloved is the Big Sur River Inn, a hospitality icon in every sense of the word. This year, The River Inn is celebrating 90 years of serving both visitors and residents alike.
The residents who brave the sometimes-harsh conditions Mother Nature throws at the region have always been a hardy bunch, willing to trade hard work and survival skills for the incredible majesty and nurturing spirit of the land. One such homesteader was Jay Pheneger. Not much is known about him, but his name lives on in the creek that runs through the 160 acres he settled around the Big Sur River in 1888. The property changed hands a few years later, acquired by the famous Pfeiffer family, a pioneering clan whose name lives on in the region as Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, among many others. The first iteration of the inn was founded by Ellen Brown, a member of the Pfeiffer clan, in 1934. She welcomed visitors into her home, serving them delicious hot apple pie, thus the property’s first name, “Apple Pie Inn.” Big Sur people like to honor those who came before them, and today the mountaintop to the east of the highway is known as “Apple Pie Ridge.”
“People stopped by the Apple Pie Inn to tie up their horses and rest,” says Lacey Mazurek, Big Sur native, long-time River Inn employee and current marketing and social media manager. “Accommodations soon popped up, such as people offering rooms in their homes.”
The 1937 opening of the 100-mile stretch from Carmel to San Simeon marked the end of the pioneer days and visitors from all over the world began exploring this newly famous stretch of coast. Brown’s mother Florence moved the house to the west side of the road, and it took on new life as a kitchen and dining room. Then called “Redwood Camp,” gas pumps were added to fuel the still fairly new mode of automotive transportation.
The name “River Inn” was painted on the building during World War II, when it was taken over by Florence’s daughter Esther Pfeiffer Ewoldsen along with husband Hans. Esther recalled, “the place was renamed ‘The River Inn’ in hopes of keeping the river out…because in those days the river often rose up during the winter storms to the level of the dining room door.” She also took over the role of Big Sur postmaster and the post office was relocated to the part of the inn where the motel office is currently situated. The couple were enthusiastic botanists; neighbors turned to them for advice on what species of trees and plants would be best suited to the area. Today, there are two ancient rose bushes on the property with trunks the diameter of small trees. They’re quite healthy, blooming annually. It’s tempting to think they were planted by the Ewoldsens.
Motel rooms went up on the east side of the highway, the first of what are now 22 accommodations. As for the dining room, it has undergone significant changes over the years, but plenty of vestiges abound—if one knows where to look. At one point, Pheneger Creek coursed through the hall. A long rectangular concrete patch in the floor marks where it once was. That was long before Mazurek’s time, “But I can’t imagine trying to step over that with a full tray of food,” she laughs.
A huge and inviting river-stone fireplace dominates the front room, where the floor is made up of squares of native redwood. “The original floor was made of redwood rounds,” Mazurek says. “Woodworker Dan O’Rourke recently took those old rounds out, saved the ones he could and added newer ones.” It’s easy to see the difference as the older wood is darker. A large portion of the materials used in the buildings comes from the property.
Alan Perlmutter and his wife Nancy Sanders, who have owned and operated The River Inn since 1988, recently stepped down and handed the reins to their youngest son Ben. Ben and wife Laurel Flagg took over management in September 2023. It’s been a great relief to the Big Sur community that this iconic business will remain in family hands, as it has for nearly a century.
Colin Twohig, childhood friend of Ben and Laurel, was named general manager. He started tending bar here in 2018. “I found that I loved it and fell in love with the Big Sur community.” He was promoted quickly to bar manager, then restaurant manager and now in charge of all operations. “We’re constantly making incremental changes, elevating guest’s experience while honoring the history of this place.” Twohig wants to make The River Inn “the jumping off point for exploring Big Sur.”
Going back to the Apple Pie days, this has been a place with a deep sense of service. Kate Novoa (aka “Big Sur Kate”) is a longtime local. “The River Inn family is incredibly community oriented,” she says. “They support local causes: numerous Big Sur charities, such as the Health Center and Big Sur Fire. Personally, it’s my choice for gatherings of the Ladies of Big Sur, who have been gathering here for each other’s birthdays for 30 years.”
Music has been a key feature here for decades. During warm months, the deck overlooking the river comes alive with the sounds of jazz. Local favorite Jack Stock and his Abalone Stompers held court here for many years, and as part of The River Inn’s 90th anniversary, Stock’s nephew, trumpeter Brian Stock will lead a hand-picked band to honor the Stompers’ legacy this fall.
If there’s one experience everyone takes away from a visit to The River Inn, it’s the opportunity to lounge in one of the oversized Adirondack chairs perched in the river. There’s nothing like soaking one’s feet in the cool, swirling waters of the Big Sur River, hearing the breeze ruffle the overhead trees and sipping an excellent beverage—perhaps one of the bar’s signature Bloody Marys.
It’s rare that a business is so deeply entwined with the lore and history of its place. For 90 years, The River Inn has become as deeply associated with Big Sur as its iconic coastline and redwood forests. It will be exciting to see how it evolves over the next 90 years.
The Big Sur River Inn is located at 46800 Highway 1 in Big Sur. For more information, visit www.bigsurriverinn.com or call 831/667-2700.