Fantastic experience visiting Tor House in Carmel. I have visited the area many times and yet this undiscovered gem somehow never made it on my bucket list. The visit has opened the door to learning more about Carmel and its history. Inspired by the docent who hosted our tour, Anne. She had a wide breadth of knowledge regarding the poet, Robinson Jeffers, the construction of the house, and the antiquities within the home. If history, art, or architecture interests you, schedule a visit to Tor House! read more

Tor-House Foundation - Main house - Museums Near Me - Carmel, California

Very beautiful location! We had a very informative tour guide who really seemed to enjoy his job! The grounds are very well maintained and all of the staff were very kind! Definitely worth a visit! read more

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What a great tour of a beautiful and interesting home. Our Docent (tour guide), Linda, was a great source of information about the Jeffers family and the Tor House. She had great back-stories and anecdotes, and showed great enthusiasm. The 90-minute tour breezed by and the cost is incredibly reasonable at just $15. read more

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Such an interesting tour! The house and tower were built in the early 1900s by esteemed poet Robinson Jeffers for his family. We toured the house which had many original items owned by Jeffers and his family and got to climb to the top of the tower which was built for his wife Una. Don't miss the hidden stone staircase to the second floor! The docent even read some of Jeffers poetry while we toured. read more

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We had a wonderful tour of Tor House. Our docent offered a lovely mix of poetry, history on the family, and history on the buildings. It was a real treat to get to climb the tower, exploring it inside and out. The history and artifacts were very interesting read more

Awesome experience and excellent tour guide in Lucas! It was a windy and overcast Feb day and that made the tour even more cool. Great history and grounds. Highly recommend for tourists and locals alike. Take the secret staircase up the tower! read more

We attended the Musical Tour last Friday, and had a lovely time. It included a guided tour of the outside of the Tor House, the Hawk Tower, and the beautiful garden area, as well as a music concert with classical pieces on the piano and organ to conclude the 2-hour event, on the theme of love and death. It was interesting learning about the history of Robinson Jeffers, his literary talent and achievements, lifestyle, family, friends, acquaintances, and frequent guests at his home, including Charlie Chaplin and Ansel Adams. Exploring the great poet's residence in Carmel was awesome. We learned that the Tor House was named after the giant rock at the corner of the house that Jeffers would picnic on. And it's amazing that he built the house and tower out of stones from the beach below (right near the butterfly house). Climbing the tower was a bit claustrophobic and tested my fear of heights, but it was pretty cool. A cute bunny statue was hidden in the gardens, and the docent informed us that there was a real bunny on site too! The architecture and grounds also included random noteworthy pieces, including the Forbidden City of Beijing and Great Wall of China. Two docents led the scheduled tour, about 10-12 guests total were split into 2 groups, Inge was our guide, Melinda played the piano, with song vocals and poetry reading done by her husband. Each Tor House tour may be slightly different depending on the docent you get and their expertise and/or special interest. No combined indoor, outdoor, and musical tour is offered. In that sense, it's overpriced, since you would have to return and pay for a different tour for each section of the Tor House (if you want to see and learn about all of the different parts of the property). Also, the policy of no photos inside apparently applies to "inside" the garden and outdoor space, not just inside the house and tower (according to the docents who led our tour, Inge and Melinda), and they were quite strict and on edge about it too. We were allowed to take pics from the driveway entrance, behind the fence. I don't think the rules are enforced the same among all tour guides on different days. Overall the strictness of policies made the experience a little less inviting (ie. you may be reprimanded if you walk two feet away from the path of your tour, or even just take your phone out) and this unfortunately diminished the appeal of such a fascinating historical monument. But the wonders of the property were still quite unique and fun to learn about, so it was worth the visit. read more

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What a unique spot to tour....off the beaten path and a fascinating history. Our docent was very well informed and clearly passionate about sharing his knowledge with us. Unfortunately, we had to leave the tour early, but will DEFINITELY go back to learn and see more. read more

This is a nice little house in a beautiful spot, built and once occupied by a minor poet. There are some charming items on display. I was surprised, however, to see that it had the same Yelp star rating as the Louvre. If you should find yourself having to choose between them, go to the Louvre. read more

Tor-House Foundation - A tie! - Museums Near Me - Carmel, California

Beautiful place to visit with a lot of great history. Our tour guide Rob was great and had a wealth of information about a lot of the things that were tucked in all the little nooks and crannies. I would definitely recommend. read more

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I truly enjoyed my tour. The gentleman who guided us was very knowledgeable. He was very enthusiastic and clearly enjoyed giving these lectures. His narrative flowed and he had very interesting stories to tell about the family. His story telling was sprinkled with other little tidbits about the area and poets and authors from that timeframe. He took his time to answer all questions. I never felt that we were rushed through it. Truly enjoyed it and will definitely return. read more

We've lived in the area almost 40 years and have always avoided Carmel by the Sea because of the parking situation and all the tourists and traffic. I recently read a historical fiction book "Typewriter Beach" that is based on Tor house. So we decided to take the tour. The tour was excellent and our guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Parking is available in the neighborhood. It's far enough away from the congestion to be easy. I'll definitely recommend this to friends and visitors. read more

Our Guide, Randall Johnson, was knowledgeable, personable, and very generous with his time. My wife and I have been fortunate to travel extensively, and Randall was one of the best guides we've ever had. He unabashedly read several poems by Jeffers with such feeling and genuine passion, it was hard not to be moved. The whole experience was extraordinary. read more

suburb tour for anyone interested in Jeffers and the Big Sur -Carmel coast literary history of the early 20th century to today. the stone masonry and to think he did almost all of it by himself is unbelievable. read more

A wonderful tour which gives a intersting glimpse into Carmel life in the early 20th century. Robinson Jeffers was an interesting character and his house reflects this. It was a worthwhile tour. read more

Interesting tour and you get to go to the top of the tower but if you get "Inge" as your tour guide beware that she is STRICT on NO PHOTOS during her tour and no wandering off!! Even though you are allowed to take photos of the outside she will tell you that you can't during her tour!!! Absolutely ridiculous! She even scolded people in the other group ahead of us. My group of 5 started the tour annoyed with her but towards the end she started to grow on us LOL Inge if you are reading this lol a bit of advice......lighten up a bit LOL we aren't in school and maybe allow some time for photos towards the end of the tour. Plus having us look at the photos at the entrance room at the end of the tour should be at the beginning to see what it looked like before there were trees and roads would have been better--just a suggestion. read more

Great local spot ! Our tour guide Allene was amazing and so kind ! Arrive to your your 15 min prior so, everything can go accordingly . Also, no photos are allowed indoors . Only outdoors . The hawk tower is able to be toured all the way to the top! But , be mindful the stairwells are very narrow and all may not fit . Parking is limited . So, plan for that ! read more

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This is a little known, amazing piece of Carmel history, and it's poet inhabitant. It is a beautiful and interesting tour to break up the shopping and winetasting in Carmel the views are breathtaking, and our guide it was very knowledgeable. Plan on an hour and a half plus time for photos. Would definitely recommend! read more

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We have taken this tour four times! Each time we learn new things about Robinson Jeffers. The guides are excellent, climbing Hawk Tower is fun, and learning what life was like back then is always interesting. We highly recommend taking this 1 1/2 hour tour. We always have lunch in Carmel after. read more

Tor-House Foundation - This was taken from the top of Hawk Tower. - Museums Near Me - Carmel, California

This was supposed to be a 1-hour tour of a historic house, and it turned out to be 2+ hours of the most inane facts and details about the life of a man who honestly sounds like he was a messed-up jerk. I say 2+ hours because we were 2 hours in when we literally ran from the house to escape the tour. I'm pretty sure we were only halfway through at that point. The guide was very slow and talked endlessly about so many things that no one could possibly care much about. I don't need to know the names and breeds of every dog the man owned, which friends he invited over to his house, where every single painting in the house came from ... I especially didn't need to know that "everyone was having sex with each other" and the tour guide said he wished he lived there during that time. The house and tower are beautiful, and learning that Jeffers pieced it together by hand was interesting. There are cool little facts about gifts from friends he incorporated into the structure, and it is in a pretty spot by the ocean. But 1 hour would have been plenty. I'd never even heard of Robinson Jeffers before the tour - or anyone else mentioned that the guide seemed to think were big names. A high-level overview of the dude would have sufficed. After 2+ hours of rambling, my husband and I fled down the tower stairs and back to our car to break free from the boredom. The elderly people on the tour with us are probably still descending the stairs. Also, the tour guide said there's an episode of Ghost Adventures about this place. That doesn't surprise me, considering there's a real human skull stored in one of the cabinets that Jeffers apparently stole from medical school and his wife used in seances. That place is HAUNTED haunted. read more

Hubby and I have been intending to tour Tor House for years as we visit The Monterey coast regularly. We finally made it and it did not disappoint. Our guide was knowledgeable and entertaining. I especially loved his short poetry readings as we toured the home and tower Robin built for his Una, himself, and his family. Atmospheric, historic, and poetic. Highly recommend. read more

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While I was 30 minutes late to the beginning of the tour, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The docent who gave our tour, unfortunately, I don't know his name was outstanding. He interspersed the tour with readings of Jeffers' poems, which were quite special. The house and tower are amazing things to see. I highly recommend climbing the stairs in the hawks tower to see the view. It's a pretty narrow stairway, but well worth the short trip up. Lots of interesting history to be learned on this tour. read more

Fascinating history, shared by a passionate and knowledgeable tour guide: Dan Jensen. If you live in Carmel and have never been there, go now. If you are from out of town, add this to your agenda (and get your tickets early). read more

Been wanting to visit for years & it didnt disappoint! Enjoyed the final tour of day--2:30 which meant guide could tell more stories and read more poems. Appreciated learning about his wife Una... always a great woman behinh great man Loved being able to climb Hawk Tower! What a view! At $12- this is more than reasonable price for such a great tour. read more

Tor-House Foundation - Hawk Tower - Museums Near Me - Carmel, California

I went to the torhouse.org site, called to make a reservation, and surprisingly enough got through! Note that the phone number is different Mon-Thurs, from Friday-Saturday! That weekend, I'm looking for the 5 digit address on Ocean Drive, or was that Ocean View drive? Even the tour guide on the phone can't remember the address! What was the last 5 digit address you could recall? We motor along the one way Scenic Drive, past the first Frank Lloyd house on the ocean, and just before the second Frank Lloyd house, known as the 'butterfly house', take a left on Ocean View Ave. The 3 story stone tower in the backyard stands out like a sore thumb, and is visible from the street. Gated entrance, brick walkway just like in the Wizard of Oz, but this one is not lined with flowers, but abalone shells! 100 year old granite stone building, with computer written paper sign declaring no photography in the house nor on the premises. And that includes selfies! Step right up, only $10 per person, tours Friday, Saturday 10-4 on the hour! Advance reservations required. A lady in our group inquires about bathrooms -that will be another $10 mame! -:) Millions visit the Carmel area every year, but only a few thousand go on the Tor House tour And our tour has only 4 people-certainly one of the most exclusive tours in California! First stop is the front entrance room with the wall of pictures: Robinson Jeffrey a the Carmel golf club in 1913, twin sons born in the 1916, 1918 pasture land subdivided into 16 building land plots for $200 each to Jeffers, 1920-1924 Jeffers builds the Hawk Tower out of granite stones hauled by horses from the pastureland, 1925 national career launched with poet publication, 1946 aerial picture of the approximately 2000 cypress and eucalyptus trees planted as windbreaks -no other houses nearby, 1947 wrote his only play for broadway New York, 1950 wife Uma dies at age 65 of breast cancer, 1962 Jeffers -a life time smoker -dies of emphysema during a rare snowstorm in Carmel, 1970s Tor foundation established with Tor House sold for $200k, 1999 last of the direct descendants dies. We go to the piano room, and passing some foot wide stairwells with 9" stairs leading to upstairs -not built for today's building codes! An old weathered black painted Steinway, with signs saying do not touch -to preserve for future generations to enjoy. Poetry books galore behind glass cabinets, all hardbound, most without covers. In the dining room, a narwhale horn, that Uma Jeffers wanted to use as a cane, mounted on the wall -at 8' long a bit too tall for her! The docent gives pointers on history, architecture and reads passages from poetry -the last poetry I read was in high school English -drab boring stuff, not exactly fond memories, and to think that I paid $10 to listen to this! We leave the house and go outside to the Hawk tower. Three stories, with secret passageways, very narrow stairwell, with steps up to a foot in height -I'm practically on all fours to climb up! Now you see the reason no children under 12 allowed! Second story of the tower has a marble floor outside, overlooking the gardens -barely enough room for 6 people, the usual limit on tours. Place is built like a castle with turret shaped structure, and openings in the wall to shoot arrows at besieging attackers! Up I go to the third floor, an outdoor stairwell with only a chain railing on the outside -one wrong step and it's Hasta La vista baby, to parphrase our ex-governor! High winds, with a spectacular view of the buildings, the brick walkways, the yard, the surrounding homes, and the Ocean waves crashing a hundred feet away. Highlight of the Tor! Highlight of the tour! read more

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This place is full of history. While staying in Carmel visiting from out of town. I found this on the web as things to do while in Carmel. Me made early reservations about a week about. Stuart was our tour guide, he explained everything very well and was very knowledgable of the place. Every one of our questions were answered. We definitely recommend checking out this place if you get a chance. Tour takes about an hour and a half. Recommend bringing a light jacket Incase there is cool breeze, gets chilly outside. Bring good walking shoes, rocks might be a bit slippery. Some spaces are a bit tight, so be ready to walk through narrow passages. read more

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This has been on my bucket list for decades. It did not disappoint. Beautiful setting and gardens. Interesting historically, culturally, and architecturally. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. It was fascinating learning about Robinson Jeffers and his family. Thanks to our guide, Aleene. read more

This House is wonderful! And, the tour was so interesting - full of history and architecture! The tour guide, Eric, made the tour very educational and interesting at the same time. The buildings were phenomenal with everything being original. read more

Absolutely rude. I called Tor House about a possible wedding photo shoot there because our photographer had mentioned it. I spoke to a woman who said she'd talk to the owners and call me back. She never did. After a week, I called again and spoke to a man. He told me he would have someone call me back. No one ever did. I think this is such a rude and disrespectful way to treat people. If you say you'll call back then do so! We are locals and will NEVER recommend this place to anyone simply due to poor management practices. read more

Coming here is always enjoyable and our tour guide Doug was great. We enjoyed the view and the stories. Highly recommend if you're visiting

Lovely historic home built much by the original owner and poet. Amazing and you can climb the tower! Our guide was lovely as well and provided lots of information. I love old homes and highly recommend read more

My wife and I took a most interesting tour of Tor House and Hawk Tower. Jeffers was a amazing poet and personality. The house and tower, which he built, reflect his work as well as his relationship with his wife Una and sons. T or House is also a window into Carmel's unique history. The volunteer docents are a committed group and they offer excellent tours. Our tour was almost cancelled due to exceptionally rainy and windy weather, but it went ahead as scheduled. The docent who gave us the tour was very informative and patient with our questions. And the stormy weather only made the place more Jeffers. Tours are by appointment and only on Saturdays; but if you're in the Monterey area, it's a must. read more

A beautiful, unique destination that will give you amazing memories. We took our 13-year-old son who absolutely loved visiting the Tor House. He'll never forget climbing to the top of Hawk Tower! The story of Robinson and Una Jeffers is inspiring and bittersweet. It was an honor to visit the home and gardens they truly put their hearts and souls into building. There were times when I could almost imagine they'd walk in through the door to welcome us. I also had the honor of reading one of his poems in the garden to the sounds of the ocean in the distance. I can't wait to return and hope to do so during the foundation's May garden party. read more

Historic home of poet Robin Jeffers who was a poet who also built most of this stone house and tower. Fascinating history and enchanting tour for literary buffs and historic home lovers. The location features a shop with his books and other items for sale. I recommend this tour as the docents are amazing and so it was both an intimate and educational experience. Perfect for anyone who is into literature, history of the area, or seeking an unusual option, this is off the beaten path and something you'll remember for a long time. read more

Tor-House Foundation - Museums Near Me - Carmel, California

A bit of Old California history and poetry and the artist spirit! Robinson Jeffers was not from California, but he made it home in the way that Thomas Merton made catholicism his own. His ascetic poetry was often set against the rugged central coast area that was his adopted home at Tor House in Carmel. We booked the tour online (very reasonable prices, very easy website to navigate) and arrived 15 minutes early on a cold, blustery, rainy day. The guide, Allan Lacy, was kind and friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The tour was about 90 minutes and very interesting and included the climb to the very top of the tower. The story is very interesting. We'd done some reading about Jeffers prior to our visit and while that made it even more interesting, the rest of the folks on the tour had not really even heard of him and they seemed to love it. It is always a bit peculiar to peek into other people's lives... but as a DIY type... I loved how Jeffers did so much work on his own, with his boys and with the materials available. We are so very glad the Tor House was there for us to tour and so well done by the folks who take care of it. What a wonderful and perfect day! read more

The tor house was amazing! The tour was very informative! My family and I enjoyed the history of Robinson Jeffers and Carmel! This is definitely a place to visit read more

Tor-House Foundation - TorHouse entrance - Museums Near Me - Carmel, California

I love this place! One of the Monterey region's must-sees. It is full of fascinating details, history, and juicy scandals. Its history begins with the First World War and Carmel's first golf course, and it features a man who was perhaps California's premier poet. Tours are limited to Fridays and Saturdays (10 to 3), and not open to kids younger than 12. Allow a little extra time to find the place. The tours are about 75 minutes, which is not nearly enough. Plan to return. I guarantee it won't be redundant. Tor House tours are like snowflakes. Unfortunately, cameras are not permitted during the tour. The Tor House Foundation also sponsors events in May and October. The Spring Garden Party occurs on the first Sunday in May. Cameras and kids are welcome at the Garden Party. The Autumn event is a weekend-long event, beginning with a sunset party. read more

Tor-House Foundation - Tor House and Hawk Tower on a sunny morning. - Museums Near Me - Carmel, California

What a lovely experience we had today touring the little Cottage by the sea with our docent Erin. She gave us an extensive intro to the Jeffers family history and the relationship with Jeffers and Una. I felt transported in time as we went thru the little home so lovingly built. The tower is an amazing thing when you imagine Jeffers built it by hand and used rock from the property below. It was enchanting to see and listen as Erin wove the family history into a tale of yesterday. Since the tour is only an hour long I would definitely go back to hear more stories and to gaze upon the detail of the rocks and little nooks and crannies in this quaint little cottage. And to top it off a hawk flew overhead and swooped in as we were climbing the tower. Hmmmm maybe Jeffers is still there... read more

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One of the best tours I have been on, including other countries. The docent we had was wonderful, and so informative. The buildings are amazing, and otherworldly. A one of a kind experience. read more

As soon as we left, I wanted to come back. The place is beautiful, there are many good stories, and it is so unique. Our tour guide was Johnson and he was friendly and funny. Can't wait to go back and I'm so glad that the foundation is preserving the property. read more