Select a Date for your trip to The Sea Ranch

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Sea Ranch is in Sonoma County.

Get in
Travel by car, usually west from the 101 but located right on "the 1," one of the United States' most-scenic highways. This is the only option for getting to your hotel in Sea Ranch.

Get around
Leave the car at your hotel, except for side trips. Explore the immediate area by foot. Bikes are popular for side trips and on nearby trails. Horses also allowed.

See
The ocean. The Sea Ranch is a developed community that features a designed sea-side landscape, many beaches and marine and shore wildlife. The trails are restricted to guests and residents although there is extensive public access to the beaches. The development offers a complete trail system for people, bikes and horses that mostly stays along the ocean ridge and includes access to several public beaches. Along the paths, one can see a wide variety of wildflowers, grasses and trees as well as roaming deer, other animals, birds and a protected seal habitat. A striking ocean landscape can be seen from almost everywhere.
The Sea Ranch lodge is "modern" architecture from several decades ago. Its spare, natural design sits well on the landscape and is a place to stop for a meal or a cocktail. It also has a small shop and a post office. The development's residential architecture itself is of interest as it includes many examples of mid-to-late 20th century modern design intended to integrate with the land.

Do
Drive US 1, watch out for bikes and farm vehicles and driving off a cliff, but otherwise live the American dream.
Hike the Sea Ranch grounds (if permitted). Explore the public beaches. Watch wildlife. Visit the nearby state parks and reserves to the north and south and explore the towns of Gualala and Anchor Bay.
Golf the Sea Ranch links to the north of the development (open to the public). Have a meal at the lodge or poke around its little boutique.

Surf
The area has points, reefs and beach breaks. Handles all swell directions depending on the season.

Eat
The Sea Ranch Lodge restaurant offers a friendly bar (with a happy hour with a good selection of wines by the glass) and a fireplace room to which one can repair with drink on a blustery day. The restaurant's menu leans to local ingredients prepared in a fairly-formal style. Evening diners have a view of the setting sun over the undeveloped grounds and bluff.

Drink
This is not the heart of wine country but local labels can be found from the grocery story to the fine restaurant.

Sleep
The Sea Ranch lodge hotel has 19 rooms. Some include hot tubs, fireplaces and corner ocean views (with windows that open and bench seats). Prices range from $160/night to $400 depending on the room and the season. Personal service. Free wifi -- plus often no TV. Decor leans on the architecture which emphasizes natural materials, local art, a simple aesthetic and the ocean. Made-to-order complimentary breakfast. A small herd of sheep add to the bucolic setting across the road from the lodge. Enter the dates of your stay in the “Quick Search” box on this page for room availability.

Many of the houses and condos in the Sea Ranch development may be rented. The architecture and the development ranges from those basic properties developed early (often very private with fully-developed landscapes) to newer properties with actual lawns. Several companies offer these rentals which can be found by searching online.

Stay safe
The primary danger in this area seems to be hitting a deer with one's car or being run over by a car if on foot or bike. Also, be careful if near the ocean or on a ridge top. "Don't turn your back on the ocean" is the Sea Ranch motto, although walking backwards can be dangerous too.

Get out
When you need to get out of the hotel for a day trip there are several great destinations.

The nearby towns to the north of Gualala and Anchor Bay offer galleries and restaurants to explore. Two grocery stores in Gualala and a little organic shop in Anchor Bay can supply basics or carryout for picnics. "Barbequed oysters" are advertised up the north coast. This means "cooked on a grill" and served with a vinegar dipping sauce. They are also generally very, very fresh.



Source Wikitravel 2008