Sea Ranch 3BR forest home with private hot tub — meadow views, 2 dogs welcome

Summary:

Meadow and forest are what you'll see from the big windows of this two-level Sea Ranch home on the hillside east of Highway 1, where natural beam ceilings, built-in window seats, and a wood stove make the living room the place you'll end up. Three bedrooms sleep 6, two queens and a twin room, with three full baths, a private hot tub and gas grill on the deck, and room for two dogs. Shell Beach is about a mile; Gualala is 5 miles north.



The Space:

The moment you turn off Highway 1 and climb into the trees, you'll feel Sea Ranch change character. The Bobcat House sits on the forested hillside east of the highway, where the view is meadow and forest and whatever happens to be walking through it. Guests write about watching the wildlife from the living room and the deck; keep an eye on the meadow and you'll see why.



You'll step into a living room with natural beam ceilings and built-in window seats, the kind of room you settle into with your shoes off. Two recliners face the wood stove, and light pours through the big windows. When the fog rolls in, it's a room built for staying put, with board games and a smart TV for the evening.



Step out onto the deck and you'll find the home's best feature waiting under the trees: your own private hot tub. Soak after a day on the bluff trails while the forest goes quiet around you, or save it for after dark, when the stars come out over the trees. A gas grill on the deck handles dinner, and the table inside seats six when the evening turns cool.



KITCHEN & DINING

You'll cook in a kitchen with everything a week needs, from the dishwasher and oven to the coffee maker, blender, and toaster, and sit down at a table for six a few steps away. You'll appreciate the washer and dryer when the dogs come back from the beach.



SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS

This two-level home sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms, with 3 full baths. Linens and towels are waiting for you.

-- Bedroom 1: queen bed

-- Bedroom 2: queen bed

-- Bedroom 3 (upstairs): two twin beds, with its own full bath



GETTING IN

You'll park in the driveway, which holds two cars, and let yourself in with the entry code sent before arrival. The house is on two levels, with stairs between them; the twin bedroom and its bath are upstairs.



OUT THE DOOR

You'll reach Shell Beach and its tide pools in about 1 mile, across Highway 1, and The Sea Ranch Lodge in about the same. Black Point's headland trails are about 2 miles, and the Pebble Beach access trail about 2.3. Your rec pass covers the Del Mar recreation center about 2 miles north and Ohlson about 2.5 miles south. Gualala's markets, restaurants, and galleries are about 5 miles north on Highway 1.



PROPERTY AMENITIES

-- 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, sleeps 6

-- Private hot tub on the deck

-- Wood stove in the living room

-- Dog friendly (up to 2)

-- Gas grill

-- Washer and dryer, WiFi, smart TV with streaming apps, board games



COMMUNITY AMENITIES (Sea Ranch Association, rec pass provided)

-- Heated pools, saunas, tennis and pickleball at the Del Mar (about 2 miles), Moonraker, and Ohlson (about 2.5 miles) recreation centers

-- Miles of bluff and forest trails; Shell Beach tide pools about 1 mile



As the sun goes down, you'll discover why the Sea Ranch keeps its exterior lighting to a minimum. Climb back into the hot tub, look up, and on a clear night the Milky Way is yours.



Guest Access:

The whole house is yours — every room on both levels, the deck, the hot tub, and the grill. You'll park in the driveway, which holds two cars, and let yourself in with the entry code we send before you arrive. Up to 2 dogs are welcome per stay. Your Sea Ranch recreation pass comes with the stay, so the heated pools, saunas, and tennis and pickleball courts at the rec centers are yours to use too.



The Neighborhood:

You're on the forested east side of The Sea Ranch, which runs 10 miles along the Sonoma Coast, and the bluffs are just across Highway 1. Shell Beach, with its tide pools, is about 1 mile away, and The Sea Ranch Lodge, with its restaurant, bar, and café, is about the same. Black Point's headland trails are about 2 miles, and the Pebble Beach access trail about 2.3. Your rec pass covers the Del Mar recreation center about 2 miles north and Ohlson about 2.5 miles south, each with a heated pool, sauna, and courts. Gualala, with Surf Market, restaurants, galleries, and the Gualala Arts Center, is about 5 miles north on Highway 1. Twofish Baking at the Stewarts Point Store is about 7 miles south for morning sticky buns.



Getting Around:

You'll drive about 2.5 hours from San Francisco: Highway 101 north to Highway 1, then up the coast. Give the coast drive the time it deserves; it's the best part of getting here. If you're flying, Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS) in Santa Rosa is the closest, about 1.5 hours east by car. You'll want a car on the coast.



Other Things to Note:

Deer graze the meadow most days, and now and then a bobcat crosses it. The living room windows and the deck are the best places to watch from.



The three Sea Ranch rec centers, with heated pools, saunas, and courts, are shared with the community, so expect company at the pool on a holiday weekend.



Exterior lighting is minimal on purpose; the Sea Ranch protects its dark sky. Bring a flashlight for the walk to the car, then look up.



The house is on two levels, with stairs between them; the twin bedroom and its bath are upstairs.



Mornings up here start cool even in summer, and the wood stove takes the edge off.



April through June the meadows fill with lupine, poppies, and iris. Summer brings the warmest days and the longest light, with morning fog that usually lifts by midday. Gray whales pass offshore December through April; Shell Beach and the bluff trail are the places to watch.



Your dogs (up to 2) are welcome. Keep them leashed on the trails and in the meadow; it's wildlife territory.



Cell signal comes and goes on this stretch of coast, so count on the WiFi in the house.



Board games and a smart TV are in the house for foggy evenings; the streaming apps run on your own accounts.