Thursday, October 4, 2012

Visiting The Sea Ranch


If you found my site from my article on Worldette, welcome. If you are interested in learning more about The Sea Ranch or planning a visit, here are some resources.

Books


The Sea Ranch - By Donlyn Lyndon and Jim Alinder
Features a lot of the architecturally-significant Sea Ranch homes from both the interior and exterior. Perfect if you love architecture, home design and creative interiors. 



This book reproduces sketches and journal entries from the landscape architect, Lawrence Halprin. This book provides a lovely reading of the landscape and it has a very personal feel. 

Videos

The Sea Ranch by Jon Yager Photography
Lovely video of photographs that capture the landscapes and little things that make The Sea Ranch so unique. 

Dreams of Sea Ranch by Zara Muren
This short video provides excerpts from a documentary. Has older video footage from the early years at The Sea Ranch.

Local Places to Eat
Some of our favorite places to eat in the area:

Good food, friendly services and free wi-fi. Breakfast and lunch served seven days a week with dinners on M, W and F. The dinner menu rotates based upon what seasonal fare is available. They typically post the dinner menu the day before on their webpage. The cafe is located in Gualala.

People line up in the morning to get one of their famous sticky buns and to get a morning coffee fix. The line is worth the wait. They are usually open Thursday through Sunday and recently started serving pizzas on Friday and Saturday night. Great crusts and creative toppings, several of which are vegetarian. They are located off of Annapolis Road in the Verdant View commercial center. Here is a video that gives a behind the scenes look at Two Fish. 

Located a few miles north of Gualala, St. Orres is in a beautiful wooden building. You can't miss the landmark dome. St. Orres offers on-site lodging and they have a great restaurant. They have a small plate menu as well as a fixed price dinner and full bar.

With a history dating back to 1868, the Stewart's Point Store reminds me of where Laura Ingalls Wilder would have purchased her provisions. The store is a few miles south of Sea Ranch. In the back is a yummy little deli and is the perfect spot to pick up everything you need for a picnic.

This restaurant is located in Point Arena, about 20 miles north of The Sea Ranch. The few times we ate here we really enjoyed it. They serve a rotating menu of creative dishes with several vegetarian options. Hours are variable, so be sure to call ahead if you are making the drive. You can dine in their restaurant or grab a drink over at 215 Main, the wine bar across the street and they will run your meal over for you.

Where to Stay

Lodging options within Sea Ranch are limited to the Sea Ranch Lodge or renting a private home. Home rentals are popular and the availability ranges from small cottages tucked in the woods perfect for a romantic getaway to  very large homes that are great for family reunions or a small retreat. There are several rental agencies. We have used Coasting Home and Sea Ranch Vacation Rentals and had a good experience. 

If you want to stay outside of The Sea Ranch, there are motel lodging options in Gualala and cottage rentals just north of Gualala. 

I hope these suggestions are helpful for you. The Sea Ranch is remote, about three hours north of San Francisco, but it is the perfect place to unwind, unplug and relax. Cell phone service is limited to AT+T and it is spotty at best.

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