Vacation destination within a half-day's drive
Hi parents,
I’m looking for a peaceful, beautiful, reasonably-priced and family-friendly place to spend an August week within a half-day’s drive from here. We’d like to rent a place with 3 bedrooms within walking distance to a warmish swimming beach and interesting activities within driving distance. I have elderly parents who can’t drive too far away and a couple of sports-obsessed kids who need to get more comfortable in the water. Don’t need any tech bells and whistles as we like to unplug during that time. Would welcome any suggestions. Many thanks!
Jun 10, 2018
Parent Replies
Pinecrest, CA.
Pine Mountain Lake area of Groveland, CA
Check them out.
Highly suggest the western Russian River valley in Sonoma County - Guerneville, Monte Rio, that area. The western part of the county is much cheaper than eastern (e.g., town of Sonoma, Kenwood etc) or even the northern part (Healdsburg). The towns of Guerneville and Monte Rio are small and funky, with lots of full-time residents so it feels more real than the Disneyesque quality of downtown Healdsburg or Sonoma. The river is great for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, etc, and reasonably priced vacation rentals abound. Check out www.russianriverrentals.com. This area is less than 1/2 hour from the Pacific coast (Jenner) in one direction, or wine tasting in the Healdsburg area in the other direction, plus it has Armstrong Woods State Park with old growth redwoods and tons of hiking, lots of small country roads for bicycling, great downtown as well as smaller neighborhood beaches, and a relatively quiet country vibe. Guerneville is 1.5 hours from either SF or the east bay - it's a somewhat unknown gem.
Serene Lakes would be a great choice. It’s off 80, just before Truckee. You’d have to rent a house for your family. The lakes are beautiful and quiet - nothing motorized allowed. There’s lots of swimming, biking, sailboating, etc. It’s a good place for multigenerational family time.
Ideas:
Guerneville, Jenner, Bodega Bay, Mendocino, Tomales Bay, anywhere near Pt Reyes... Sebastopole is also gorgeous, though not coastal.
Try any of them, you can't go wrong!!
Have fun :)
A swimming beach within a 4 hours' drive of the Bay Area is a tough call. The Pacific is too cold without wetsuits until you get closer to LA, and that's more than the half day's drive you're looking for. So you would need to target lakes and rivers, which you already got good suggestions for. If a swimming pool would do, we like Sea Ranch, which is peaceful and beautiful, about 3 hours away, and has swimming pools and lovely walks along the rocky coast suitable for all ages. There are rental houses in a range of prices (I suggest vacasa.com instead of airB&B for Sea Ranch.) The interesting activities within an hour's drive include the Russian fort, the skunk train, Mendocino, Ft. Bragg, some breweries, some wineries. Or heading south, what about Santa Cruz or Monterey? Not so much for swimming unless you're in a hotel, but there are many interesting activities in Carmel and Monterey including free or cheap things like lighthouses, tide pools, pick-it-yourself farms. The central coast is about 4 hours away - Pismo beach is sort of swimmable and fun for kids, depending on how old yours are. Cayucos has a big broad flat beach and inexpensive houses to rent but it's a sleepy beach town with not a lot of activities, although on the Central coast, the Hearst castle is a fun activity (reserve ahead), elephant seals, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo and wineries are nearby. Hope that helps!
I just booked a cabin at Redwood River Resort in Mendocino. Haven't been yet but it looks really fun. They have cabins and tent sites in the redwoods, a pool, playground, rec room & outdoor games, hiking trails and it's just a short walk to the Eel river for tubing & swimming ( they're also rumored to have an awesome rope swing!) You could take a day trip to the coast.
http://www.redwoodriverresort.com
Santa Barbara is about five hours away and may meet your criteria. The ocean is noticeably warmer and there are opportunities to try surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayaking. I'm not sure if you'll find a three bdrm rental within walking distance to the beach, but it's worth checking out your usual sites.