HIKING
Right outside the door at Sea Ranch Lodge are 50 miles of hiking trails for guests to enjoy. These trails meander through coastal meadows and conifer forests, past unique architecture, and among distinctive, natural features. Most popular is the Bluff Trail which begins at the lodge and runs along the Sonoma coastline for over eight miles, ending at Gualala Regional Park, the northernmost coastal point in Sonoma County, just before you reach Mendocino County. Within a few minutes’ drive are hikes to local beaches and Salt Point State Park, with other breathtaking coastal trails to explore.
For a local perspective, The Sea Ranch residents have a weekly hiking group called “Hikes for Health.” Lodge guests are always welcome to join.
For door-to-door, personalized hiking and nature tours we highly recommend “Unbeaten Path Hiking Tours” with owner and guide, Margaret Lindgren: 707.888.6121. Unbeaten Path will meet you personally at the Lodge and lead to your selected tour location. This is a great way to explore areas of our coast you wouldn’t know existed and to learn about its history, geology, architecture, flora, fauna and more. Each tour provides the opportunity for great conversation, photos, and, most importantly, lasting & priceless memories. Their web site offers many tours to choose from and they are happy to personalize a tour to meet your specific needs.
BEACHCOMBING
There are five public-access beaches at The Sea Ranch, with Black Point Beach just a five-minute walk from the lodge’s doorstep. Each has its own character, from rocky Shell Beach to sandy, windswept Walk-On Beach with driftwood sculptures and ever-changing shapes. Beachcombing and walking along the bluffs and beaches of The Sea Ranch has been a favorite activity for generations of visitors. In addition to our local beaches, there are many others, both north, and south, offering countless up-close and unique experiences of the Northern California coast.
BIRD WATCHING
If you are a ‘birder,’ you can find over 100 species right outside your doorstep. Many residents of The Sea Ranch are avid naturalists and maintain lists of area sightings. The lodge is an active participant in local efforts to preserve habitat and monitor bird populations. Regular sightings include the Kingfisher, Pine Siskin, Great Blue Heron, numerous types of raptors (such as hawks, Osprey, Bald Eagle, and Peregrine Falcon), Flicker and other woodpeckers, Oystercatcher, Barn Swallow, Brown Pelican, American Goldfinch, and many others.
STARGAZING
Come explore the dark side. Because the Sea Ranch community produces very little light pollution, ours is a truly dark sky. Far from the madding crowd, here is the antithesis of “bright lights, big city.” The Milky Way and other galaxies are typically visible and night-sky sights such as the moon, constellations, planets, and meteors are dazzlingly bright.
If you want to wish upon a star, this is the place.
Sea Ranch Lodge Nearby Activities
pleasures to enjoy year-round at the lodge itself include hiking, beachcombing and bird watching. Other nearby activities to experience all year long are:
WINE TASTING
The Sonoma Coast Appellation is known for producing some of the world’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Here on the ‘True Sonoma Coast,’ there are many vineyards – but few tasting rooms. However, wine tasting options abound:
- At Black Point Grill:
Begin with some selections from our restaurant’s award-winning wine list, which focuses solely on wines from Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Many selections are available only from the wineries themselves. It’s an easy way to discover new favorites!
- At Annapolis Winery:
If you don’t mind going for a drive during your Nothern California coast retreat, Annapolis Winery, which produces an array of hand-crafted, premium red and white wines, is just 15-minutes from the lodge.
- At Fort Ross Vineyard:
Nestled on a sunny coastal ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean far below, this “True Sonoma Coast” vineyard is one of the closest to the ocean in California. Its high elevation above the coastal fog and proximity to the ocean provides a favorable climate for the slow, even ripening of its Burgundian varietals. A new tasting room has recently opened, showcasing Fort Ross Vineyard’s acclaimed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
- As a Day Trip:
Many guests enjoy wine tasting as a day trip from the lodge or on their way to or from The Sea Ranch. This presents a range of delightful possibilities – from the Anderson Valley to the northeast, the Dry Creek Valley to the East, and the Russian River Valley to the southeast. In addition to various maps, we are pleased to provide suggestions if you wish to explore our superb viticultural area.
FINE ART GALLERIES
The Sea Ranch and neighboring town of Gualala are known for a vibrant local arts community. The lodge itself is pleased to showcase visual arts for our guests to enjoy. Spindrift Gallery at Sea Ranch Lodge, a new location for a well-known Gualala art venue, features rotating exhibits of artworks, many by local artists. Guests can’t miss the large and joyful sculptures of Robert Holmes, displayed outdoors at the lodge entrance.
Nearby Gualala offers several excellent art galleries and venues, including Gualala Arts Center, Dolphin Gallery, Alinder Gallery. The Cypress Village Gallery District features.
GOLF
Sonoma’s north coast is home to two championship 18-hole golf courses, each with a mix of meadow, rolling hills, and seascape.
- Sea Ranch Golf Links:
The Sea Ranch Golf Links has been recognized for many years as one of California’s top golf experiences. Designed by Robert Muir Graves, the course is one of the first Scottish-style links built in the Western U.S. and is well-known for blending into the existing landscape.
- New Links at Bodega Harbour:
The New Links at Bodega Harbour, another true Scottish links-style course, combines breathtaking natural beauty with an award-winning design by Robert Trent Jones II. Located in Bodega Bay, just an hour’s drive from The Sea Ranch, The New Links at Bodega Harbour offers an ideal golf experience on your way to or from Sea Ranch Lodge.
FORT ROSS
Located 15 miles south of Sea Ranch Lodge, Fort Ross, originally Fortress Ross, was established by the Russian-American Company, a commercial hunting and trading company chartered by the tsarist government. It was the hub of the southernmost Russian settlements in North America from 1812 to 1842 and supported Russian outposts in Alaska with necessary food and supplies. The name is derived from the word for Russia (Rossiia). A National Historic Landmark, it today is part of California’s Fort Ross State Historic Park.