My husband and I spent a long time looking at wedding venues in the Santa Cruz/Los Gatos area. We…read moreprobably looked at more than 10 places! A lot of places weren't quite the right fit, had too many weird restrictions, or were overpriced (if your've looked at venues you know what I mean!) The Castle House and Gardens was the last place we looked at and we knew it would be the most perfect, picturesque and enchanted woodland setting for our outdoor wedding. It has lush, wild gardens that remind me of the Secret Garden. There's a beautiful redwood grove where we had our ceremony and a poolside courtyard with two outdoor fireplaces, perfect for dining and dancing, where we had the reception. It was great to have the ceremony and reception at the same place. The Castle House is a historic estate located in the Santa Cruz Mountain Community of Bonny Doon. It's bordered by beautiful redwood forests and just 10 minutes from the ocean. The family that lives there were the most gracious hosts for our event and went to extra care to make sure the grounds looked stunning on our wedding day. They own the Bonny Doon Garden Company and grow all of the flowers for their floral design business organically in their home gardens. It was really cool because my bouquets and centerpieces all came from the garden where I got married! We got so many compliments about the venue from our guests and everyone kept asking me, "How did you find this place?" I definitely recommend this place to other brides if you are looking for a unique, non-cookie cutter type venue full of natural beauty and rustic charm.

We were fortunate enough to have our wedding here on June 22nd, 2013 and let me tell you, the venue…read moreand it's owner, Teresa, ensured the most magical, welcoming, and organized experience ever. From the initial meeting, through hiccups with our caterer, and until the day-of coordination, Teresa was amazing: Helpful, friendly, knowledgeable, and assertive when she needed to be. She also did our flowers which were out of this world. The venue itself is enchanting with it's floral gardens, towering redwoods, and cozy courtyard. Our guests could not stop talking about how ours was the best wedding they have ever attended. We had a wedding of 100 people, and it was the perfect size. Count yourself very fortunate if you have the opportunity to have your event at Castle House and Gardens.

Stayed a few nights in Cabin 9 and never had an unpleasant moment. Location is great, the cabins…read moreare quaint and comfortable, and the grounds are well-kept. Check-in was easy, the resort is quiet and restful. Practically in the state park, easy walk down to the river. A little slice of heaven, we'll definitely return. Every cabin gets a private patio with Adirondack chairs WiFi was spotty, bring a book T.V. Was limited, bring a puzzle or games Kitchen has fridge, microwave and stove/oven. Drip coffee maker, toaster. Plates, bowls, coffee mugs, glasses, silverware, pots and pans. Salt and pepper. You're not making dinner but you can definitely reheat some leftovers.

We had some minor issues the first night but everything was quickly taken care of. Nice clean…read morecabins. Great location. Hosts were very nice.

Green Oaks Creek Farm is one of those places that embodies the promise of sustainable living in the…read more21st century. The coastal communities located between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz are ideal spots for such experiments in low-impact land use, and they offer great alternatives to corporate food culture to those lucky enough to access them. Green Oaks Creek is a small, family-owned farm and rural retreat located south of Pescadero between the Pacific and the Santa Cruz Mountains. You can tour the farm, camp out, stay overnight in a yurt, or even hold a wedding on their eco-friendly property. These all sound really great, and the farm - part of a historic orchard and ranch property settled by the Steele family in the early 1900s - is near to lots of cool places to visit: Pigeon Point lighthouse, Año Neuvo park, Butano park, Coastways Ranch, etc. But this review is about the food. On three acres of land dedicated to organic strawberries, flowers, herbs, and vegetables, the folks at GOCF produce some very lovely and delicious products, which the sell at several farmers' markets in the area and through a CSA program: Palo Alto (Sun), Pacifica (Wed.). and Half Moon Bay (Sat). Their stand is small but superb. We've gotten some fantastic Seascape organic strawberries, sweet and rich in flavor, as well as ultra-fresh green garlic, mixed greens, and lettuce. It's a lovely little set-up with something new every week, including cut flowers. We are happy to have found them and look forward to their late spring and summer offerings. Perhaps we'll visit the farm in the future, too!

We chose this place as a way to spend our anniversary weekend. We wanted to be away from the city,…read moreclose to the beach and hiking places, and we were enticed by the green, sustainable character of the Farm. What we found was not a green grass to camp on but a dry, dusty, stubbly field. The "kitchen" is this 3-walled, straw bale structure which looked unkempt, at first sight, and had rotting food in the fridge and questionable utensils. The outdoor bath is not dedicated to the campers, but actually shared with the farm staff. You'll find multiple towels and toiletries strewn about if you try to use it. But most of all, there was no sense of being welcomed by the owners. It was like having guests was an afterthought. It gave the impression of a couple of latecomer hippies that were on their way to failing their return to the land, and had a hard time keeping it all together: the farm, the retreat business, and their lives. We were going to spend two nights and ended up leaving the next morning to go back home.

We can't express the pleasure of hosting a wedding at Hollins House. Giselle and Bella and their…read moreamazing staff make everything top notch and beautiful!! Thank you for the kindness, professionalism and luxury!!!

We are thrilled to have gotten married at The Hollins House in May 2025!…read more After we saw this venue, we were immediately sure it was the place for our family-only wedding. We felt enveloped by the ambience, and the aesthetic speaks for itself. We were also drawn to the fact that the site accommodates both ceremonies and receptions. The food was delicious at the tasting, and at our wedding. Giselle, Bella, and the whole staff were wonderful with the planning steps, and on the day of. We felt prepared thanks to our planning documents and phone calls. And to top it all off, we were fortunate enough to get the best weather imaginable. We had our dream wedding at The Hollins House

Just got married here over the weekend and it was so beautiful. Kathy was incredibly sweet and…read morehelpful throughout the whole process since day 1. Highly recommend.

The Felton Guild is such a charming and peaceful forest venue tucked away in the Redwoods, and I…read morerecently had the honor of photographing a wedding here; I absolutely fell in love with the setting! It feels secluded and intimate, with a cozy, woodsy atmosphere that's perfect for couples looking for something a little different. From a photographer's perspective, the lighting in the grove is soft and dreamy, especially during the ceremony. The surrounding trees create a natural canopy that adds to the sense of privacy and connection, while the reception space is large enough to host a decently sized guest count. The staff were incredibly helpful as well! If you're dreaming of a redwood wedding that's relaxed, heartfelt, and full of character, this is a venue worth checking out!

Event space for weddings and also There are cabins to stay in overnight…read more Just beautiful to be in the forest in nature and soak it all in

Just so beautiful! My son has his wedding here 9/18/25. The pics look like they should be in a…read moremagazine.

If you seek a gorgeous venue for a private gathering near Los Gatos/Campbell make sure you contact…read moreGreg & Patty for a tour. Absolutely gorgeous views especially at sunset and it was perfect weather/temperature recently for a recent band/family gathering & send off. Greg and Patty are wonderful hosts that will work with you to make a perfect event. The location is approx 15 minutes from downtown Los Gatos with limited parking but they provide golf-cart rides if your guests need help getting from parking to the venue. Fantastic for intimate gatherings, events and celebrations. Don't miss this gem!!

Wedding venue of our dreams. My wife and I got married here in September 2023 and it was such a…read morespectacular place to celebrate with our 65 guests. The view - looking out over the rolling hills of redwoods, with the ocean on the horizon - is truly breathtaking. We fell in love the moment we saw it, and it blew our guests away. Being in that much natural beauty took so much pressure off other things - we could keep decor minimal. Who needs balloons with a view like that! And the set up is so versatile - we had our late afternoon ceremony in the upper courtyard, which offered shade for our guest from the house (and the photos of us saying our vows have that gorgeous backdrop). There's also a small deck where we had a jazz trio play during cocktail hour, and we set up the pathway to the big deck with our guest book/photo station and the paella & buffet stations. That left us the whole deck for dinner tables, the band, and a big dance floor. Piecing together the layout from all the options the space affords was so much fun, and it made us feel like the event was really ours, you know? It was exactly what we wanted. Just as importantly, the owners, Greg and Patty, were such generous and thoughtful hosts. They exude warmth and made us feel welcome from the first moment we arrived. They walked us through the venue, throwing out ideas for ways we could really make the space our own. They were amazing with communication, too. We were able to confirm and book the space about a year in advance of the wedding, and over the following 12 months, I must have sent a couple dozen emails with questions. They answered every single one within a day at the most, and always with ideas to help make our plan a reality. During our walk through, they were so helpful with offering solutions to make things run smoothly, and when we arrived on the day, they had everything set up exactly as we discussed. Living Well was such a gem of a place to find, and I cannot recommend it strongly enough.

Amazing! It was super clean, the food was delicious and all the staff were super friendlyread more

This is definitely one of the nicer conference grounds/camps that I have been to. I would have…read moregiven it 5 stars except for the lodging above the dining area that feels really old and stuffy. Otherwise, it was a pretty nice experience the weekend I went back in April ! Fortunately, I was at Laurel Lodge, where it felt more hotel-style with each person having their own bed (4 beds a room) and one bathroom per room. There was also ample storage space. The room we all met in for sermons was also really nice and it looked like it was updated - with two 'lounge' rooms on each side of the main room. There is also a nice open field, a big dining area with lots of seating, and it is just pretty to walk around the conference grounds. I also really liked this little lounge area where you could get tea and coffee whenever you wanted.The campground staff was also helpful, and there was also a zipline and bouldering course further up the hill of the conference grounds that was fun to do for both students and youth leaders. I also came to this camp site a little over a decade ago and although I don't remember details of that stay, I do remember having a good time. It is really good quality facility.