Relaxing beach in a cove at Sea Ranch, naturally formed to feel intimate and private. The sand is…read moremade of tiny dark pebbles and it feels foreign to the California Coast and will remind you of the black sand beaches at Hawaii or Iceland. At low tides there are tidepools at the south end, at high tides the water becomes violent and furious while still somehow remaining soothing to the eyes and ears. Some other things we loved at the beach: -3 small waterfalls, 2 on the south end and 1 on the north. Relaxing water sounds and you can walk right up to them and get close with no barriers. -Large log right in front of the stairs, I've never seen a beach log so large. -Very short walk from the parking area and easy access to the Coastal Trail if you also want to see some wind-whipped trees and greenery.

This beach provides very close access to a large number of tide-pools during low tides, where you…read morecan observe an entire ecosystem at work comprising of small fishes, crabs and other creatures. I'd recommend paying a visit to this beach if you're interested in viewing these tide pools as well as having a relaxing time at the beach. As a callout, this beach is not wheelchair friendly or accessible.

Come at high-tide to feel insignificant and small. The waves are large and overpowering at this…read moretime and the wash goes all the way up the the cliff edge. There are giant overlapping crests and troughs of waves and you can easily imagine being swept away by the backwash. The first thing you see is a sign that says "This is one of the most deadly beaches in California". The next thing you see is a wooden rickety looking staircase that you use to descend down about 3 stories down to the beach. It was too wild at high tide to watch two children so I just went down with my brother, the wind and waves make almost deafening noise at the bottom. The sand is dark and there are black rocks jutting out of the water. Worth stopping at, its a short walk to the parking lot and if you don't want to brave the staircase at high tide you can always take great pictures from the top of the cliff.

Usually when up on the Sonoma Coast, I don't go further than Salt Point. Last weekend, I decided to…read morekeep driving north and see if there were any new beaches to check out. This was during a 100+ degree heat wave in the inner Bay Area, so the escape up to 65 degree coastline was much needed. After seeing the signs for Sea Ranch, and just past the Sea Ranch Lodge, there's a small sign pointing out coastal access. There's a small lot (10 cars, maybe) for Black Point Beach. It was full on a sunny July Saturday but I lucked out with someone getting ready to leave. There's a short trail, 1/4 mile or less leading to the beach and a 3 story staircase to get down to the sand. I came at lower tide so there was plenty of room for a walk along the length of the beach. There were interesting bluffs with water floating down in a couple of areas and mossy, smaller caves. The water seemed pretty rough but it was a nice day and lots of people were out enjoying sitting out on the sand. Much of the surrounding area is private property, so stay on trail too and from the beach. Nice stop if you're way up the coast.

Stunning views, comfortable stay, and an incomparable host! Huge windows make it feel like the…read moreocean and coastal bluffs are part of the living room. The place is beautifully decorated and spotless, with so many thoughtful touches throughout. I needed to squeeze in a bit of remote work during my vacation and AB make it so easy. The wifi is fast and reliable (not always a given in this area) and cell service was solid too. There's a good desk setup with a comfortable chair, plus plenty of cozy spots to relax. Staring out over the pacific honestly made feel like I wasn't even working. What really made my stay special was Donna's warmth and hospitality. She feels more like an old friend than just a host. She's so so kind, full of local tips, and genuinely committed to making sure everything went well. I always felt welcome and supported, never like I was a bother no matter how many questions I had. Can't wait to come back!

This place is perfect! Clean serene atmosphere gorgeous view of the ocean the houses you stay in…read moreare a very very decent distance away from each other im every house isnt the same but ours the interior is perfect gorgeous spacious and very clean bbq washer n dryers and you could bring the family this is my go to vacation spot in this area hands down

One of my favorite beach parks on the coast! Beautiful trail through the cypress grove with…read morestunning views of the ocean and Pelican Rock. Plenty of driftwood along the wide beach, and the view of the town in the distance adds a nice touch.

Lovely campsite. Every single site is shaded. Some are huge, some are tiny, some are practically on…read moretop of each other. Half of them are also right on the river. We had sites 1+2 which were great for a group; 1 was VERY spacious (could have easily fit 4-5 tents). See my notes below - sorry for the incomplete sentences, I was doing this on my phone walking around. The raccoons are ruthless once it's dark out! They swiped food from our picnic table while we were sitting at it, just 5 feet away from it. I had my trunk open and left my car for a few minutes; when I came back they'd grabbed things from the cooler and broken some eggs we had. Be vigilent!! There is a beach nearby, with 4-7 year old kids, it was about a 40 minute walk. They definitely needed a lot of motivation to get there and back, but it was doable! The beach is beautiful, with all this stripped away dead wood that made for fun playhouses for the kids. But the waves are really tough there and there are about a million signs saying don't go into the water, as the sand gets very deep quickly, which creates these death trap waves. We had a dog off leash and someone told me that the rangers are really strict and will actually ticket if your dog is not leashed. *Note that EVERY SINGLE site is very well shaded. I stopped putting this in my notes halfway through when I realized this. F - 1 small tent, 2nd area for medium or large tent only, flat, river view, full shade, v private E - 2 tents,shade, river view, kind private D - two small tents, right on path no privacy, no river view, shaded C - 1 large tent, Right on path. No privacy, River view, shaded B - 2 medium tents A - two medium tents A/B basically like one site 11 - A little sloped, to medium times, no Riverview, kind of private 12 - not very private from the road, two medium tents s but would be tight, shaded but feels more open. No River View 13 - 3-4 of tent spots, isolated from other sites, shaded but feels open, a little bit Sloped, no River view 14 - very small, space for maybe one tent, shaded 15/16 - basically like one campground, very open right off the road, space for three to four tents 17 - space for two to three tents, open but shaded, semi-private 19 - Small, space for one to two tents, right off road 1 - very large for four or five tents 2 - space for 3 tents 3 - space for one or two tents, has the best river view 1-3 all in one line, shaded, on the river. 1 has the most trees 8 - One or two tents 9 - 1 tent 10 - 1 tent 8-10 All close to each other and not very private 8-9 very integrated, could be a group site. But really close to other sites on either side of the road 5-6 small, one tent each, could be a group site 4 - Small, maybe one or two tents. Right on River

Good beach for taking your dogs to play. Surf can be rough at times, so keep a close watch, but…read moredogs can run and play on the sand. A lot of driftwood on beach. Parking is roadside. Doggy doody bags available at top of trail. Stairs, but no railings. Not ADA accessible but we saw a woman who uses two canes make it to the beach without issue. 4 stars for dog friendly but tough unsafe surf.

Great park to walk along the coast line with interesting rock formations!…read moreWild flowers in a spring is an added bonus!

Salt Point is an unsung gem of the Northern California coast - incredible to believe that this…read moreplace wasn't completely teeming with people during our mid-July trip, but we probably encountered fewer an 20 people on the Salt Point Trail. We were staying in Woodside Campground, but had free entrance into Gerstle Cove Campground and access to the coastline. This is where Salt Point Trail begins. Prepare for the deteriorating visitor center and closed bathrooms by arriving ready to go with map in hand. We disembarked around noon and spent about 3.5 hours meandering through the bluffs and tidepools to Stump Beach and back. This is with someone averaging about a mile an hour & using a hiking pole. Everyone had a great time and gratefully no injuries or nuisances occurred! After a late lunch break, I went back to Stump Beach and continued the hike to Fisk Mill Cove - this area is currently closed, but the Bluff Trail from Stump Beach is accessible with some light bushwhacking. I wore jeans and hiking shoes to avoid the poison oak; always remember to check for ticks. The views are entirely worth some lite prep and effort. Enjoy!

Fish Rock Beach is in front of the Anchor Bay Campground in the community of Anchor Bay just north…read moreof Gualala, California. Wander around the rocks to other little pockets along the beach. The cove is popular for scuba diving, fishing, abalone diving, sea kayaking, and whale watching. Swimming is usually safe here as rip currents are rare, but the water is always cold. Anchor Bay is in an area called the "Banana Belt" which stays clearer than the surrounding Mendocino and Sonoma coastline that gets more fog and rain. Winter storms can strip the beach of its sand turning the beach into a rocky shore, but the sand gets pushed back into place naturally every year.

Beautiful trail. Look for the markets to stay on the trail when crossing the golf cart paths…read more You'll pass through a beautiful grotto with a waterfall and end at a gorgeous private beach. Lots of wildflowers and trees to observe, we saw a red legged frog on our hike today! Easy to walk.

We had a pleasant experience at Gualala Park. We were surrounded by redwoods trees. It felt like a…read morefairy garden. The campgrounds are clean and well maintained by the workers. We reserved the river side campground and were pleased with the views. The on-site store is not a walk-in. It's someone at the counter and you point what you want to buy. 8 pounds of ice is $5. They have a coffee truck available only in the mornings. Bathrooms and showers are clean. There's a coin machine by the store to get quarters for shower usage. I recommend this campsite. It is unique and majestic.

I hate camping with that said I hated this place the least out of all the places my husband and his…read morefamily have brought me to. The bathrooms were nice. private enough there was even a family stall but it was always full. The showers were really nice the first night they are completely private little rooms, they are spacious it's a coin shower but it was like $1.25 for five minutes the water was warm too. Night two however 2/3 showers were broken and the water wasn't as hot in the one that did worked. The camp people, workers whatever they're called were very nice, not overly strict or creeping around like they minded their own business which I appreciate. We had a large family campsite so it was pretty private next to the river and we could have five cars which was great. Overall as someone who hates camping I recommend this spot and I would go back if someone invited me.