Notes from the host
Lobitos Creek Ranch
The Main Ranch House at Lobitos Creek Ranch is the perfect location for a family reunion, private event or leadership retreat in Northern California – we have as far as the eye can see 360 vistas including Redwood forests, open pastures and country landscapes that you'd expect to find in Montana.....not in the geographical center of the Bay Area.
We are less than a 10-minute drive from some excellent and uncrowded beaches. Some 15 minutes from Half Moon Bay voted as one of California's best towns with restaurants of every type and budget. We are worlds away but about an hour to San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Silicon Valley. We are 40 minutes from SFO and Santa Cruz. The Main Ranch House is cozy and comfortable yet private.
Situated on 70 acres of pristine farmland, 800 feet above the ocean, the Ranch has been used for many events. including weddings. Please contact us directly, before reserving any of our lodges, if you are interested in an event to better understand our protocols and guidelines and see examples of the many events we've had here. You can Google: Lobitos Creek Ranch, to see and reserve our three lodges. We can host about 20 people overall. On Vrbo the other lodges are:
The Bunkhouse: Vrbo 1237348
The Canyon View House: Vrbo 1749162
The Main Ranch House features a gallery kitchen off both the dining and great room, four bedrooms, with two en suite and two that share a bath, theatre and loft. the Main Ranch house can be rented with the Bunkhouse to increase capacity to 12. Perfect for family reunions, small gatherings and leadership offsite retreats.
Anchoring the great room, the dining room and gallery kitchen, designed for group dining of up to 12 individuals, is a working fireplace that heats this elegant rustic and modern home. En suite master and guest master bedrooms have private baths, while two bedrooms on the main floor share one bath. Downstairs, a theatre can be arranged for family movie nights, or for corporate media presentations, for board room-type discussions, think tanks and leadership training sessions.
Outside, overlooking rolling hills and miles of hiking trails are stables, a fire pit, gardens, a hot tub, a sauna and a sweeping deck with outdoor dining and lounging areas that view the orchards and pastures that surround our property.
There are hiking trails on the Ranch for visitors and a signature redwood hike, out our front gate, to visit the remarkable Hearth tree. In nearby Half Moon Bay, with its many restaurants and shops. one can arrange a horseback ride, go sea kayaking, visit the Farmers Market on Saturday morning or our numerous farm stands that feature local treats from strawberries to Brussels sprouts, artichokes and much more
We are six miles south of Half Moon Bay and on the way here you'll pass the Ritz Carlton, Best Western and Half Moon Bay Inn which can house overflow guests for an event here. They exist here because our beaches: Cowell-Purisma, San Gregorio, Martin's Beach and Poplar Beach, to name a few, are mind clearing examples of what Northern California is all about..... as you get back in touch with nature.
We are a dog friendly location with a half acre dog run where dogs can go off leash, kids can play games and you can relax on a bench while all that other activity takes place. Ask us about our guide to dog friendly beaches and hikes as well.
The ranch has a robust WIFI service that is delivered via microwave from a neighboring hill top. All during the pandemic we have been busy serving guests with multiple Zoom meetings and college classes going on simultaneously across multiple sites.
Many of our guests enjoy our Cowboy Keyhole fire pit. This classic shape provides a central warming fire and a cooking area with wood coals. Almost all of our guests, especially those with kids, enjoy cooking s'mores by the fire. These days modern chefs prefer the certainty of a grill and our fire pit has both a gas grill with five burners and a Weber for those that prefer the charcoal flavor of the outdoors. With a large outdoor slab serving table and bar location the ranch fire pit can be......a reminder of how simple pleasures are among the most enjoyable.... especially when a full moon rises above the Coastal Range.
With so many things to do in Northern California, planning your days can be a tough order. Adventures including: hiking, mountain biking, sea kayaking, sailing, deep sea fishing, golf and tennis are all close by. We've had several golfers and their families here who understand the concept of "playing at the Ritz and staying at the ranch". We are about 12 minutes from the dual Ritz Ocean Courses.
The wildlife viewing opportunities in the area are exceptional. From whale watching to birding, you won t be disappointed. Lobitos Creek Ranch is only 25 minutes from the world heritage site at Año Nuevo State Park where from January to March the spectacle of hundreds of mating elephant seals is on display. It's a world call adventure in our back yard.
In October there is the renowned Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival where a 2100-pound pumpkin can easily tip the scale. From town it's only 45 minutes North to downtown San Francisco. Take a cable car to visit Chinatown or a ferry to Sausalito, discover BART and whip over to Berkeley. It s no accident that Apple, Google, Facebook, Uber, Airbnb and many more call the Bay Area their home. After an exhilarating outing you will be ready to return to your cozy retreat in the hills.
Spend a day in Napa or Sonoma if wine tasting is on your list of destinations when visiting the Bay Area. Or make a day visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the galleries of Carmel. Travel about an hour and a half to the South along Highway 1, one of the most beautiful stretches of the California Coast, stopping at beaches along the way.
All of our lodges here at the Ranch, the Main Ranch House, the Bunkhouse and the Canyon View House are independent and private. They each have their own driveways their own outdoor seating areas, their own BBQ areas and wood piles for warming the lodge at night and their own trash and recycling bins. Only our trails and dog run are available to all of our guests. The Canyon View House is a three minute walk along Irish Ridge where we are located.
We have recently added standby propane air cooled generators to all of our lodges so when PG&E; shuts down.....30 seconds later we are back up and can remain off the grid for over a week without a refill.
Lobitos Creek Ranch is a Northern California coastal treasure. Built 46 years ago for a young, growing family, the Main Ranch House has been refreshed to provide a relaxing retreat for guests ranging from couples to families and from private, non-profits to corporate groups. We look forward to hosting your stay here.
Hosted by Steve Michelson