Explore and Experience The Sea Ranch and Abalone Bay!
Explore and experience is an essential part of any great vacation among today’s vacationing nomads. We include things to do for the modern-day explorer, an experience seeker, a life lover, and a modern, digital nomad looking for new adventures. The Sea Ranch is a great location for you, and Abalone Bay the perfect vantage point for your exploration of the Mendonoma region.
The information found on this page and within the drop-down “Explore” tab will serve as your guide to assuring your vacation experience is a memorable one while you relax and rejuvenate during your holiday at Abalone Bay.
Inner Circle Members’ Guide Book
Inner Circle members receive a digital guidebook that includes general information and more with the click of a button. Guests also receive a digital guide book that offers not only the general information about Sea Ranch, but also our Insiders Tips that make your trip memorable.
Get your own personal guidebook now!
Are You Ready for Adventure in Sonoma County’s Beautiful Outdoors?
If you’re planning to spend time outdoors during your stay, please join us in practicing the Sonoma County Leave No Trace Principles. These helpful Know Before You Go tips will ensure that you have a good time and help protect the outdoors during your visit.
© Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org
Things to do with Family and Children
Visit our page for Kid-friendly Activities that list our recommendations for families and children to explore. Many activities and things to do listed below are also suitable for children.
For current weekly activities and businesses that have interests for children (books, toys, etc.), please check the activities section and business advertisements of the Independent Coast Observer (http://mendonoma.com/) weekly newspaper (printed edition available each Thursday late afternoon in Gualala markets.
If you and the kids are looking for a great place to eat check out our restaurant and shopping guides.
Discover more activities in and around Gualala and southern Mendocino County: Independent Coast Observer Events Calendar.
Experience the Recreation Centers
As our guest at Abalone Bay, you have access to any one of the three recreation centers available for
- Swimming in the heated pools,
- Tennis,
- Saunas, and
- Other health and wellness activities including YOGA, WATER AEROBICS, TAI CHI, ZUMBA DANCE plus more.
Del Mar Center
- Has a large outdoor heated pool. Specific times are set aside for lap and aquatic exercise leaving other times for open swimming. This facility has saunas and 2 tennis courts
Ohlson Recreation Center
- Ohlson Recreation Center, tennis courts
- Ohlson Recreation Center swimming pool, saunas & tennis courts
- Open during the summer months.
- Has a large outdoor heated pool. S
- Specific times are set aside for lap and aquatic exercise leaving other times for open swimming.
- Has saunas and 3 tennis courts, half-court basketball and volleyball court.
- Guests are asked to bring their own sports equipment as it is not provided.
Moonraker Recreation Center
- Small outdoor heated pool. Specific times are set aside for lap and aquatic exercise leaving other times for open swimming. This facility has saunas and a tennis court.
The Sea Ranch Library
- The library is part of the Ohlson Recreation Center and is located in the Ohlson Ranch House. The motto – “Donate, borrow, and return”.
- Open daily 8 am – 6 pm
“One-Eyed Jack’s” Playground
- Picnic tables and barbecue available
- Playground
- Short walk to the beach
“The Hot Spot”
Located on the Gualala River on the south-east end of The Sea Ranch and east of the airport, take River Beach (off of Timber Ridge) to its end. Picnic tables and barbecues are available. Subject to seasonal closure. When the gates to the road are closed you can park on Deep Woods Rd., or River Beach, and walk down to the river.
The Sea Ranch Lodge
The Sea Ranch Lodge Restaurant reopened in the fall of 2021 after its renovation and remodel. It is anticipated the remodel and update of the Lodge’s rooms will be completed in 2023.
Audio Downloads, and Virtual Tours
Today’s traveler rarely leaves home without their smartphone and/or tablet and now there’s even more cause to have it ready for your Sea Ranch vacation. To enhance your experience while staying at Sea Ranch, we recommend our visiting digital nomads download these apps and audio tours before you set out to discover the amazing Sea Ranch.
Learn more about these self-guided tours here.
Explore the Geology of Sea Ranch and Beyond
Explore Geologic Trips, Sea Ranch and Bowling Ball Beach, by Ted Konigsmark :
The rocks along the Sea Ranch bluff reveal an unusual and exciting geologic history. Like the north coast inhabitants, the rocks are well-traveled, span a good age range, have been battered around a bit, and have been modified by the effects of living near the ocean.
The pamphlet is online to download.
Enjoy the Many Other Beaches
- Listing of beaches in Mendocino County Click here
- Listing of trails and beaches in Sonoma County Click here
- Discover Gualala’s best kept secret beach location: Cooks Beach
- View the Marine Sanctuaries
DIVE AND FISH
Access to many coves is available to residents for diving and fishing. Divers are subject to TSR regulations and California fish and game regulations, especially with regard to diving for abalone. See California Fish and Wildlife Ocean Sport regulations. A beach boat ramp is available with parking.
Learn more
Surfing Sonoma- Something to Do if You’re Brave
North of Marin lies the bucolic Sonoma coast — though not a prime surfing destination, it is a special place to explore, nonetheless. Bodega Bay serves as a western gateway to some of the most renowned wine country in the world. Unfortunately, the surf in Sonoma County doesn’t compare to the quality of its vintages. There are only four towns on the entire Sonoma coast, in between which lie miles and miles of either inaccessible and/or unsurfable beaches. There is a jewel or two, but these are really only ridden and scored by the locals.
Learn more at Surfline.com
Know the Tide Tables before you Explore the Coast
SAFETY ALERT!
If you explore the tide pools or beaches– Watch out for sleeper waves which are common along the north coast. These waves are known to pull people out into the riptides.
NEVER TURN YOUR BACK TO THE SEA
Experience a Guided Hike or Walking Tour
Unbeaten Path, one of Abalone Bay’s Go-Local partners, offers a full range of tours along the Sonoma/Mendocino coastal region from easy to challenging, as well as customized tours they can design to meet your needs. Their thoughtfully designed and narrated tours offer you in-depth opportunities to explore a myriad of hiking or walking trails. They are about maximizing your experience of the history, flora, fauna and the lesser known trails of this beautiful and unique coastal region. Tour packages include:
- Photographer’s Tour
- Bowling Ball Beach Tour
- Basic Meandering Walk Tour
- Extended Meandering Walk Tour
- Architectural Tour
- Salt Point Tour
- Gualala River & Bluffs Tour
- Knipp-Stengel Hillside Loop
- Flora & Fauna Tour:
- The All-Star Tour
- Challenge Tour:
- Custom Tour
BIKE RENTALS, TRAILS, AND MAPS
Wondering what to do once you are at Abalone Bay? Why not enjoy Sea Ranch’s fresh sea air, and view the area’s flora and fauna on one of Sea Ranch Bike Rentals Specialized Expedition Bikes! As an Abalone Bay guest you can now rent bikes through Sea Ranch Bike Rentals. They are available in three sizes – see chart above by calling 707-785-2366. Their rate is $40 a day, or $200 per week (you get two free days). Hourly rates are not available. Read our blog post to learn more.
Need maps to trails? See our blog post, Peddling back in time to see maps then and now.
GOLF
Sea Ranch Golf Links: Just 5 miles north of Abalone Bay is Robert Muir Graves’ Sea Ranch Golf Links. To book a tee-time just click here.
NOTE: The Links will be closed for winter beginning February 2023 to allow The Sea Ranch Lodge management to determine its fate. They management plans to reassess and reevaluate options at the Links property. Updates on the future of the Links will be announced in Spring 2023.
The Links at Bodega Harbour: Perched along the spectacular Sonoma County California Coast, the Links at Bodega Harbour combines breathtaking natural beauty with a recently remodeled Robert Trent Jones II design. Experience the beauty and challenge of a true Scottish style links course. Combining spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean from all 18 holes, rolling fairways, undulating greens, and native coastal rough, this golf course is sure to take your breath away. Click here to see rates. Click here for tee-times.
THE SEA RANCH STABLES
37405 Highway One; Mile Marker 53.64 The Sea Ranch, CA
Owners of homes in The Sea Ranch may ride their horses on the trails and board them at the stables. Memorial Day weekend the stables invite the community to visit and meet the owners and horses stabled there.
ADVENTURES NEAR BY
Canoe &Kayak Rental
Adventure Rents: Rent a Canoe or Kayak on the Gualala River
Go Mountain Climbing at Gualala Mountain Summit
Gualala Mountain is a mountain summit in Mendocino County in the state of California (CA). Gualala Mountain climbs to 2,156 feet (657.15 meters) above sea level.To hike and explore California’s outdoors near Gualala Mountain, check the list of nearby trails.
DAY TRIPS FROM ABALONE BAY
HorseBack Riding
Horseback riding at Ross Ranch in Mendocino
To be sure a private ride on spectacular California’s Manchester Beach will be a wonderful memory of your vacation. Miles of unspoiled sand and surf. Rocks, driftwood, creeks, birds, and seastacks dot this vast expanse of beach.
Wine Tours
Experience A Wine Tour Owing to the vines that produce the glorious grape and curl around their stakes, the roads that take you over rolling hills, past coastal waters, up into the redwoods and down into the warm valleys in Northern California a wine tour that explores wine country is a must. Whether Abalone Bay is your starting point or endpoint of this tour make sure you plan time for exploring the bounty of the valleys and coastal range. Most tourists visit both Napa and Sonoma when visiting California Wine Country. But don’t forget to include Mendocino wineries too. If you are looking for a short jaunt try Annapolis Winery only 8 miles away up from Highway 1.
Drive safely and have a great road trip to California Wine Country.
Visit California Wines’ event calendar to discover Wine Events of interest throughout the year.
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