The Bobcat House - Forested retreat with private hot tub, dogs welcome

Tucked into the forest on the hillside east of Highway 1, this two-level Sea Ranch home trades the whitewater for something quieter: a meadow out the window, a hot tub under the trees, and the kind of dark sky you'll only find out here. There's room for six across three bedrooms and three full baths, two dogs are welcome, and Shell Beach is about a mile down the hill. You'll spread out by day and come back together around the wood stove at night.

The moment you turn off Highway 1 and climb into the trees, you'll feel Sea Ranch change character. The Bobcat House sits on the forested hillside east of the highway, where the view is meadow and forest and whatever happens to be walking through it. Guests write about watching the wildlife from the living room; keep an eye on the meadow and you'll see why.

You'll step into a living room with natural beam ceilings and built-in window seats, the kind of room you settle into with your shoes off. Two recliners face the wood stove, and light pours through the big windows. When the fog rolls in, it's a room built for staying put.

Step out onto the deck and you'll find the home's best feature waiting under the trees: your own private hot tub. Soak after a day on the bluff trails while the forest goes quiet around you, or save it for after dark, when the stars come out over the trees. A gas grill on the deck handles dinner.

KITCHEN & DINING
You'll cook in a kitchen with everything a week needs, from the dishwasher and oven to the coffee maker, blender, and toaster, and sit down at a table for six a few steps away. A washer and dryer are in the home, along with WiFi and a smart TV with streaming apps.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS
This two-level home sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms, with 3 full baths.
-- Bedroom 1: queen bed
-- Bedroom 2: queen bed
-- Bedroom 3 (upstairs): two twin beds, with its own full bath

PROPERTY AMENITIES
-- Private hot tub on the deck
-- Wood stove in the living room
-- Dog friendly (up to 2)
-- Gas grill
-- Washer and dryer, WiFi, smart TV with streaming apps, board games

COMMUNITY AMENITIES (Sea Ranch Association, rec pass provided)
-- Heated pools, saunas, tennis and pickleball at the Del Mar (about 2 miles), Moonraker, and Ohlson (about 2.5 miles) recreation centers
-- Miles of bluff and forest trails; Shell Beach tide pools about 1 mile

As the sun goes down, you'll discover why the Sea Ranch keeps its exterior lighting to a minimum. Climb back into the hot tub, look up, and on a clear night the Milky Way is yours.

Deer graze the meadow most days, and now and then a bobcat crosses it. The living room windows and the deck are the best places to watch from.

The three Sea Ranch rec centers, with heated pools, saunas, and courts, are shared with the community, so expect company at the pool on a holiday weekend.

Exterior lighting is minimal on purpose; the Sea Ranch protects its dark sky. Bring a flashlight for the walk to the car, then look up.

The house is on two levels, with stairs between them; the twin bedroom and its bath are upstairs.

Mornings up here start cool even in summer, and the wood stove takes the edge off.

April through June the meadows fill with lupine, poppies, and iris. Summer brings the warmest days and the longest light, with morning fog that usually lifts by midday. Gray whales pass offshore December through April; Shell Beach and the bluff trail are the places to watch.

Your dogs (up to 2) are welcome. Keep them leashed on the trails and in the meadow; it's wildlife territory.

Cell signal comes and goes on this stretch of coast, so count on the WiFi in the house.

Board games and a smart TV are in the house for foggy evenings; the streaming apps run on your own accounts.