“This is one of the most romantic places on the planet!”
– San Francisco Chronicle


“The original farmhouse (c.1871) is jammed with antiques and surrounded by flower gardens. A swinging bridge spans Howard Creek., which flows to the Pacific just 200 hundred yards away. The beach is wild and rugged, full of rough-hewn boulders and brimming with tide pools. On a cool May day, we walked for an hour without bumping into another soul.”
– Forbes F.Y.I. The Good Life


“Of the dozen or so inns on the West Coast we have visited, this is easily the most enchanting one…a private theme park of rural pleasures.”
– California Magazine


“I would ride for a week at Howard Creek Ranch, with its sixty acres of forest backed beach and meadowlands – and a big balcony with seaviews.

We meet Charles “Sunny” Grigg, who arrived in the 1970s, after the derelict nineteenth-century redwood milling and cattle operation had become a haven for hippies trying to live off the land. Grigg took over as caretaker and, with his wife, Sally, eventually bought and converted the 1871 farmhouse and carriage barn into an inn. A carpenter who is writing a book about spirituality, Grigg is continually remodeling the sixty-acre property, which has gardens, farm animals, a few bohemian cabins, and paths that wander up into redwood forest or down to a three-mile stretch of beach. A swaying wood-and-metal bridge over a small creek is illuminated with fairy lights. With its stuffed moose head, hot tubs, antique dolls, and eclectic conversations around the still-communal breakfast table, the main house feels dreamlike—part frontier homestead, part Esalen, part “Hansel and Gretel.”
– Condé Nast, Susan Hack. 

“The Sun Room was beautiful, but the Beach House was great. So much more to do. Lunch on the deck and a stroll on the beach watching the sunset set the mood for our evening together. We enjoyed our two hours in the Hot tub and had a wonderful time talking & relaxing to the sounds of the waves. Sitting here by the fire adds so much, to the homey feel of this romantic suite. The decor adds such warmth. I especially admired your lamps. They are so beautiful. I also enjoyed your professionalism of your staff. Your cook is great and so is your housekeeper, God Bless,”
– Gary & Anna Holland Mich


“Splendid isolation in a warm, charming, cozy cottage. It offered us an opportunity to reflect, renew and rejoice in the natural beauties of this awesome coast. We return to normal urban life spiritually recharged and totally delighted”
– Fran & Leon


“Privilege is what we felt most – it is wonderful to get so close to your amazing American heritage, and something we – as English visitors – value very highly. It has been a privilege to stay here, and we have loved every moment – highlights for us have been the hiking trail through the property, and the herb-strewn path to the picturesque beach. And what starfish abound!!!
The fragrance of Sally’s beautiful garden – the plethora of humming birds – and I haven’t even got to the friendly livestock, the glorious outdoor hot-tub, the sheep on the little “Greek” hillside…it’s heaven here, that’s all! ”
– Vicki & Tim Ham, Saffron Walden U.K.


“The best thing for a marriage is to come here for a week or two every year.”
– Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, Davis, California (a 15 year regular)

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Rated by Vacation Magazine as one of the best romantic places to stay.

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Featured in American Historic Inn’s Guide

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“Spend time in a beautiful place, isolated from the rest of the world.” Read full article here

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“Howard Creek Ranch is a true gem” – Ranch Seeker Blog