Unbeaten Path is very pleased to be represented by Sea Ranch Escape vacation home rentals!  Sea Ranch Escape has offered vacation home rentals on The Sea Ranch since 1987 and we are happy to be listed on their "hiking The Sea Ranch" page!  Guests of Sea Ranch Escape have access to the all of the trails on The Sea Ranch and with Unbeaten Path we can show you unique ways to combine the trails to make the most of your hiking time along the Mendonoma Coast.  Our architectural tour, for example, fits perfectly with their architectural rentals.  See an overview of our architectural tour on our hiking tours page - by far one of our most beloved tours for Sea Ranch Escape rental guests! Visit their site and see for yourself.  A wonderful source of information and more.  

Visit Sea Ranch Escape's page dedicated to UNBEATEN PATH!!!!  Thank you, Sea Ranch Escapes! We look forward to working with you and your guests!

This weekend I was invited to attend the Blanchard Family Winemaker's Dinner at The Sea Ranch Lodge and what a special event it was - and there are more to come!  The Winemaker's Dinners are a wonderful collaboration of premier wines and culinary flare which make exploring and tasting new wines so much fun!  (see pictures below) 
I highly recommend it for a great time out and a great way to enjoy your stay at The Sea Ranch Lodge. 

The Blanchard Family Winemaker's Dinner was fabulous! Mark Blanchard and his brother, James, own and operate Blanchard Family Wine.  At the Winemaker's Dinner event Mark shared his passion, great stories and amazing wines. Their wines are from various appellations of Sonoma County (go Sonoma!), are extremely low-production and limited in availability. Each wine is a unique gem in a bottle and is meant to be shared with friends and family - and that is exactly what it felt like at the Winemakers Dinner.  To see details on the menu (a fabulous 5 course meal - each paired with an exquisite wine!) visit The Sea Ranch Lodge Facebook Page - and see what is coming next! 

Lastly, a special thank you to Terry & Lowell Johnson, The Sea Ranch Lodge's fantastic Management & Marketing duo.  Since their arrival last June we have witnessed a new vigor and buzz with all of their events and we are very grateful to have them with us here in our beautiful corner of the world.  

SO WHILE YOU PLAN YOUR HIKING TOUR WITH UNBEATEN PATH …
Keep Your Calendars Marked! 

For an overview and specific dates of the next Winemaker Dinner events (as well as other fun things happening at The Sea Ranch Lodge) be sure to visit their Special Events page on their website! Below is a quick list of next Winemaker Dinner dates

• February 22nd with Topel Winery

• March 22nd with Fort Ross Winery

• April 26th with Portalupi Winery 

 

WOW!  The Mendocino Coast - our front yard - just made #3 of the New York Times' top 52 places (in the WORLD) to visit in 2014!  

" … the moody bluffs of the Mendocino Coast have long been a spectacular place from which to observe marine life: passing humpback whales, sun-happy sea lions, foamy waves strewn with kelp …" - NY Times Top 52 Places to Visit in the World  in 2014

Unbeaten Path is very pleased to see that these local, precious and conserved lands are getting some newsworthy time.  At the Unbeaten Path we have the wonderful opportunity to act as stewards of this incredible and unique area.  We are able to take guests to places they normally would not know how to access and share with them our knowledge and respect of the flora, fauna, marine life, geology and history of this secluded, unique and beautiful coast. 
One of our guests recently had this to say: 

So simply said - I was very grateful to receive this feedback and this is why I love doing tours - because you can share your knowledge and our guests can help preserve it and share it as well.  Our tour guests go home with more than just memories - they go home with a sense of something new to think about and discuss with their friends and loved ones.  

I am a HUGE BELIEVER in creating dialog and experiencing new things.  Just as drops of water can create a sea, so, too, can exploring this unique coastal environment create a greater awareness of our need for conservation, our planet's delicate ecology and the simple appreciation of living.  Take the time to go out and explore nature and to learn something new.

We invite you to be a part of this wonderful process! 

Here are some pictures from the Stornetta and Point Arena lands that I have taken over the course of our tours… and be sure to check out our other slide shows on our hiking tours page! There is soooo much more to this incredible portfolio of nature! 

Recently, I had a guest call from the Breakers Inn hotel in Gualala.  He was interested in exploring and doing something unique in the area.  He even purchased a local Fish & Game permit so he could collect mussels and eat some local fare!  We decided to hit Bowling Ball Beach. He had never seen it and wanted something memorable. My husband Phil and I joined him on a great 2 hour tour!  We enjoyed great conversation and a wonderful evening!  As we finished the tour we watched the sun begin to set in the West and then we brought him to a location where he could collect mussels to cook.  I love an adventurous spirit like that.  It is so contagious in such a good way!  Here is his photo (a terrific perspective of bowling ball beach) and his review... Thank you, Kwan. Please come again!  Your Hawaiian spirit was truly a pleasure .... Mahalo!  

He also included the view from his hotel room - WOW! A beautiful view of the Gualala river in the foreground with the Pacific Ocean in the background (and, of course, our ever friendly local seagull hanging out on the deck at right).  He also shared some pics of the mussels he harvested and shared with some locals at St. Ores restaurant.  Now that's my idea of traveling the coast! 

Good Advice from a friend.... so true. 

This past year has been SPECTACULAR in so many ways! When I think about all the events that have taken place in my life - whether good or bad - they have always put me on the right path and in the end I am always and forever grateful for all the things I have done or experienced. Events in our lives makes us stronger - they improve us.  When I am at my lowest I know there is goodness on the other side of it all and when I am at my best I thank the heavens and remind myself that to receive is to give.  There is a poem by Robert Frost that many of us may know called THE ROAD NOT TAKEN. I remember when I was 20, my sister, Jeanne, and I sat on the beach and memorized this poem together.  When life kicks you or embraces you - remember this poem and be grateful for who you are!!! 

Happy New Year 2014 and remember to check out our latest greatest tour offerings