Whether you’re team journey or team destination, both win when it comes to a getaway at Timber Cove Resort.

 

Photo courtesy of Timber Creek

Sited just north of Jenner on Highway 1—where the rugged Nor Cal coastline and stately redwoods collide—the drive to check-in is an adventure on its own. Full of stomach-churning twists and turns and epic views of Cali’s magical coast, it’s a sea-hugging ride where you’ll want to, literally, hit the brakes to soak it all in. 

Upon arrival to the historically significant A-frame property, the cool ocean air and gingery, bitters-infused welcome mocktail instantly eases all queasiness from the aforementioned roller coaster.  

Photo by Megan Wiskus

With a convivial interior (there’s an expansive “Great Room” where guests get cozy to converse, sip cocktails or play cards) and lighthearted vibe, the inn, which originally opened in 1963 as a place of meditation and tranquility, recently went through a multi-million dollar facelift and has emerged looking better than ever. 

 Photo by Megan Wiskus

Holding tight to its mid-century heritage, there’s plenty of elements to bring patrons back to its flower-power roots—think in-room record players with an impressive array of vinyls, Smeg fridges in select suites, funky furnishings and earthy elements—with just-enough modern upgrades to make it feel shiny and new.   

All 46 rooms, decked from head to toe in a style that successfully fuses forest lodge, Scandinavian design and hipster chic, feature Nest-guided fireplaces, pour-over coffee with beans from a local roaster, eco-friendly LATHER toiletries, minibar munchies and more. It’s the stuff design dreams are made of, but décor aside, there’s plenty of other fun stuff in store. 

Hiking trails on the property, Photo by Emily Nathan

Step outside to breathe in the salty ocean air, as you traverse the ground’s two miles of hiking trails, cozy up fireside for s’mores by the sea, play a competitive game of ping pong at the “Outdoor Living Room,” or marvel at the 93-foot-tall sculpture Madonna of Peace. Whatever you while away your days doing, it’s a property you won’t want (or need) to peel away from.    

CHECK-IN: 21780 North Coast Highway 1, Jenner, 707-847-3231, timbercoveresort.com

Photo by Staci Marengo

CHECK OUT: The resort’s restaurant, Coast Kitchen, offers ocean views in unstuffy environs with farm-to-fresh fare that’ll leave you beyond satisfied…and stuffed. Whether dining inside or out, you’ll enjoy buzzworthy wines (I recommend anything from the on-property Hirsh Vineyards) and plates that’ll please anyone with an appreciation for pretty presentation and local ingredients. Dig into dishes like an 18-hour braised beef short rib, just-caught roasted halibut or crispy calamari, while watching the sun dip down, and save room for the made-to-order, still-warm cookies and cold milk. Come morning, follow your nose into the dining room for rise-and-shine offerings like a benedict with perfectly poached eggs and house-made hollandaise, or keep it simple with a bakery basket alongside house crème fraîche. 

Photo by Megan Wiskus and Christopher Lim

DON’T MISS: Put on your hiking shoes, pack a picnic and head four miles north to Salt Point State Park. What may be some of California’s most stunning scenery, this natural beauty boasts 6,000 acres of open prairie, wind-battered headlands, sandstone cliffs and pygmy forests that are ready and waiting to be explored. Trade the hiking for history with a visit to Fort Ross, a 3,400-acre park that brings structures and exhibits of the former Imperial Russian settlement to life. Whether you choose to tour the compound, cemetery, orchard or walk across the San Andreas Fault, it’s a perfect day trip destination for the whole family.