After spending the night in the high desert and enjoying the solitude it provided, we were very excited to head to the coast for a drastic change in scenery as well as meeting up with some dear friends.
We left the desert, drove through very hot temps, and arrived about 5 hours later to Bodega Bay. We weren't anticipating the coast to be so socked in with fog or for it to hang around the entire weekend. This also meant we weren't quite prepared for the much cooler temps! Brrrrr! We know the NorCal coast can be foggy in the summer, but simply forgot to consider it as we had been experiencing 100+ temps at home routinely! Oops.
Lucky for us, this camp spot came with a full tepee and fire pit to serve as a "warming hut!" Score! Camping along the California coast during the summer requires advanced planning! Like, for reals.... Which we had not done. The State campgrounds along the beach are packed well in advance, and other established campgrounds, that aren't just crowded parking lots, are few and far between. Finding a spot off the beaten path can be difficult along this stretch as much of the land is private property with lots of roaming cows and horses. Plus we had been roughing it for a few days and the idea of an actual bathroom with showers was enticing!
We found Chanslor Ranch through our new favorite private camp guide, Hipcamp. We highly recommend checking out all of the cool places that you would never think of! If you've never heard of them, think Airbnb but for camping and rustic cabins! On previous trips to Bodega Bay, we had noticed some tents from a group camp inside what appeared to be a horse ranch. We figure it was some kind of organized retreat and didn't think much of it. When we later stumbled upon it through Hipcamp, we were excited to know we could book a spot ourselves, and surprised at just how many camp spots they have on the property. They also have fancy outdoor bathroom and shower rooms in a converted trailer. Seriously luxurious for camping! They are located on Hwy 1 just across from the ocean and many of the sites have gorgeous ocean views (when it isn't super foggy!)
It was cold, not gonna lie. And S is always cold to begin with. The wool layers stayed on most of the time, but out of pure coincidence (and awesome fashion sense) S and baby B were twinsies most of the weekend. Baby B thought it was very fun to be dressed alike and to be honest, so did S! These two stayed in the tepee while the boys tried to level the trucks and get the tents set up for the night. It was a great place to warm chilled hands, and to be silly imagining when the moose from the outside of the tepee would jump off the canvas and play chase with Hudson.
The ranch has over 300 acres, tons of horses to ride, a protected wetland for birds and natural estuary visited by river otter. It's a pretty cool place. But let's just be real here, the cutest residence on the property live in the hen house!
After staying cozy in our RTT's for the night, we were ready to head out for a day exploring some of our favorite spots in Bodega Bay. It is no surprise that the trucks found their way to this familiar parking spot overlooking Wrights Beach Campground. The campground is one of our favorites, but we hardly ever plan far enough in advance to snag a site. If you want one, know when Reserve America releases new dates and be ready to book that day! No joke.
Just a short walk took us to one of S's favorite places in the world. Her wooden staircase to the beach. She has claimed ownership of this magical spot. It won't take you to the beach and some of the steps are a bit wobbly, but it is a wonderful place to sit and watch the ocean. The imperfect state of the stairs feels comforting and real, while giving you the chance to explore your imagination about where the steps might lead. Taking A and Baby B here to see the view made her smile and make some great memories.
We couldn't leave without walking down to the beach to let Hudson and Baby B play in the sand a little. We collected rocks and shells, sat on an washed up log, and watched the brutal waves crash against the shore. This isn't a beach to let your kiddos play in the water, but sand castles are absolutely a great alternative!
Back at camp we traded to a newly opened campsite at the top of the property. It was much more level for the RTT's, and had a fun rock outcropping to serve as a "castle" to climb with panoramic views as the prize. We played, built a campfire, cooked dinner, and did all of the typical camp activities. While there was no extravagant events that occured, it is the simple moments with friends that create memories to last a lifetime. Relaxing, laughing, shivering in the foggy cold, and chatting by the fire pit. Perfection.
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