If you’re in the mood for a secluded getaway—no traffic, few people, plenty of room to hold hands with your partner and roam with your dog—look no farther than a splurge weekend with Sheep Dung Properties, whose architecturally stunning modern cottages in a rural setting will have you shedding your city jitters in no time.
Long Valley Ranch, part of an 800-acre spread on the Boonville-Ukiah Road, offers three cottages sleeping two to six people and their canine companions, while The Other Place, on a ridge outside of Boonville overlooking the Anderson Valley, has four cottages in an equally tranquil setting. Bring groceries, bring books, bring your hiking shoes and prepare to explore and relax. Both properties are fenced for your dog’s safety, and she’ll enjoy seeking out scents and experiences not available at home.
Fear not that you’re totally isolated somewhere out in the Mendo boonies. Dozens of wineries and fine restaurants are within a half-hour drive. And if you need to be closer to civilization, Sheep Dung has a cottage in downtown Boonville, too.
Mendocino County is big, diverse and full of surprises like Howard Creek Ranch Inn, a historic, 60-acre, family-owned, ocean-front homestead bordered by redwood-clad mountains and rugged shoreline. Cabins here are furnished in antiques and have a woodsy ambience well melded to the environment. A full ranch breakfast is included in rates, several dog-friendly wineries and many trails are nearby, and you and Daisy can walk to the beach at low tide before retiring to the inn to watch the sunset.
Another favorite with couples accompanied by their canine friends, the Andiron Seaside Inn & Cabins, a cluster of 11 one- and two-room cottages on five acres of meadow and woods on Highway 1 in Little River. Vintage and salvage furnishings set a mood here, there’s a hot tub tucked into the woods and plenty of deck and barbecue space. Everything you might want, from hikes in the headlands to dog-friendly wineries and restaurants, is just minutes away.
