Where is your property located?

Upon receiving your deposit, we will give you a password to the Directions page and the exact street address. In the meantime, for those of you wanting to get a sense of the area, the home is located in Petrolia, California. You can read about the community by clicking here for a Wikipedia article describing it. We are within a mile of downtown Petrolia, which has a general store with groceries, video rental, post office and gas station. We are also five miles from the Lost Coast trailhead and stunning ocean beaches.

What is your property's access to the water?

We are located right on the banks of the Mattole River. You will have private riverfront beach, where you can sit and enjoy the sounds of nature or wade in the water. The depths of the water right behind our house are shallow, but you can walk further up or downstream for deeper swimming spots. We are also only five miles from ocean beaches.

How can I check availability?

We are working on posting a VRBO website link that will enable you to check which weeks are available through an online calendar. In the meantime, the fastest way of reaching us is by email. Click here to send us an email.

What local attractions are available?

The main attraction of the Lost Coast is just as the name suggests: its "lost" quality. Our home has been a haven for writers, hikers, bicyclists and those who just want to get away and enjoy privacy and nature. You will not find any development, large industry, or chain stores anywhere in the Lost Coast area. For those of you that must visit such stores, Eureka and Ferndale are approximately an hour away and have all the major conveniences, as well as health food stores, cinemas and restaurants. Most find the small general store with groceries well suited for their needs, and enjoy escaping to a place where you can view wilderness and undeveloped lands as far as the eye can see.

Is your house green?

Yes, we try to respect the environment as much as possible. Many aspects of the house are salvaged or recycled, including old growth redwood stairs recovered from an old fishing cabin that was once on the site, enormous beams recycled from the Donner Pass railroad lines, and red fir floors in the upstairs master bedroom and bath. We also have solar panels that power the water pump, hot water heater and all electrical. Because we tie into PG&E's grid, we are actually a net producer, and many of the lights and appliances are specifically geared to provide low energy impact. We have never used any pesticides anywhere on the property, including the fruit trees. You can feel good about your stay in our vacation rental.

Is your house suitable for kids?

We believe the Lost Coast area is a perfect one for children. You can show them nature in a truly pristine environment. Collect seashells on the beach, visit tide pools, wade in the river, enjoy fresh fruit and watch the stars through the skylights at night.

Two things to keep in mind: one, there is no bathtub in the house. We do have a full shower near the kid's (cow) room that has been used for small children, and those with infants have either used a tub or the very large sink. Second, due to the easy access to the river from the house, you should be careful leaving small children unsupervised near water.

What if I have an emergency?

There is a small medical clinic and local doctors minutes away. In addition, there is an emergency helicopter service that can transport you within half an hour to the nearest hospital. We also have neighbors familiar with local resources, as well as the house. Should PG&E's electricity disconnect, we have an emergency generator that can be easily be plugged in to run all the essentials.