A Mid-Century Gem in the Redwoods—Bring the Kids!

Think traveling with kids means sacrificing gorgeous, architecturally inspiring accommodations? Think again. Your kids will feel like woodland creatures—and you’ll feel like a travel-planning wizard—when your family settles into our mid-century modern cabin, tucked into a dense stand of redwoods beside the Russian River in Guerneville. (One ancient redwood has been presiding over our part…

Check Out Photos & Reviews from Previous Guests

Our previous guests have left hundreds of 5-star reviews often commenting on how well equipped the house is and what a great host Sarah is throughout the booking and stay. Erica said “Perfect for a family or small group of friends, and Sarah was great to interact with.” And Jackie said “A cozy cabin that’s…

Reserve a Relaxing Vacation at Lucky Bend Lookout

Lets make some of these great adventures a reality for your family. Start with booking a vacation at Lucky Bend Lookout. Check our availability below and book online or call/text Sarah at 415-516-6961 to reserve. Measure Twice, Cut Once… Minimum Booking: 4 nights during summer season. 3-4 nights during holidays. 2 night minimum during fall winter, and spring.Group size:…

Fresh Dungeness Crab in Bodega, A Holiday Meal to Remember

By: LuckyBendLookout December 24, 2018February 15, 2020

Local Advice, LocalvoreBodega Bay, dungeness crab, Fall, Fresh & Local, Holidays, recipes, Winter2 Comments

Turkey, ham, and prime rib may be the meal that comes to mind around the holidays but San Franciscan’s and Northern California chefs know that the easiest way to have an amazingly memorable holiday feast is with dungeness crabs fresh off the boat. Dungeness crab season varies each year but generally runs from November to…

Russian River Valley Wine Tasting by Bike Path, Take the Kids too!

By: LuckyBendLookout October 11, 2018February 15, 2020

Family Adventures, Itineraries, Localvoreberry picking, bicycling, butterflies, cider, farmer's market, foodie, ice cream, kids, Russian River, Sonoma County, wine tasting1 Comment

Before kids, our favorite wine tasting adventure was to rent a tandem bike at Spoke Folk Cyclery (201 Center St, Healdsburg) in Healdsburg and ride out on West Dry Creek Road and return by East Dry Creek Road. We always started with the west side because the narrow road with no shoulder didn’t leave much…

Gravenstein Apple Picking Adventure for the Whole Family

By: LuckyBendLookout October 4, 2018February 15, 2020

Family Adventures, Itineraries, Localvoreapple hill, apples, cider, gravenstein, recipes, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, U-pick3 Comments

What if you could enjoy all the apple goodness of Apple Hill without all the people, traffic, and that drive up I-80? Only an hour from San Francisco and 20 minutes from Guerneville and the Russian River Resort Region lies the Gravenstein Apple region. Well before western Somoma County was a wine region of international…

Jenner Headlands Preserve Kids Loop

By: LuckyBendLookout October 1, 2018February 15, 2020

Family Adventures, Local Advicebirding, Hiking, jenner headlands, kids, Russian River, Sonoma County2 Comments

Thanks to very active nonprofits like The Wildlands Conservancy and the Sonoma Land Trust, Sonoma County is constantly opening new public open space with robust trail systems and fantastic recreational opportunities. The newest park in the county can also lay claim to the best views. Overlooking the Rusaian River estuary and the rugged Sonoma Coast…

Relive the Lazy Life Floating the Russian River with Kids, a Complete Guide

By: LuckyBendLookout August 27, 2018February 15, 2020

Family Adventures, Local AdviceFloating, kids, Russian River, Sunset Beach, Swimming, Tubing3 Comments

Remember those carefree days when you could spend a whole day lazily floating on the water with your friends, drinking beer, and debating the topics of the day. It seems like ages ago that our kids came along and ended that kind of carefee tranquility. But finally, at ages 5 and 7, we have regained…

3 Summer Cocktails for the Whole Family, Even the Kids

By: LuckyBendLookout April 7, 2018February 15, 2020

Grown Ups (Mostly), Localvorechampagne, cocktails, gin, happy hour, Iron Horse, Korbel, mocktail, Spirit Works3 Comments

When our family heads up to our home on the Russian River, Lucky Bend Lookout, our summer time rhythm is pretty active but we always make time to enjoy happy hour on the deck overlooking the river. A typical day starts with the kids “helping” grandpa make a fancy breakfast. After a morning activity like…

Fishing with Kids on the Russian River

By: LuckyBendLookout March 1, 2018February 15, 2020

Family Adventures, Local AdviceFishing, Guerneville, kids, Russian River, Sonoma County, steelhead4 Comments

We recently took the kids on a coho salmon hike organized by the Salmon Protection And Watershed Network (SPAWN) at Samuel P Taylor State Park. Seeing those huge red and white fish in such a small creek got us that got us thinking about the steelhead run in the Russian River right now. Our vacation rental,…

Six Great Fall Family Adventures on the Russian River

By: LuckyBendLookout November 10, 2017February 15, 2020

Family AdventuresArmstrong Redwoods, Art Trails, Beach, Fishing, Hiking, Paddling, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Swimming, U-pick4 Comments

The Russian River is such a great summertime destination but friends often ask us—is it worth visiting during Fall and Winter? Doesn’t it flood every winter? The fall season is my favorite time of year on the Russian River because the crowds are gone but the Indian Summer gives us another month or two of…

Towering Redwoods & Floating the Russian River, a Perfect Family Adventure Day in Guerneville

By: LuckyBendLookout October 21, 2017February 15, 2020

ItinerariesArmstrong Redwoods, Floating, Guerneville, Korbel, live music, Russian River, Sunset Beach, Treasure hunt, wine tasting3 Comments

The Russian River has been a revered outdoor leisure destination for generations. In the heart of the Russian River area, Guerneville is a perfect location to take advantage of classic attractions located between the redwoods, wine country, and the Russian River. Experience the best of all three in a single perfect itinerary designed with the whole family in mind.

What’s Up with the Seasonal Dams?

By: LuckyBendLookout October 6, 2017February 15, 2020

Local AdviceGuerneville, Johnson’s Beach, Russian River, seasonal dams, Sonoma, Vacation Beach4 Comments

So whats the deal with seasonal dams on the Russian river anyway? All summer the water levels are perfect for swimming but on those lovely warm indian summer weekends sometimes the water levels are too shallow for even paddle boarding. Here’s how to predict the water levels.