A blog by Lucky Bend Lookout, a modern vacation rental on the Russian River in Guerneville, California
Kids always whine about hiking but in the end have a really good time once they get their minds on something fun. When I was a kid, my parents would overcome the resistance by coaxing me from berry bush to berry bush down the trail. By the time I finally got full of berries we had…
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Today we have our first guest post! Written by a Mom and trust & estate attorney from San Francisco, Patricia DeFonte shares her unique experience of visiting the Russian River with her family. She describes her favorite activity of her trip (also one of our favorites), which was biking along the West County Trail in Forestville and Graton. She started in downtown Forestville, then biked and wine tasted her way to Graton and back.
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In this article we feature our favorite West Sonoma ciders, all of which have a tap room with outdoor space. There is so much to do in the area, that we were able to come up with suggestions on how to turn the cider tasting into an adventure for the whole family!
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Are you ready for a trip away from home but dread the thought of having to cook yet another meal for your family? The Russian River area is now open for visitors so you can get away into the Redwood forest, enjoy the scenic river, and visit nearby beaches. And that is all you will have to think about when you come, because our local restaurants and small businesses have adapted to the new way that we are enjoying restaurant food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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From Stillwater Cove in the north to Wright’s Beach in the south, the area surrounding the hamlet of Jenner where the Russian River meets the sea is full of fun and sometimes quirky adventures for the whole family. Check out our choose your own adventure guide to a day trip in Jenner.
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In this series we are highlighting our top 3 easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes in West Sonoma County. A few of our favorite trails in Armstrong Woods and Austin Creek were burned in the recent fires and remain closed. When they reopen we’ll post an update to these posts. We hope these other equally amazing trails inspire you to get out and enjoy the fresh air and natural beauty of Sonoma County.
These strenuous hikes have steep uphill components and range from 4-15 miles, and great for adults and big kids. The shortest one may also be considered moderate.
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Now that our kids have graduated from fairy wands while hiking (though certainly not from berry bushes), we have moved on to geocaching as great way to motivate slightly older kids on down the trail. Geocaching is a free IRL treasure hunting game played with the GPS on your phone. Someday we will do a…
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It’s so exciting! The time has finally come! Effective 12:01am in June 19, 2020. Sonoma County is welcoming staycationers from nearby to stay and play! Beaches are open, you can rent a canoe, restaurants are seating patrons indoors, you can go inside a store, wineries are open, and campgrounds, vacation rentals, and hotels are allowed…
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After the holiday travel rush, visiting family in all the different cities, lugging present-hyped children from one sugar-rush to the next, it is time for the parents to take a well-deserved break from the kiddos and relax with a glass of wine. One of the benefits of hosting the Lucky Bend Lookout vacation rental is…
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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…
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