A Road Trip to Sea Ranch and More

Kara Walker's Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine) was one I spent a long time taking in all the details and feelings of.

We stopped to check out the Sutro Bath Ruins, a place in SF I had not had a chance to see before. It was the perfect place to bring our coffees and walk around in the morning. 

Next, we headed to Green Apple Books to pick out a few books to bring home, and then headed to the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival. We had fun but I would definitely go early because the crowds got a little too crazy for us. We did find a really cute shop Fog Cats & Yanchako, and picked up magnets, patches, and stickers. 

Then it was time to get on the road, we had reservations at Gama, which we lived up to the reviews we read. If you are ever up that way, I can't recommend this restaurant enough. It was our favorite meal of the trip and the perfect birthday celebration for Ben. I loved that we got to choose our sake cups to go with our meal, and every dish we had was delicious. The drive up the coast was just so beautiful, I kept asking how have I not been up here before?

 

The next day, we wandered around the Gualala Art Center and hiked down to the river. 

 

After lots of walking and hiking, we ended the day at the Sea Ranch Lodge for the sunset and drinks.  

We also had to stop to see the Sea Ranch Chapel. This tiny little chapel feels like it was plucked out of another world and dropped here. It reminds me of faeries, hobbits, witches, and just magic in general. I loved all the details and just wandering around this special place. We had the place to ourselves, so I took some time to meditate and connect with some of my loved ones who have crossed over.

Here's a list of the restaurants, museums, and parks we visited:

The Art Bistro - great locally owned spot to grab an affordable breakfast sandwich and coffee with friendly and warm service.

Novela - We stopped here for happy hour drinks after the museum. I love a bar with a theme and this spot was perfect.

SFMOMA - We went for the Ruth Asawa retrospective show on this trip, the last trip it was to see the Yayoi Kusama exhibit.

Green Apple Books - One of my favorite indie bookstores. They have used and new books and it's always worth a stop when I'm in SF.

Gualala Art Center - Had exhibits and installations by local artists, there were trails to wander around, campgrounds nearby and they do lots of events there too.

Izakaya Gama - Coastal Izakaya restaurant in Point Arena with a focus on local and sustainable fare. We loved everything we tried. 

Sea Ranch Lodge - We had drinks and appetizers here, and the views couldn't be beat at sunset. The service was great too. We went back the next day to walk around the property more and enjoy the views and wildflowers blooming.

Sea Ranch Chapel - Beautiful non-denominational tiny chapel in Sea Ranch. James Hubbell, artist and architectural designer, assembled a team of professionals, gifted contractors, craftsmen, and artisans to realize his design and create the chapel with local natural materials. 

Sutro Baths - A Beautiful park to walk around and learn the history of the Sutro Baths and Cliff House. 

Shell Beach Coastal Access Trail - A pretty walk to the beach. It's a regular place for seals to have their babies because it's protected and safe. We saw so many seals in the water!

Gualala Point Regional Park - Beautiful park to walk around with trails to the beach and other trails. There are viewpoints to look for whales and campgrounds too.

Fishetarian Fish Market - We stopped here for lunch on our way back and loved our lunch, the service, and the vibes. It's in Bodega Bay and is a Surfrider Ocean Friendly Restaurant.

I have so many more photos and places we hope to visit on our next road trip. If you have any recommendations, I always love to hear them!