Let me start this post by saying that this was truly a magical weekend. One for the book. Er, or for a blog post? 🙂 Why? Because it literally involved everything you dream about when you think about hunkering down in a cottage in the middle of nowhere after a long week.

One of my girlfriends, who I had invited along, had the same feelings as I did going into Friday. We were both SO excited because we desperately needed a weekend outside of the city. To rejuvenate, disconnect for a bit, and literally do NOTHING. And that’s what we did! We didn’t make plans. We decided to play it by ear. And my goodness, just in doing that, it ended up being one of the best weekends.

What added to the amazing vibes for our weekend getaway, though, was the lovely cottage we found through Glamping Hub. I really cannot say enough of this little slice of heaven we discovered about 1.5 hours North of San Francisco. Real talk: After we left, I was even having a hard time wanting to write about the place on my blog. Because I wanted to keep it a secret as long as possible! But alas, I decided it was better to share the joy and the warm vibes that this place brings.

The cottage is nestled near Occidental, California, which is an adorable little town you must explore if you stay here! It has a few restaurants (recs below), small boutique hotels, an organic grocery store, an herb shop, a yoga studio, and more!

Once you pull up to the cottage, you’re met with a white picket fence gate that you’ll have to open to let the car through. Then, you’ll see the cottage once you pull in. The red side is the original cottage from the 1860s. The other side is the new master bedroom suite that adds a modern touch to the place. I mean, just wait until you see the inside!

But what got us right away was how charming the property is. The cottage is surrounded by florals and foliage.

And out back you have an expansive yard that includes a campfire area and beautiful swimming and boating pond (with a fountain!).

See that rowboat… You can use it! 🙂

There’s also a private Redwood grove with a hammock near the cottage.

And a quick walk will get you to the camping tent, which is equipped with a queen-sized bed if you want to go for the glamping vibes!

And if that hasn’t sold you yet – The inside will!

It’s the quintessential country cottage. The place opens up to a big gourmet country kitchen where we cooked all of our meals and enjoyed the bottle of wine that the owners set out for us upon our arrival. This room also has a little daybed that I personally used as a little reading spot during the day.

Off the kitchen, you’ll find a sunroom with a beautiful white wood stove. Our evenings were spent out here, starting a fire, listening to music on the surround sound, with a glass of wine and the best girl chats. It’s also a great spot to curl up with a book. Especially during the day. With all the windows and skylights, it gets the most beautiful light!

And from the sunroom, you’ll get access to the huge entertainment deck out back. It has a seating area, a grill, and a hot tub. At night, you can turn on the deck lights, and the Redwood Grove lights (amazing!) and sit around the campfire. Or, you can cuddle up on the daybeds and turn on the heat lamp. It’s up to you!

And last but not least, are the bedrooms! Each room is at the opposite ends of the cottage, so you really feel like you have privacy. The bedroom off of the kitchen has a Queen bed and a little bathroom with antique shelving and a clawfoot bathtub. It get’s really lovely light in the mornings as the sun shines in.

The other bedroom is in the more modern wing of the cottage. And it’s stunning! It’s a huge room with a ton of natural light. Literally, an entire wall is made up of windows. It has a floating King-sized bed, a fireplace, and little dog bed if you bring Fido along. And the ensuite bathroom. Well, let’s just say I was obsessed with the bathroom. It had the most beautiful spot for taking baths. I mean, look at this!

You can soak in the tub while reading a book and enjoying the beautiful scenery around the cottage. If it’s later in the afternoon, you just might get fountain action in the pond, too. I loved that!

And it’s those little things that kept popping up that we loved the most. It was the attention to detail in every room. It was the unique Parisian antiques and the incredible light that made this place so magical. No joke, we kept on saying the entire weekend: “I’m obsessed with this place!”

It was SO hard for us to leave the cottage on Sunday afternoon. In fact, we tried to stay as long as possible before making the drive back to the city. I think the feelings between us were mutual. Even though we were sad to leave, we were just so happy and grateful to discover such a special place.

And we’ve already been talking about when we can come back! It’s the perfect spot for a girls’ weekend, a romantic getaway with your partner, or a family trip into the country.

Are you in love already? Perfect! Because you won’t be disappointed! Book your trip through Glamping Hub here.

So, what else can you do while in the area?

• Explore the main street of Occidental. Stop at Hazel for a bite to eat, or head over to Barley and Hops Tavern for a drink. If you want to cook at the cottage, just make a quick grocery trip to the Bohemian Market.
• Drive out to Bodega Bay. It’s just 20 minutes from Occidental. We stopped out there to buy some clams, but of course, we made a pitstop for oysters and some other seaside cuisine. Stop at the Fishetarian Fish Market for a yummy crab sandwich. And make a pitstop at The Birds Cafe for oysters. They’re BBQ oysters with the herb butter sauce. Delicious!
• Explore wine country! This specific region is known for it’s Pinot Noir. Just check the Wine Road Map to find some places near you!
• Kayak on the Russian River. The hosts recommended going through Burke’s Canoeing Trips in Forestville, which is just 16 minutes from Occidental. It’s a beautiful river. I’ve been tubing down the Russian River, and it was so much fun!
• Take in nature with a hike. There a ton of hiking spots in Sonoma County. You could try the Old Grove or the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. I did Armstrong with my mom and it was a nice leisurely hike. Here’s a great map to help you find the kind of hike you’re looking for.
• Explore the gardens. Right near the cottage is Western Hills Gardens. Head over there on Saturday, when it’s open to the public (from 10am to 4pm). I wanted to check it out, but it was raining on Saturday. Next time!

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Wow, I could have turned this post into a novel. There were so many things I loved about the country cottage. Like I mentioned earlier, I cannot wait to make a weekend trip back soon!

And watch this channel, because I have more fun adventures coming up in April and May. I can’t wait to share more!

Let’s go places,
Sarah

All photos on this blog are mine. Feel free to share but please credit me with a link back to the blog. Much appreciated and thank you for your support!

I have collaborated with Glamping Hub for this post, but all opinions are mine.

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