In the mid 1960’s, a visionary developer identified 10 miles of former sheep ranch on the Northern California coast in Sonoma County as the ideal place to create a planned community. He gathered a group of renowned like-minded professionals – landscape designers, architects, attorneys, planners and ecologists – to create The Sea Ranch, a place where homes and amenities are informed by nature and the environment. This beautiful rural location evolved into over 2,200 acres of commons, a 50+ mile trail system, and a variety of facilities for owner and guest use. Comprised of over 2,200 homes and undeveloped lots, the basic premise of The Sea Ranch is to ‘live lightly on the land.’ This concept can be observed in the way materials and colors of the homes blend with the existent coastal zones and how owners maintain the initial planners’ ideals for environmental conservation.

Since The Sea Ranch is a private community, all roads, most facilities and most trails are private for use only by owners and guests. Fortunately, members of the public may enjoy The Sea Ranch in several ways. For a delightful walk through forest and meadow to the coast, visitors can park at five public access points off Highway 1. Visitors can also experience The Sea Ranch from Gualala Point Regional Park where the Bluff Trail connects the park to The Sea Ranch coastal access trail at Walk on Beach to the south, a three mile hike. And, by renting a house, guests have access to The Sea Ranch’s recreation facilities.

The Sea Ranch is internationally known for its distinctive architecture, the sensitivity of its land planning and community-based stewardship of the natural environment. The Sea Ranch is also a beautiful community on a remote and rugged coast. Often, visitors fall in love with The Sea Ranch and think about buying an existing house or a lot on which to build. Because The Sea Ranch is not a typical planned community, there are many practical aspects of buying, building and living at The Sea Ranch that must be considered.