We love this place! My daughter has been taking lessons here for a few months and I couldn't say…read moreenough nice things about this place. Diane and my daughter's instructor Kailey have been such a huge part of my daughter's healing and happiness. I do believe that horses provide therapy and this has seriously been life-changing for my daughter. In the short amount of time, she has learned so much about riding, horsemanship, and has a real passion to keep learning and going far in the sport. I haven't seen her so passionate about anything like this in a long time. They really take the time necessary to train each person on every aspect of horses and horse riding. It's beautiful to watch and I love having my daughter come home and tell me all of the things that she's learning. It's hard work but the feeling of accomplishment is like nothing you can imagine. I have seen several of the instructors and every single one of them is very positive and uplifting and I am not used to that because in the past when we have been around riding instructors, I have noticed that there has been a lot of negativity. Not at Sun Valley equestrian - it's all about positive energy and loving what you do. I just can't thank them enough for the impact they are making in my daughters life.

I board my gelding at Sun Valley Equestrian and couldn't be happier. There is a wonderful arena to…read moreride in with beautiful scenery surrounding you. I've seen many riding academies and Sun Valley is one of the best out there. They have several different trainers to bring out the best in you and your horse. They are able to cater to beginning riders as well as advanced riders for lessons, schooling shows, etc. Their students are taught all aspects of horsemanship so they understand safety as well as a bond with the horse they are riding. The trainers are knowledgeable, friendly and always willing to give a helping hand if you need it. The trainers are highly skilled and each have their own specialty. There is a multitude of knowledge and years of experience in this barn. The owner, Diane, is a great business woman who cares about her staff, students, horses and her boarders. This is a rare thing to find. Her business is truly an equestrian family!

I visited Millwood ranch today with my wife and my year-old toddler and the first thing we are told…read moreby a staff member was "why are you here? This is private property". If that is the case, just have a sign up-front which mentions "Private Property. Keep Out!" We live in the neighborhood and just came up to look at the ranch and enquire about the classes being offered for adults and children. But expecting basic civil conversation is probably a tall order for the staff at Millard. I would like to point out that this was a lady who is supposedly a trainer there. There were a few other bystanders (possibly staff) who just kept quiet and chuckled. STRONGLY AVOID!

I guess my 5 star review that I rode before had not enough words just the photos in it because…read morepictures say more than 1,000 words. I'm boarding my 2 horses at Millwood in oversized paddocks with a sturdy shelter that is 12 x 12 and elevated so that they can always stand on dry rubber mats if they want. The horses are fed 8 lbs of Forage pellets in the morning and 2 flakes of a choice of good grass hay, Alfafa or Oat hay. Cleaning is mostly done by me and my friends. The manure is picked up every day from the wheelbarrows. I got lucky that there was an old travel trailer near the 2 paddocks - pretty rotten but I fixed the holes and extensively replaced rotten ceiling and painted it in and out. Now the trailer is dry, no mold no mice . The ranch manager says it is as beautiful as you make it. On a White Board you can read that they like support with picking up garbage and cutting the weeds down because of fire hazard. Both of which I do. I've been around ranches in Bay Area for over 10 years and I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the roads at Millwood Ranch are numerous and well kept in terms of NO MUD. It was always possible to ride on the trails and not get stuck in mud. And the covered arena was rideable the whole time. As at every ranch there are conflicts - primarily based on misunderstandings. We all come from total different backgrounds even different countries and it is important to talk with each other and eliminate misunderstandings.

I contacted Joe to set up a party for 10 year olds and he was very responsive and helpful. We…read morevisited the ranch to check out the facilities and he let my daughters take a quick ride and watch a horse feeding. When the party date arrived the place was decorated and the girls had a wonderful time taking turns riding a horse and a pony. They even had a horse kissing booth which the girls found fun and engaging. It was a wonderful experience with smiles all around. I plan on having my younger daughters party there in a few years. I also discovered they have weekly ridings and even a Halloween riding event so I will definitely be bringing the kids back soon.

Friday afternoons at 4pm they host an open house where you can come meet the horses and help feed…read morethem! We brought our toddlers and had a great time! Thanks, Joe & Arlene!

This is a wonderful place. Nan, the manager, is extremely intuitive and develops a unique…read morerelationship with each horse. That says, she can tell when even the slightest thing is off with them. Tons of trail access a huge plus.

I am so lucky to have landed at MSR! Nan is truly wonderful, extremely knowledgeable and a crazy…read moreawesome cook too! Lots of trails to ride, good friends to ride with and peace of mind knowing my two boys are well cared for, are just a few of the many reasons I love it here!!

Everything went well, but best of all was the service. I cannot say enough good things about our…read moreserver, Pedro. I'm a fussy eater, my friend is on a restricted diet. Pedro was attentive, knowledgeable, and just generally the all around perfect server The food was delicious. The scenery can't be beat. Also worth mentioning is the hostess Rosie. Friendly and informative. You have two great employees.

Best garlic fries of my life!!! (And the coolest bathrooms!)…read more My boss took me here for first time there last week and we had the best food, ambiance & service! Pedro was such an attentive waiter and went above and beyond with every step of our service. And then on our way out, Rosie was super helpful teaching us how we could shout him out properly. (Sorry this review took so long to write.) We can't wait to come back! Highly recommend. :)

Friendly Pony Parties was an absolute highlight of our school's End-of-Year Carnival! Their team…read morewas professional, communicative, timely, and incredibly friendly. They brought a variety of animals including baby bunnies, goats, a piglet, ducks, and chickens and the kids were obsessed! Students were smiling ear to ear the entire time! Their staff did an amazing job creating a fun, safe, and engaging experience for our school community. You can tell they genuinely care about what they do and about making events special. We are so grateful they were part of our carnival and would absolutely recommend Friendly Pony Parties for school events, parties, and family gatherings. We would happily book them again in the future!

We had a great time yesterday! Terry is a great host. We had a petting zoo full of pigs, goats,…read morechickens and rabbits. We also had two pony's. The kids had a fun time riding them. Terry was doing face painting, which the kids love. Made my nephew's first birthday memorable! Thank you to Terry and her staff.

Green Oaks Creek Farm is one of those places that embodies the promise of sustainable living in the…read more21st century. The coastal communities located between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz are ideal spots for such experiments in low-impact land use, and they offer great alternatives to corporate food culture to those lucky enough to access them. Green Oaks Creek is a small, family-owned farm and rural retreat located south of Pescadero between the Pacific and the Santa Cruz Mountains. You can tour the farm, camp out, stay overnight in a yurt, or even hold a wedding on their eco-friendly property. These all sound really great, and the farm - part of a historic orchard and ranch property settled by the Steele family in the early 1900s - is near to lots of cool places to visit: Pigeon Point lighthouse, Año Neuvo park, Butano park, Coastways Ranch, etc. But this review is about the food. On three acres of land dedicated to organic strawberries, flowers, herbs, and vegetables, the folks at GOCF produce some very lovely and delicious products, which the sell at several farmers' markets in the area and through a CSA program: Palo Alto (Sun), Pacifica (Wed.). and Half Moon Bay (Sat). Their stand is small but superb. We've gotten some fantastic Seascape organic strawberries, sweet and rich in flavor, as well as ultra-fresh green garlic, mixed greens, and lettuce. It's a lovely little set-up with something new every week, including cut flowers. We are happy to have found them and look forward to their late spring and summer offerings. Perhaps we'll visit the farm in the future, too!

We chose this place as a way to spend our anniversary weekend. We wanted to be away from the city,…read moreclose to the beach and hiking places, and we were enticed by the green, sustainable character of the Farm. What we found was not a green grass to camp on but a dry, dusty, stubbly field. The "kitchen" is this 3-walled, straw bale structure which looked unkempt, at first sight, and had rotting food in the fridge and questionable utensils. The outdoor bath is not dedicated to the campers, but actually shared with the farm staff. You'll find multiple towels and toiletries strewn about if you try to use it. But most of all, there was no sense of being welcomed by the owners. It was like having guests was an afterthought. It gave the impression of a couple of latecomer hippies that were on their way to failing their return to the land, and had a hard time keeping it all together: the farm, the retreat business, and their lives. We were going to spend two nights and ended up leaving the next morning to go back home.