A Dream Venue with Exceptional Support - The Haven at Tomales…read more Our wedding at The Haven at Tomales was nothing short of spectacular. From the very first conversation to the big day itself, everything about this venue--and working with Mandy, the venue coordinator--was absolutely wonderful. Mandy was incredibly responsive, kind, and thoughtful throughout the entire planning process. She always looked for the best solution to every question or hurdle, and was flexible when it mattered--she even worked with us to onboard a new florist to their approved vendor list. She provided excellent recommendations for other vendors and consistently made us feel supported. Since I was out of state when we booked, she gave my mom a site tour in my place, and later offered another visit closer to the wedding date. On the day of, she was present, helpful, and ensured everything ran smoothly. The venue itself is simply breathtaking. We held our ceremony at the Knoll Crest custom site, surrounded by rolling hills as far as the eye could see--an unforgettable and truly magical setting. The barn and lawn area provided the perfect mix of rustic charm and elegant style, and made for a stunning reception backdrop. We also rented a few furniture pieces through The Haven, which were beautiful additions and made the space feel even more special. The best part? The Haven team handled all the setup and teardown, making it completely stress-free for us. We got ready in the bridal and groom suites that morning, which were both spacious and comfortable--easily accommodating four hairstylists, a dress steaming station, and all the hustle and bustle of prep time. One especially thoughtful touch: Mandy personally drove us around in a golf cart for our couples photos and to and from the ceremony site--such a small thing that made a big difference in keeping the day smooth and stress-free. If you're looking for a magical, serene, and elegant venue with phenomenal staff, The Haven at Tomales is it. Just one tip for future couples: reach out to caterers and florists early in the planning process, as The Haven works with a select list of approved caterers (and for good reason--the quality is outstanding, but availability can book up quickly). We are so grateful to Mandy and The Haven team for giving us a wedding day beyond our dreams.

We came here for our friends' wedding. The setting is absolutely beautiful. It was a bit windy the…read moreday we came, so the clouds looked surreal moving across the sky, like from a movie! The location is peaceful, there's cows grazing grass, a little lake, and just nature all around. The building is an old barn with a rustic feel, I like little details where even the bathroom door is locked with a metal latch. I love the design of this space. It is absolutely perfect for a banquet or large group event! Parking is limited. So our friends had arranged shuttles from the hotel to The Haven for their guests. The ceremony was outdoor in the late afternoon. The sun was blazing so remember to wear sunscreen! I noticed nobody wore hats to our event. I highly recommend hats and sunscreen if you will be outdoor for your event. A friend of ours got sunburned. There was a side area where they set up a bar and servers were coming out with appetizers. I like the semi-outdoor space here, not as sunny or windy as the outside and very warm and cozy with the heating lamps on. During the golden hour, my husband and I came outside to take pictures and these are the nicest pictures we've taken in years, ones I will cherish for a long time! There was plenty of room inside for the banquet. Our friends' wedding was about 15 tables and there was enough room for dance floor too. Bathrooms were clean and conveniently located.

It's rare to find a real farm shop down a backroad, and True Grass Farms offers a simple…read morehelp-yourself shop on the honor system. For sale here are fresh eggs, frozen meats (lamb, pork and beef), local tea, and bone broth. We took note that this is an ecological farm using regenerative grazing practices, and yes we had to dig deeper into their website to find out exactly what that means. Impressive: thoughtful, transparent & sustainable farming. We picked up a dozen farm fresh eggs ($10) some farm made breakfast sausage (which was delicious), and large pork sausage, which we can't wait to try. Easy to connect to their free WiFi at the farm shop and pay via Venmo. Nothing better than a true backroads find!

Camping my Style…read more Working cattle ranch and farm that also happens to have camping locations available throughout the property. The Good: *You can purchase some of their homegrown meats to use at your campground. *Lone shared restroom was very not bad for an outhouse. *Multiple campsites along the Estero *You can also purchase wood to burn in the camp firepit *Located in Tomales, not too far from the ocean, it probably doesn't get too hot like most summer campgrounds are prone to getting. *Cell signal (Xfinity) was actually pretty decent in some spots. The Meh: *Directions to campground is a little confusing at first. The Ugly: *It's still camping and sleeping in a tent on an air mattress is still a nightmare. Conclusion: Still not a big fan of camping but this place is very not bad.

The AppleGarden Cottage is a perfect home away from home. Thoughtfully appointed, perfectly sized…read morefor two, and in the most bucolic setting. Waking up each morning to Highland cows grazing outside the kitchen window was a delight. Jan's breakfasts were out of this world good. We eagerly awaited delivery each morning and excitedly tucked into the yummiest scones, frittatas, breakfast puddings, and more, all made with locally sourced ingredients. Yum! This property is really special. I would not hesitate to return for another getaway to this West Marin gem.

We loved this place. We stayed there for 4 days just before Christmas and it was wonderful. Living…read morein the city, we wanted some quiet time in the countryside. We came away rested and restored. My biggest issue with B&Bs is that we often find the hosts endlessly intrusive. I understand they want to help, but as an introvert, their presence often grates. Jan and Lou, though, were very thoughtful about letting us enjoy the peace and quiet their cottage provides. It was a delight to have the freshly-made morning meals dropped off for us to deal with at our own pace. The store in Tomales, which is a pleasant walk from the cottage, provided us snacks and lunches. And there are a lot of options for dinner nearby. Our favorite was the Bodega Casino (which is neither a bodega or a casino, but a bar), where in the evenings they have pop-ups with amazing local chefs. I also really appreciated Jan giving us a tour of their farm and teaching us about the business of it. We were really impressed with their industry and acumen. We'll definitely be back!

what a wonderful place on so many levels. went there yesterday with a large private group and it…read morewas fabulous. thanks so much to Ed. who was our host. he had a myriad of information. he was fun and funny, charming and delightful. their wines were unique and different and flavorful. we were also blessed to have a very large olive oil and vinegar tasting with wonderful crusty bread. The views are fabulous as was the experience. highly recommended

Had a GREAT time here a few weeks ago. We got together a group of 10 of us for an afternoon trip…read morewith both wine and olive oil tasting. I don't normally drink wine but came for the olive oil and the experience and it did not disappoint! I also eventually changed my mind that red wine can be good:) We were seated indoors and Edd gave us the rundown of what we'd be tasting for the afternoon complete with stories and lots of fun facts. (I now look at any bottles that say "cold pressed" with some light skepticism since it's clearly only written there for marketing purposes!) We ordered a selection of the panini sandwiches, the burrata and butternut squash salad, and the charcuterie board. The fire cheese was delicious and the spread was perfect. Throughout lunch, Edd brought us different wines to taste and by the end we were most definitely sold on the Stone Soup (the red version). The olive oil tasting was so much fun. First of all the bread was so delicious. And then we tasted about 15 (?) different olive oils or vinegars. The raspberry, lemon, and garlic ones were clear favorites. My personal favorites were the garlic and sage. Even though it was a bit of a rainy & cloudy day, the views from the patio were beautiful. We finished our wine out by the fire pit outside, and now I really need to come back during the summertime when the skies are more clear for the full experience. I left with lots of olive oil and great Christmas gifts for the family. The four piece olive oil sets are perfect for that and I brought one home for my family and we did our own inspired mini taste testing (I still miss Trattore's bread tho). 10/10 recommend and yes I definitely want to come back for the summer views and this pizza oven I keep reading in all the other reviews:))

Walt from Walt's Adventures adventuring at the Menagerie Hill Ranch in Vacaville, California…read more Life can be interpreted as more fulfilling when filled with adventures. It is wise to step outside your environment and, in the case of this current venture, go visit an Alpaca farm. The Menagerie Hill ranch has beautiful animals. The host was awesome and knowledgeable. We increased our knowledge of the animals and of the farm but also got to feed them. We also had the opportunities to get close and personal with them for pictures. They were all friendly and fluffy. I recommend this unique experience for all because if you do not just break your usual pattern to stop and smell the roses or to pet and feed an Alpaca, life will pass by before you know it. Put your life on pause just for a few hours and go see the Alpacas. They would like to share peace with you. You can find them at the Menagerie Hill Ranch

This was a memorable trip. We were originally slated to visit in late June before my birthday but…read moreboth Deb and Kirk were recovering from surgery. We stayed in touch over the next several weeks before settling on an August date. We braved the high temps and winding roads to arrive at the ranch. It's a beautiful space on a hillside and you can see the herd and their guardian llama as you pull into the parking lot. We learned a lot about the alpaca life cycle, fed the boys, and my daughter got to hold and carry a cria. We bought two cute alpaca shaped soaps. I didn't experience any of the negativity others have complained about. It is a working ranch so it's not a petting zoo or a tourist attraction. Go with the flow and you'll have a great experience.

Chef Patel is extrodinary with his offerings! Family owned and as far as I'm concerned a legacy in…read morethe wine country! I am extremely happy to have worked with Vinay and Mohini!

Vinay and Mohini did a wonderful job catering our July 16 wedding in Monte Rio. We chose three…read moreveggie curries and two meat curries, plus naan, rice and salad -- which was perfect for a hearty meal at a very good price for our crowd of 130 or so, about a third of whom were vegetarian. The vegetarian dishes were a tad on the spicy side, which was the only thing we would have changed. Still, we got compliments on the food throughout the night, and the samosa and pakora appetizers got gobbled right up. I love how Mohini puts lots of veggies in the pakoras, some of the best I've ever had! Service was also excellent -- the bar was well staffed so there was never a line, and our 16 tables got through the buffet very quickly! The staff even went above and beyond to help us clean up, sweeping and vacuuming for us even though that wasn't in their contract. All were very friendly & gracious. Vinay also worked with us closely in the months leading up to the wedding as we finalized our headcount and menu, and was flexible in adjusting our contract so we could share the cost of certain rentals with the wedding party using the same facility the next day. We were planning this wedding from afar and don't know Sonoma County too well, so we were so happy to have found Vinay & Mohini who helped us make this special occasion such a success! Thank you both!

This catering service was great! They were right on time and made our event a big hit! The food was…read moreamazing and they were a pleasure to have serve us!

Delicious Quiches! Super friendly and easy to work with as well. Made Wedding morning easy with…read morefood prepared.

Me and my gf had an amazing experience horseback riding with the help of Kiera and Katie, guiding…read moreus through and making sure we are comfortable and safe. I had a wonderful time with Dozer! I highly recommend trying this experience as a beginner like me :))

Katie and Kiera were awesome! Beautiful experience and lovely setting. Highly recommendread more