You know this place—or perhaps it just feels like you do. Mar Vista Farm + Cottages instills that sense in nearly everyone who visits our magical site on the “secret coast” in Mendocino County, where life slows down so you can forge stronger connections with nature and the ones you love. Here, the everyday fades away, replaced by a more conscious, simpler way of life.
A three-day retreat for slowing down on purpose on August 27th-30th, 2026
Three days on nine acres of a working farm on the Mendocino coast. No itinerary. No notifications. Just the coast, the farm, watercolors in the Glass House, an instant camera, and a shared dinner that goes longer than anyone planned.
Day One — Arrive + Exhale
Settle in. Shared dinner.
Day Two — Hike in the Morning + Craft in the Afternoon
Go on one of our favorite local hikes. Tea foraging with Deanna. Afternoon in the Glass House — watercolors, puzzles, records. Lawn games. Dinner on your own.
Day Three — Into Town
Gualala Farmers Market and local shops. Crafter-noons in the Glass House.
Your pace. The Glass House. One last shared dinner together.
Day Four — Slow Morning + Send Off
Move at your own pace for final morning send off.
Pricing – Includes lodging and two shared dinners with breakfast included.
The more people you bring, the better the value!
Everything on the schedule is optional. We mean that. Every guest arrives to a Field Kit in their cottage — a journal, Fuji Instax film (shared cameras available throughout the weekend), washi tape, a box for your phone, your Mar Vista Weekend Guidebook, and more!
Just across Highway 1 from the Pacific Ocean, Mar Vista offers vintage cottages, the Glass House events space, a redwood soaking tub, and nine acres of natural areas—forested trails, farm animals, harvesting gardens, spaces for family play, even private access to a secluded beach. Ideal for solo travelers, couples, families, furry friends, and gatherings, it’s as if you have your own private country getaway.
At Mar Vista, you’ll feel restored, reinvigorated, ready for whatever’s next. And you’ll realize that you did, in fact, know this place all along. Because ultimately, it is a reflection of you at your best.
2026 marks 90 years of Mar Vista Farm and Cottages. We’re planning celebrations throughout the year, and you’re part of the story.
Share your favorite memories with us, photos from that magical sunset, stories from your family traditions here, moments from stays past or recent. Every memory helps tell the story of these 90 years, and we can’t wait to celebrate them together.
Email us your memory or historical moment directly at hello@marvistafarmandcottages.com
PLUS-enjoy complimentary farm-fresh egg deliveries each morning.
Explore the many local beaches nearby-ideal for picnics, tide-pool fun, sunset chasing, and whale spotting.
We are powered by 100% renewable energy. On-site, find EV charging, composting, and plastic-free swaps.
With nine secluded coastal acres, Mar Vista is the perfect playhald for your furry friend.
Our Scandinavian-style fishing cottages feature a fireplace, plush bedding, and a well stocked kitchen
Restore with forest bathing, on-site yoga, meditation, massage (available upon request).
Our 11 bright and airy cottages each feature a fireplace, antique furnishings, plush bedding, and a well-stocked kitchen.
From forest bathing to farm activities, Mar Vista is a mindful escape designed to bring you closer to the land and one another.
With coastal views and serene forests, Mar Vista is perfect for weddings, retreats, milestone occasions, and celebrations.
We consider ourselves the stewards of Mar Vista, rather than the owners. It is our dream to share this wonderful place with you.
Photo by Pauline Chatelan for The Panafold.
Mar Vista is a place for people to be present and act with intention—and we act with intention as well, with sustainable farming and gardening practices, responsible water use, and more.
Solo travel is better when the place feels like it was made for it.
At Mar Vista, your cottage sits on nine acres of open grounds with plenty of space to roam, rest, and be as social or as still as you want. Seclusion here is a feature, not an accident.
A day at Mar Vista doesn’t need a plan. But if it had one, it would look something like this. Come find yours.
Mar Vista is ideally located along one of Northern California’s most accessible yet underexplored stretches of coastline.
Pack a snack, lace up your shoes, and choose your adventure—here are a few of our favorite spots, all within easy reach of the cottages:
🌊 Cook’s Beach — a flat crescent beach with fine sand, a gentle stream in season, and almost nobody on it. 2 miles south.
🌊 Bowling Ball Beach — a geological wonder you have to see at low tide. Rock formations that look exactly like what they’re named after. 6.5 miles north.
🌿 Hearn Gulch — a sheltered ravine, sandy pocket beach, and small creek tucked into volcanic rock. 5 miles north.
🌊 Shell Beach — seals, tide pools, and a half-mile walk through pine trees and meadow to get there. 9 miles south.
🌿 Gualala Point Regional Park — bluff-top trails, ADA-accessible beach access, meadows and cypress. Follow the Salal trail 3 miles south to Walk On Beach. 6 miles south.
🌿 Mill Bend Preserve — the gateway to the Gualala River Watershed, old growth, birdsong, the kind of walk that resets everything. 5 miles south.
🌊 Pelican Bluff Trail — 2 miles atop high cliffs with some of the most magnificent ocean views on the coast. A Mar Vista favorite.
🌿 The Stornetta Public Lands — wide open pathways, whale watching, and steep beach access at Sea Lion’s Cove near the Point Arena Lighthouse. 14 miles north.
Check tide times before you go — most beaches are best at 3 feet and under, and Bowling Ball Beach is worth timing perfectly.
Save for the next trip to Mendocino📍 Mar Vista Cottages · Gualala, CA
The things we don’t have, are the ones you came here to escape. The things we do have, are the things you forgot you needed.
Come see us, you’ll see.
For those that came before us, and everyone still finding their way here. Celebrating 90 Years at Mar Vista - here is how it all started.
super 8 🎥 @paulinechatelan
