Update: All COVID restrictions are off, but if you are ill, please wait to come to the beach or take the necessary precautions against Long Covid. Dillon Beach is a gem of a community that we treasure; we feel responsible for its safety and yours, our guests, to keep thriving. By now, we all have a pretty good idea of when it is or isn't necessary to mask up. Remember also, some guests may be undergoing chemotherapy or have compromised immune systems. Your engaging courtesy is gladly welcomed when walking in the community or on the beach by permanent residents after our prolonged and sometimes painful isolation. Respect for hard-earned peace, quiet and warm sociability of our permanent Dillon Beach residents is one of the most important things you bring with you.
There just isn't another spot quite like California's Dillon Beach, a unique, still working fishing village hidden about three miles off the beaten path of Highway One. Dillon Beach has an unusually expansive beach with rocky tidal pools on one end and huge sand dunes bordering Tomales Bay on the other, both of which can be seen from the deck of Dill 'n Thyme. Because Dillon Beach is set back slightly from Tomales Point and Bodega Bay, it often lies in the sun, just out of reach of the fog belt, yet still has spectacular wave action offshore for surfing and calmer skimboarding towards the beach.
Sunsets are spectacular from Dill 'n Thyme's deck, providing our guests a stunning view of ocean and horizon. One can put feet up and enjoy a nice glass of Napa, Sonoma or Mendocino wine while staring out to sea and enjoying a peaceful sanctuary from a hectic life. Winter and early Spring hosts a wider variety of wildlife, including whales, seals, pelicans and a variety of seabirds.
Before the pandemic, we welcomed guests from France, Britain, and the Netherlands and, of course, various US states & our loyal California beachcombers. Without exception, all entered into the spirit of Dill 'n Thyme as a source of fun and worry-free time away from stress and strife. All of our guests even understood that our summer morning fog is vital sunscreen for those Coastal Redwood Trees that survived logging along the northern California coast.
Our 2-bedroom little jewel, Dill 'n Thyme Cottage, is noted in the history books as the second cottage built for his family in 1910 by a Norwegian sea captain. It stayed with his descendants until it gratefully chose our family as its second owners in over 100 years. It underwent a "redo" in 1992, with special instructions to keep the New England cottage feel and welcoming spirit alive at the same time as maximizing its spectacular view, creating a totally secure seismic structure (after all, Tomales Bay is the San Andreas fault!), replacing it's septic and providing all the carefree conveniences to vacationers, including high-speed cable, WiFi and DISH TV with a family Netflix account via Roku.
We provide a regular brewed coffee maker, a coffee grinder, a cappuccino maker, and, of course, a margarita blender. New range & microwave, new refrigerator, a workhorse of a dishwasher and a fully stocked kitchen make k.p. duty a breeze! Please heed what food particles go into the sink, as we are on a fragile septic system. It's also the reason we don't have a garbage disposal. We do ask that you run your last load of dishes upon your departure, so Ana can put them away. We even have an outdoor shower (hot water!) to wash all the sand away to avoid sharing it with all your other house guests. In the same spirit, we ask that you leave your shoes outside the front door & go sock-footed inside! Bring beach flipflops to leave outside the front door next to our charcoal BBQ (bring your favorite briquettes or, even better, preferred wood lump charcoal. Newspaper rolls soaked with olive oil are a non-toxic, easy way to start your fire.) Our other "guests" are a family of raccoons who raid the garbage, "decorating" the street in the process. If you decide to stay with us, as well, and until we can figure out how to outsmart them, please try to separate and seal your edible garbage in a sealed bag from trash and deposit it in the freezer until your departure. To those of you who stairs are a challenge, please be aware that the bedrooms and bathroom are on the lower level with living area and kitchen up top.
With all of that, we guarantee joy, laughter & restoration of spirit - a perfect get-away from stress, noise, traffic, grime, & daily grinds... a creative spot to read, write, photograph, tidepool, gather around a beach bonfire, stroll on the beach with or without your pup, or just reconnect with those you love. Throughout their childhood, our children and their friends walked safely to the beach and the beach store on their own, feeling quite grown up, but all the while within view of their parents (us!) from our deck.
Not to tempt you to overdo dependence on stressful tools, but Verizon has a cell phone tower at our little Dillon Beach Store. AT&T service is spotty in the village, but weirdly excellent on the beach. When you arrive, switch your calls to internet access to get reliable service. We have high speed cable, DISH TV & a Roku with a free Netflix account. Just don't forget there's a big ocean (view!) out there.
Dillon Beach is always such an amazing adventure! To share a slice of our life at the beach...my husband, David, & I and our daughter, Caitlin, home on a break from a Fulbright year in Sicily, and needing a salty Pacific Ocean breeze to restore her, recently made a quick run out to our jewel of peace and tranquility defying daily stress & madness. After dropping off our groceries and tearing ourselves away from our hypnotic ocean view, we decided to stray a little south to historic Marshall. While David made his traditional beeline for Hog Island Barbecued Oysters, also a favorite of our son, Jesse, Caitlin & I opted for a repeat excursion of Tomales Bay in our rented kayak from Blue Waters Kayaking. Lessons are available. Last year, we were delighted to encounter a baby grey whale just off Hog Island where we saw other kayakers doing the 'roll' so they could view the little guy underwater; we wisely decided to remain upright! We beached our kayak at Pat Kuleto's Nick's Cove to make dinner reservations. Pat also owns Farallon and Boulevard in San Francisco. It is about a 15 minute car ride south of Dillon Beach. Our next adventure was a Biolumenescence nighttime kayaking adventure and, boy, was it worth it! Tomales Bay has a rare phenomenon where living organisms light up the water with blue and white light on moonless nights as you paddle through it. See https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/northern-california/glowing-waves-norcal/
Another absolute favorite stop for us is Tomales Bakery where the expatriate pastry chefs have escaped from San Francisco to the idyllic village of Tomales on Highway One, just 3 miles from Dillon Beach and on the way. It is not a surprise that San Franciscans, having long memories for the best in culinary experiences, still search them out, driving all the way from the City. Grab a loaf of warm bread for breakfast while you are there! Open Thursday-Sunday only, hours dictated by when they sell out of their bakery goods. They also serve excellent pizza.
A few winters ago, we discovered another great eatery only 3 miles north up Hiway One in Valley Ford - it's cleverly called Rocker Oysterfellers. Coincidentally, we have run into some real rock stars the few times we have made the run up there for an excellent dinner with exceptional service and, often, live music. Very fun bar also. For additional local color and great food, go on up to The Casino in the tiny town where Hitchcock filmed The Birds - Bodega. Play pool while you wait to be served. For more upscale dining, but with a casual atmosphere and dress, we love Bodega Bay's Terrapin Creek, which just earned a Michelin star (not easy)! It is operated by a young, extremely nice couple in Bodega Bay, again S.F. expatriates from top restaurants such as Jardiniere, Amie and Michael Mina. A 4th new restaurant is on Bodega Highway, Bodega Bay Oyster Company. We have heard good things, but because of Covid issues, we have not yet eaten there. https://bodegabayoyster.com/
Be our guests and you will return time and again for an 'all is right with the world' recharge, we guarantee it! When you come, don't worry about linens or towels. We provide one time linen service on arrival. Cleaning fee of $100 is non-refundable so that you do not have to work off your vacation at the end of your stay! Just kindly run a last load of dishes before Ana comes in to clean. And, if it's been a (non-rowdy) party weekend, be sure to put furniture back in place and pick up trash, as well as recycle bottles and cans. Trash and recyle bins are outside toward the street.
If you are bringing your pet to dog-friendly Dillon Beach, bring a sturdy dog bed and some extra wipe down towels for surf and sand. There is a $45 pet fee per dog. Thank you for considering Dill 'n Thyme your destination to restore soul, body & spirit.
We advise our guests to gas up in Petaluma before running out to the Beach. Plug either Petaluma Safeway, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's into your gps. All are off the Washington Street exit, Safeway and Trader Joe's to the east and Whole foods to the west.
Longer stays are available and negotiable, starting October 15.
Keywords: vacation home rental, beach cottage, getaway, casita, oceanview cottage
