Location: Duncans Mills, Russian River, Sonoma County, Wine Country, California, USA (In Historic Duncans Mills on the Russian River near ocean)
Accommodations: House, 2 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 1.5 Baths (Sleeps 4)
Keywords: House
Welcome to River Gardens, the remarkably versatile Russian River property that is just as suitable for a family retreat as it is for a honeymoon stay.
Say goodbye to stress and hello to peace, privacy, romance, and plain old fun on a very lush, fully fenced, 3/4 of an acre. Perfect for one or two couples, or a family.
Let the kids run and play on the large lawn while you enjoy a cocktail on the porch. Watch them swing under the shade of the huge bay tree while keeping your other eye on the otters swimming in the river. Wake up early and see a blue heron catch its breakfast.
Launch our canoe or kayaks from the private beach and paddle up to the town of Guerneville or down to the mouth of the Pacific. Cuddle by the fire when the fog rolls in. Relax in the jacuzzi bathtub and settle in for a night of comfort on premium mattresses and fine linens. Play a boardgame or grab one of our 150 books and dig in.
Location, location, location. Drive to Jenner and the ocean in 10 minutes (make sure to take our kite!), Bodega Bay in under 30, and Guerneville in 15 minutes. Renowned wineries dot the area and make for a wonderful afternoon of wine tasting and picnicking.
The driving destinations are plentiful, but it's what's in easy (and we mean easy!) walking distance that makes River Gardens the ultimate location. Located at the end of a country lane in Duncans Mills (on the town side of the bridge if you're familiar with the area), it's a breeze to walk to town where you'll find gourmet coffee and mochas, antique and specialty shops, wine and cheese tasting, the post office, brick oven pizza, and the popular Cape Fear Restaurant. You can also walk to the town's General Store for food staples, ice cream, or a nice bottle of local wine. It is entirely possible to leave your car in Park for the whole weekend and still find everything you need.
A beautiful setting. A beautiful house. It's all here, at River Gardens.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided : Also provided: hair dryer
- Off Street Parking : Large, gated parking area.
- Wood Fireplace : Wood provided.
- Beds
- King Bed
- Queen Bed
- Crib : Port-a-crib/playpen with changing table insert.
- Entertainment
- Jetted Tub in Bath : Newly remodeled bathroom with modern jetted tub.
- Cable/Satellite TV : DirecTV
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library
- Video Games
- CD Player (3)
- Stereo System
- Music Library (2) : Each bedroom has a CD player/clock radio (w/built-in nature sounds) and audio input for connecting MP3 players.
- Ping Pong/Table Tennis
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator : Filtered drinking water.
- Microwave
- Ice Maker
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio : Elegant firepit with comfortable seating.
- View/Location
- Beachfront : Private grassy beach area with easy river access and exceptional views. Perfect spot for a family picnic or a glass of wine at sunset.
- Water View
- Mountain View
- Communications
- Telephone
- Free Long Distance : Prepaid calling card provided.
- WiFi (Wireless Internet)
- Other Amenities
- Canoe and two kayaks available for your enjoyment. Lifejackets provided: 3 adult (more than 90 lbs), 1 youth (50-90 lbs), 2 child (30-50 lbs), and 1 infant (less than 30 lbs).
- Suitability
- Pet Friendly : Your well behaved/non-destructive dog is welcome. Bowl of fresh water will be waiting.
- Kid Friendly : Clean, comfy and safe highchair provided; no need to lug yours around! Outside, a favorite is the wooden swing under the 75ft bay tree.
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Golf
- Shopping
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Horseback Riding
- Rafting
- Shelling
- Hiking
- Restaurants
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
Rates .. $250/Night .. $1500/Week (7th night free)
2 Night Minimum
+ $90 Cleaning fee
+ $300 refundable damage deposit
+ 9% Sonoma County Hotel Tax
Dog fee: $15 per night, per dog (2 dog max.)
Full refund if cancelled within 30 days of reserved check-in date.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Property Photos
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- Welcome to River Gardens! - Sonoma County, California Vacation Rental
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- Windows, windows, windows! - Sonoma County, California Vacation Rental
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- Everything you need! - Sonoma County, California Vacation Rental
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- Beautiful and fun 3/4 acre.
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- Your own private view and access of the Russian River.
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- Newly remodeled and very clean.
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- Dining with a view.
Traveler Reviews (41)
One Great Vacation!!
Guest: rick
(sherman oaks ca)
Date of Stay: 07/28/11
Review Submitted: 08/09/11
The house was perfect. Being here was sooo relaxing, that for the first time my wife and I were not in a hurry to get back home! The gardens around the property reminded my wife of home in England. The wild flowers everywhere and the greenery, just great. We found out that our two dogs are Olympian swimmers! The fire pit at night and a glass or two of wine, well that's the way to end your day. The Gold Coast Bakery literally up the country lane had/has the best croissants and baked goods that my wife and I have EVER had! Each morning we walk down to the river and canoe out for a look around. The views from the decks that surround the house were beautiful. We already booked for next year and we cannot wait to return. Thank you Vanessa for sharing your home.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, age 55+.
A beautiful and charming home
Guest: Bakes
(San Jose, CA - USA)
Date of Stay: 07/11/11
Review Submitted: 07/26/11
We stayed at River Gardens July 11-14. It truly exceeded our expectations. Not only was the home beautifully decorated, but the grounds were stunning. We felt like we had come "home". Amazing that we felt like we were a part of the house immediately - we never wanted to leave - in fact, I was near tears on the day we had to depart. We have not been that relaxed in years! I took lots of digital pictures and loaded them onto my laptop so i can look at them at work when i feel stressed. I would recommend both River Gardens and Vanessa to anyone - and really will be returning as often as we can. I loved this house.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
An Oasis in the Redwoods
Guest: Shel & Jennifer
(West Marin, California)
Date of Stay: 06/13/11
Review Submitted: 07/10/11
We have been visiting the Russian River area for many years, one of our very special places to visit is the Duncans Mills area. We really enjoy exploring the Sonoma area – all the wonderful beaches along the river, the beaches around Jenner, the beautiful redwoods, the varied wildlife and visiting all the wonderful small towns in the area. River Gardens is located in a quiet neighbourhood, surrounded by redwoods, ferns, roses and beautiful gardens. When you enter through the beautiful gates of Vanessa’s home – you feel at home – it is an oasis of peace and beauty. Our week’s stay went way too quickly and it was really hard when we had to leave. The house has everything you could ask for, it is really comfortable and clean, the kitchen is fully stocked with all that you could ever need, plenty of bath towels, comfy beds and the layout of the house is perfect. There are so many wonderful areas in the house to just relax and enjoy the view of the gardens, with walls of windows which keep the house bright and airy. All the decks, the patio and landscaped yard area have great seating areas to drink coffee in the morning, watch butterflies and birds, or a barbeque dinner in the evening. We watched a beautiful full moon rising right between the redwood trees – Incredibly beautiful. The patio fire pit was great - our family loved it!! We really appreciated that there was plenty of wood for the fire pit or for our nightly evenings in front of the fireplace while relaxing after a full day of fun. The kayaks were well used by our family exploring the river to Jenner and back. The tree swing was awesome, it is great to be a “kid” again!! We will definitely be back for another visit, until then we have wonderful memories of our River Gardens vacation. Thank you Vanessa for a wonderful stay in your home!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Peaceful and beautiful place
Guest: MarciaO
(San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 05/28/11
Review Submitted: 06/09/11
My husband, two daughters (5 & 7) and I spent Memorial Day weekend at River Gardens. We loved it. We spent most of the time outdoors and even used the kayaks on the peaceful Russian River. There are no crowds in Dunkans Mills. Due to poor planning, we didn't have any groceries and we glad to find that in two minutes we could walk to an amazing cafe/bakery and restaurant. We'll be back.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Wonderful retreat!
Guest: Beth
(Ohio)
Date of Stay: 10/16/10
Review Submitted: 10/27/10
We stayed here for 2 nights in October to celebrate our anniversary. The house is very well maintained and in a beautiful setting. We enjoyed the canoe one afternoon and just enjoyed setting by the fire pit and by the river during the daytime. Although we didn't make any meals there. The kitchen is well equipped with everything you would need. It is a short drive to the Pacific from Duncan Mills. The only little issue we had was we walked down to the Blue Herron restaurant Sunday evening and on our way back 2 very big dogs (looked like Rottweilers) came charging us from from another house and came well into the gravel road we were walking down. . We yelled at them and stood up real tall and they eventually backed off. We knew enough to not run from them as they probably would have chased us. It was very scary situation as it is a dark and some what isolated area. This is in no way the owner of River gardens problemBut thought it might be worth mentioning as I had seen where others had reviewed that it was an easy walk to dinner or the bakery. Maybe drive down to the store. Other than that little scare we had a fantastic time at this great rental !
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.
River Gardens is a wonderful experience
Guest: Bruce, Shirley and Vanna Girl
(Yuba City, Ca)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10
Review Submitted: 07/30/10
We just returned from a week at River Gardens, and already thinking of planning another visit. Everything was just perfect, it was if we were just visiting our other home. The amenities were just amazing, every little detail to perfection. We spent many hours browsing the many books made available, and there was a perfect sunny or shady spot in which to relax in comfort all around the grounds. The river access was great, with kayaks and canoe. Flowers were abundant and hummingbirds everywhere, also many butterflies. We walked down to the bakery each morning for a delectable treat, ate at the Blue Heron and Cape Fear, both delicious. We visited Blind Beach with our dog and checked out surrounding towns like Monte Rio, even Occidental, where we went to the Friday night farmers market. Often times, places visited sight unseen disappoint, but it's seldom that they exceed expectations. River Gardens was so much more that we had hoped for. Bruce, Shirley and Vanna Girl
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.
Always Part of My Memory!
Guest: Kylie
(Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/22/10
Review Submitted: 07/01/10
We arrived at River Gardens after having been staying at hotels for the US Open, so we were THRILLED to arrive at this lovely house, with the most perfect, and relaxing location! The house was as great in person as the pictures showd, and the guys were thrilled with the access to the river. With the great firepit outside, we ended up staying in and cooking dinner and roasting marshmellows over the fire every night. We enjoyed spending time at the wineries in Russian River, and had a special moment a few miles away on the beaches of the Sonoma Coast when my boyfriend proposed to me. This place will always hold a very special place in our hearst. Thanks for making our engagement even more special! Kylie
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.
A Blissful Retreat
Guest: SS
(Placerville, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/25/10
Review Submitted: 04/20/10
We were fortunate enough to enjoy 4 days/3 nights at River Gardens. This delightful home was everything it was advertised to be, if not more. Vanessa was awesome in assisting with any information we needed, from everything to tips about the Duncans Mills/coastal area, as well as tiny tidbits of info about the house/property. River Gardens is impeccably maintained, with lots of special attention to charming details throughout the home/garden. It's secluded, offering privacy, and the feeling of being away from it all, yet so close to the quaint town of Duncans Mills and Jenner. We loved being right on the river, waking to enjoy our morning coffee while enjoying the quiet surroundings and watching the birds and otters. We enjoyed the use of the canoe for a nice trip down the river, the outdoor firepit was great on the chilly evenings, and the indoor fireplace made for a cozy evening when we felt like being indoors. The beds are furnished with beautiful linens and quilts, making for very comfy slumber. Aside from driving 10 minutes to Jenner to the ocean and eating dinner out a couple evenings, we never left "home". Everything we could possibly have needed/wanted was there, and it was so peaceful and relaxing, we didn't want to leave. All in all, everything about our trip to River Gardens was perfect, and was exactly what we needed to get away and enjoy each others company for a few days. Can't wait to go back!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway.
Romantic, Relaxing, Dog Friendly Paradise
Guest: Cove Couple
(Santa Monica, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/17/09
Review Submitted: 10/23/09
River Gardens was even better than we imagined. The home is filled with natural light, sky lights, and comfortable surroundings. Most importantly it was very clean and all amenities were in working order including the jacuzzi tub, wood burning fireplace, and full kitchen. This lovely home is surrounded by the most beautiful gardens, tall trees, and the most amazing river access. We loved walking to the river bank to enjoy our morning coffee as the fog settled in on the glassy, quiet, meandering river. We canoed down the river with our dog and saw many seals and even a couple of otters along the way. Our dog was in heaven and we never had to worry about him as the property is fully fenced. Blue herons and a variety of bird calls greeted us each morning. It was also the perfect spot for day trips to Bodega Bay, Healdsburg, and the Armstrong Redwoods State Park. A truly wonderful place that we look forward to visiting again. Thank you Vanessa!! We highly recommend.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, families with young children.
A Perfect Location for a Celebration
Guest: Kaycee123
(Clarkston, MI)
Date of Stay: 09/23/09
Review Submitted: 10/09/09
My husband and I came to California to celebrate our 25th anniversary and spent 10 wonderful days at River Gardens. Not knowing anything about the area, I can't believe our luck in choosing this location! Everything about the house and the area far exceeded our expectations. We ventured out nearly every day (hiking, biking, visists to vineyards, etc.) but it was always such a treat to come back to such tranquility and comfort at the end of the day! The bakery in town became a daily morning habit and we enjoyed the live music and friendly people at the local bar/restaurant as well. It was very, very hard to leave and we will always hold very fond memories of our stay at River Gardens!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #145440
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