Fantastic Experience!

Guest: SG (Albion)
Date of Stay: 01/30/12 Review Submitted: 02/03/12

We stayed 3 days and I wish it could have been a week. The views from the cabin are Fabulous. The local beaches are wonderful with miles and miles of them to walk on. Everything is very convenient for shopping. Ramones Bakery has super goodies!! The rustic cabin is very warm and cozy even in February. Firm beds for a good night's sleep and a hot tub with an ocean view make it even more perfect. This is a Nature and Bird watcher's delight. We will make this an annual visit!! Thanks so much Richard.......SG Albion

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, age 55+, girls getaway.

What an Amazin View!

Guest: Joanne (-)
Date of Stay: 12/13/11 Review Submitted: 12/17/11

Before the whole glow faded, I wanted to write and tell you how very much we enjoyed our time at Whales Tale. I wished we had another day or two there. What an amazing view! And such a lovely, comfortable house. The weather was absolutely perfect, raining one night and clear and bright during the days. We woke yesterday morning to a double rainbow over the dunes. Thank you so much for allowing us bring our dog along and for sharing your cabin. You are a lucky man to own that place. I think I'd never leave if I did! All best wishes, Joanne

Recommended for:

Diane Curry

Guest: Diane (Willits, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/24/11 Review Submitted: 11/14/11

Thanks Richard. We rented the Whale Tale for 3 nights in September. WOW what a view. The house is very comfortable the view from the living room is just unbelievable. Loved being by the river and the ocean, The bird nerd in the family was in "birdie heaven". At one point I had to call my daughter to tell her that her Dad was moving the spotting scope back and forth from one side of the yard to another there were so many birds everywhere. We had fantastic weather and the sunsets were beautiful. Lots of banana slugs. Kitchen is well stocked with good cookware and bed are comfy. Had windows open so we could hear ocean. Since I am a bit of a coffee snob french press and coffee grinder would be great. Definitely will be renting in the future coffee press or not! Richard Thanks again.

Owner response:Thank you, Diane, for you kind words. We are really glad you enjoyed your stay. Your suggestions for a coffee grinder and press are great ones. I will get right on it. Watching birds from the bluff on the river side of the house is one of my favorite things to do at the cabin. It is really interesting to see the different flocks chase each other off the trees in their territorial games. Regards, Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

School Staff Retreat!

Guest: Montessori teacher (Eureka, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/09/11

Our small school rented Whale's Tale for a weekend staff retreat. Words can't describe the feeling evoked when walking through the living room and taking in the serene view of the river and ocean. I knew we had made the right choice. The house is clean and well appointed. We found everything we needed in the kitchen to prepare the dinner & breakfast ingredients we brought as well as enough wine glasses and coffee cups to go around. The patio was just big enough for our small group to bust out some Zumba as the sun set over the ocean. The furnishings were cozy and inviting. We particularly liked eating at the table looking over the water. We used the hot tub at night and were happy to see many bats flying overhead keeping any night insects at bay. All reported that the beds were comfortable and waking to freshly brewed coffee and the amazing view set the stage for our final sessions before packing up and heading out. We hope to make this retreat an annual event. We did not make use of local offerings much because we were focused on being together but as we are local, I can tell you there are more things to do than anyone could fit into a week or more. I strongly encourage others to give Whale's Tale a try - as long as it's not when we want it next.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.

Great Place for Tree Huggers and Golfers

Guest: Travler (Corrales, NM/USA)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 10/05/11

Location is great, only a few miles from airport and between the two Redwood areas on North and South. Easy one day trips to both and close enough to return, as we did, just to see more! Our golfer loved the two public golf courses and the ladies enjoyed the Victorian town of Ferndale along with the cheese factory on the way! The view was apparent only on the last day from the porch, but the sea air was apparent everyday! Those of us from desert really enjoyed the fog. We found if we drove a bit inland the sun was often out so the fog was no problem. We enjoyed the house. Best living room couches of anywhere we have stayed. Very comfortable 1950 's feel. We plan on booking again.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.

Relaxing Stay

Guest: Bill and Jan (-)
Date of Stay: 09/19/11 Review Submitted: 10/01/11

Whales tale has been wonderful! Everything you said. Just got back from Wildberrys for our dinner looking at the Pacific. Super day again at Prairie Creek and Patrick's Point....incredible. We have slept like babies in the quiet serenity. Just what we wanted. We did not cook or use hot tub. We need to leave around 8 to head for west Marin ----Point Reyes area. We'll leave the key in the box for cleaning. You have done a super job and I'll leave very good comments on VRBO. Warm regards, Bill and Jan

Recommended for:

great expectations; fulfilled and them some!

Guest: andy (NEW BRAUNFELS)
Date of Stay: 08/29/11 Review Submitted: 09/07/11

my wife, grandson (5) and i stayed at this house for a few days - nice, comfortable, clean accommodations with an amazing view of the river/ocean out the back. very private - didn't see or hear any neighbors for 3 days. loved the hot tub in the late afternoon with the ocean breeze. great location for nearby hiking, beaches, shopping, etc. owner very helpful with tips on where to go and what to do. wish we could spend all summer there! will definitely be back.

Owner response:Thank you, Andy. As the owner I wish my wife and I could break away from work more and enjoy it. I also love the serenity and views. We rally appreciate great guests like you. Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

I Miss It!

Guest: Courtney (Bay Area)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/30/11

I rented this cabin for myself and my 1-year-old son for two weeks while I was working at a conference at HSU. My only complaint is that I didn't get to spend more time there. My sister-in-law and her 2 kids (ages 5 & 8) were there taking care of my son the first week and they had a great time. They found a park with a playground about a mile up the road and took lots of hikes and beach walks. They also really enjoyed the Natural History Museum in Arcata. My parents were there the second week and they also loved the place. Everyone raved about the fabulous sunsets over the ocean. The cabin had almost everything we needed for our stay. At first we missed having a TV in the main living area, but after a couple of days, it wasn't a big deal and everyone did a lot of reading. I would definitely rent the cabin again!

Owner response:Thank you, Courtney, for your kind words...we have been debating whether or not to put a high def TV in the living room...we probably will eventually as I have an extra one, but it is nice just focusing on the beautiful natural environment without the distraction of a TV...the serenity at the cabin is one of the primary reasons we purchased it. Richard

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

Cozy, well-appointed cottage with amazing views

Guest: Mandie (Savannah, GA)
Date of Stay: 04/15/11 Review Submitted: 05/16/11

My mother and I recently stayed at the Whales Tale Cabin while househunting in the Humboldt area. The cottage is tucked away in McKinleyville with gorgeous views of the river and ocean. The home was cozy and a nice place to come back and relax in after rushing from place to place during the day. Richard was wonderful to work while planning the stay and provided great information used during the stay. Thank you! When family comes to visit us in Humboldt, I would definitely recommend the Whales Tale Cabin to them.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.

A wonderful place to stay.

Guest: Catherine (Arcata, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/18/10 Review Submitted: 02/08/11

I really enjoyed having my family come and visit this Christmas. The Whale's Tail was wonderful! Very clean and spacious. The view is unbeatable and the location is also great. We had 5 people sleeping comfortably, and with out a television is the living room, we spent more time hanging out and talking. Thank you for having us.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.