The Canyon View House at Lobitos Creek Ranch near the beaches and redwoods

About Steve Michelson

Originally from a New York media family I've been a documentary film producer and distributor in the Bay Area. Today I run a non-profit that supports the engagement campaigns around cause-related films that are designed to create social change in the areas of health, sustainability and our environment. My former wife and I bought this property in 1974 and the Canyon View House was initially the wood shop we needed to build the oak cabinets and stair case at the Main Ranch House VRBO1503325 and the Bunkhouse VRBO1237348. We fell in love with this area while visiting a nearby friend while we were in college in 1970. Three children and four grand kids later the ranch has been home for many things over the last 46 years including my documentary film studio for over 20 years. Today it has been upgraded to share with guests and families both local and from all over the world. My goal has been to bring families and groups of 10-20 together sharing all three lodges, in a natural setting, and become a home for thought leadership. Adventure travel has been a big part of my life and the ranch is becoming a hub for guided hikes, horseback riding, sea kayaking and cycling. One can add an adventure track to any stay here or build an entire vacation around a multi-sport experience from the mountains to the sea.

Why Steve Michelson chose Redwood City

As soon as you step onto Lobitos Creek Ranch it becomes obvious what I discovered long ago. This gem in the geographic center of the Bay Area is near the beaches and the redwoods and enjoys a micro-climate that is warm and sunny most of the time. Lobitos Creek Ranch is at an elevation of 1000 feet above sea level and enjoys a climate suitable for fruit trees and we have apple, pear, plum, lemon, pluot and others on the property. The cool ocean breezes we have are a respite for the rising heat others are experiencing and many of our visitors from the East Bay to Sacramento are looking for a fun time near the ocean to get away from the heat. Our guests from all over the US and overseas most often find us as the perfect central location to explore the Bay Area. We are 55 minutes from San Francisco and about an hour to Oakland and San Jose. We are 45 minutes from Santa Cruz and a day trip to Monterey and Carmel is easy to do as well. We are 40 minutes from SFO. We are due West of Stanford University and many of our guests find our close proximity to Palo Alto, Woodside, Menlo Park and the rest of Silicon Valley perfect for a multi-day organizational retreat. Google was the first to discover us and their mobile-ad division had an amazing retreat here.

What makes this Lodge unique

The wildlife here at Lobitos Creek Ranch is a big part of the experience. From red tail hawks circling overhead to the silver fox that visits in the evening one is constantly aware that life has a different and more natural rhythm here. You'll see deer and of course kids enjoy our horses and cows. We are close to beaches and redwoods and enjoy a climate that is warm and sunny with a cool breeze from the ever present ocean. At night it is so quiet that often you can hear the surf breaking several miles away. We have had people book the ranch for the meteor showers one can see when the earth passes through an asteroid belt. Unlike other places in the Bay Area we have no light pollution from outdoor lights. Prepare to relax while here, to slowdown. As my mother used to say to me, "slow down so you can smell the roses". That is exactly what we offer here and not just the roses. The rosemary, oregano, wild dill and scores of other herbs are abundant here. People do like to disconnect here but they don't have to completely. We have an excellent internet service via micro-wave from a near by mountain top that connects to a fractional T1 line. Uploading, downloading, streaming we do it all here effortlessly.