Inverness family vacation retreat! Private tennis court! Pets welcome!! Wi-fi!

Come stay at The Colby House, our family's vacation home for 80 years! Sleeps 9 in 5 bedrooms including 1 King, 2 Queens, 1 single twin, 1 double twin room. Tennis court and fenced 1 acre yard with oak trees.

Come play tennis under the oak tree canopy, on the lined asphalt court in great condition.

Musically inclined? Play our piano.

Need to stay in touch with the office or access the web? We have wireless (wifi) access to high speed internet and unlimited long distance phone calls are provided on the 'land line' to our guests.

Each room opens out to the expansive deck, for independent and private access. Great windows front and back and 'dutch doors' - open the top half and let in the light and air and music of the birds. Enjoy the cool morning and evening air under your down duvet! The location is ideal for a peaceful stay but also supports an active lifestyle for adults and kids - extended families love it!

Located across the street from the Inverness school and playground. Walk on the trails or down to the Inverness General Store, gift shop and restaurants. Drive to nearby Tomales Bay State Park swimming beaches, including Shell Beach or out to the Point Reyes Lighthouse or the special ocean beaches. Kayaking and sailing are popular on Tomales Bay (kayaks can be rented). Other quality restaurants are nearby in Point Reyes Station and Olema, just a few miles away.

If you are like us, you will want to spend some of your time in the very private, park like setting, playing tennis, climbing trees, playing board games or reading books in the cozy living room by the fire or on the deck shaded by oak trees. Pick blackberries in the summer, particularly in late July and in August. That formula has worked for five generations in our family, enjoying the magic of Inverness since 1914.

The main house and tennis court date back to the 1890s with the rest of the house added in the 1930s. The master king suite over the garage has a bath/shower. The main bathroom next to one of the queen bed rooms has an updated shower. Washer and dryer in the separate garage.

Many of our guests become 'regulars' who we welcome back year after year. We hope you will find our property worthy of becoming one of your special vacation spots, enjoying Inverness and exploring the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Note - NO TV! Keeping with our history of conversation before the fire and board games, we don't have a TV set. However, the strong wi-fi network allows you to stream video on your portable electronics. The result? Board games, puzzles, tennis, walks and conversation replace the time that you are used to spending with the TV! (My favorite is Scrabble!) Here are some of our guest’s comments:

• “A delightful place…..I hope to come back again….”

• “……in harmony with nature….”

• “……so lucky to have spent time in this amazing home in this beautiful place…..”

• “….cooking delicious food together and gathering around the round table……”

• “….a place where time slows enough for you to catch up.”

• “We had a super family gathering. All of just loved being here. This is a fabulous place to be. Our stay has been delightful.”

• “Our dog was in heaven!!”

• “PS – The stars were fabulous.”

• “Upon walking inside, one can smell this home’s history. Rich and comfortable. Warm and full of genuine laughter. The place is full of good things. Well built, confident and provocative. It leaves you wanting to read its history. Thank you for the protection against modernization.”

• “We came looking for peace and tranquility, and things green and growing. They were here in abundance!”

• “This house is really remarkable…..the symbiotic feeling of the building and natural elements blending together……but perhaps even more amazing are the memories that are made here. A couple of days of rain encouraged us to get to know this place and one another a bit better. We congregated around the fire and did puzzle after puzzle together, lounged and talked and played board games – our family’s winter holiday was one we will always treasure. We found ourselves speculating about the Colbys and the history of this space, how special the family must be who came together here and have opened its doors to the rest of us.”

• “Our kids had a blast exploring in and around the house – they are not happy about leaving!!”

• “I enjoyed the space to dream.”

• “We loved our stay at Colby House; it is the quintessential Inverness house – cozy and comfortable. We enjoyed the piano. We appreciate the history of the house and the way you have kept things the way they were. The light and the quiet are delicious – we don’t want to leave!”

• “Had a great time and the kids not only survived having no TV but also had a great time.”

• “We loved this mysterious big old house, big decks, big windows, big glorious tennis court, big trees, and big generous loving sense of being cared for! Unforgettable.”

• “….what a fireplace!”

• “We really enjoyed traveling back in time.”

• And a few comments from the younger set:

• “Thank you for letting us stay here. I was very excited!! But there is no TV.!!”

• “We had a wonderful time. We climbed on the tree, played in the tennis courts and built forts.”

• “My sister and I had a lot of fun exploring and playing ping-pong. Thank you.”

• “I do not want to leave the tennis court. I want to stay here and I really love tennis. It was my first day playing tennis ever. I liked playing the piano. Your place is really fun. We went to the beach and I dug the biggest hole that I had ever seen.”

Keywords: Vacation house with tennis court, almost a full wooded acre with oak trees, near hiking trails and in the lovely resort town of Inverness in West Marin County