Muir Beach's 'Pearl'; an Updated Seaside Oasis Minutes to S.F.

Easily walk to beach, hiking trails and wonderful Pelican Inn restaurant. Property inside is spacious with updated kitchen and tasteful furnishings.

We were a family of 3 somewhat divided on our interests and activities - city vs active - and we found a perfect balance here. This adorable house on the beach road had us checking for available real-estate :). The hike up to the overlook was amazing. It was quiet here - and close enough to the water that we could see - feel and smell it. A real treat for a those of us from landlocked Indiana! We were able to travel into San Fransisco easily, and did so. If we had counsel for anyone visiting we'd say book your Alcatraz trip weeks before you arrive because they fill up, and we missed out on that. But we saw sunsets, incredible views, all the sights in the city, and had a very actively relaxing time. Completely smitten with this rental. Thank you!

We actually arrived here very late after check in and had to unlock the door in the dark but when we came in it was nice and warm because somebody had turned on the heater for us. The place is clean and tidy. There are two beds that would fit a couple and a couch that would fit may be a fifth adults or older child we actually arrived here very late after check in and had to unlock the door in the dark but when we came in it was nice and warm because somebody had turned on the heater for us. The place is clean and tidy. There are two beds that would fit a couple and a couch that would fit may be a fifth adult or older child.

It's advisable to keep the two space heaters and living room heater running if you would like it to be warm. During the winter it's chilly but there are enough blankets there. They left hair shampoo for us and the bathroom was really big and comfortable. The kitchen table seats 4 comfortably.

We mostly adventured while we were here. We went over to Bolinas they have a bird sanctuary where they tag and catch them, but they also have a trail that will take you through the most beautiful scenery. My advice is don't show up in flip-flops like I did. Also my child basically had to haul me up a hill side because I'm out of shape; but it was still worth it.

There are so many little hidden jewels to explore around this area and Muir beach is nestled right in between everything.

In Stinson and they have a pretty decent bookstore and some four star dining. The weather seems a little bit better in Stinson beach and you are less likely to have your legs sandblasted by the wind. But Muir beach is my favorite anyway.

All in all, the best moments of my trips were waiting knee-deep into the creek and helping my kid build a dam. All of us cuddled and watch the waves crash. It was worth the money for sure!

Pro tip: The actual Wi-Fi password is not on the handout that was given to you but it's put up on the wall near the refrigerator. Also if you need more toilet paper it's in the back bathroom. If you want the dryer to actually turn on you have to forcibly pull the handle out.

Our family (two teens) had an awesome week (Christmas to New Years Day) staying at this house. It's a perfect location for a mix of outdoor activity and city exploring. We split our days, 3 in the city and 3 hiking the trails of Muir Beach, Muir Woods and Mt. Tam State Park. You can't ask for a better location for both activities. Everything was in perfect order when we arrived late Christmas night (flight from the east coast). The owners even had the heaters on for us when we arrived so the house was warm and ready for us to crash after our long journey.

Some of our favorite local stops were; The Pelican Inn (of course) which you can walk to, Mill Valley downtown is gorgeous and there are a bunch of good restaurants, Sausalito, again, plenty of restaurants and shops.

We hiked out to Pirates Cove and did the Green Gulch trail. Both you can walk to from the house. Both were challenging and your reward is amazing views. We also hiked the Dipsea Trail in Muir Woods.

Another highlight was biking across the GG bridge to Sausalito. We used Blazing Saddles and they were great. Only issue was the ferry back which was ridiculously overbooked and we had to wait over 2 hours.

We highly recommend this house and this area for hikers, relaxers and those who also want an easy hop into the City to enjoy SF.

My family really enjoyed our stay. The cottage was nice and CLEAN. We loved the proximity to the city, but yet the feel of nature around us. I would recommend this cottage!