Ninety-five acres on top of a hill above the Salinas Valley, rented to one family at a time. A big house, a fire pit under the oaks, a swimming hole for the kids, and a private canyon to play horseshoes. All, just fifteen minutes from town.
When you book the ranch, you get all of it — the house, the fire pit, the pool, the trails.
Not a resort, not a working ranch — a family refuge with animals in the pasture, oaks on the hill and the Salinas Valley spread out below. Days drift between the house, the fire pit, the shade of the grove and the canyon, where there's a big grass field, a sand volleyball court and horseshoes. Here's the tour.
Everyone under one roof: a big kitchen for the family cook, a long table for dinners together, and porches that face the sunset. A downstairs apartment with its own kitchen, and a hot tub on the deck. Room to spread out and room to be together.
Full kitchen · laundry · hot tub
S'mores, stories, and the stars. Chairs, benches and hay bales around a real fire, ringed by old oaks. This is where every night ends.
After dinner · under the oaks
Deep shade in the middle of the day. Long lunches, hammocks, naps, a game of cards. The trees are older than the county.
Shade · lunch · slow afternoons
Down the hill: a 17,500-square-foot grass field for soccer and tag, a sand volleyball court, horseshoes, and a creek that runs after spring rain. Send the kids down and call them back for dinner.
Play field · volleyball · creek
Cows, miniature horses, chickens, barn cats and ducks — plus deer and turkeys on the land, and more on the way. Feed the chickens in the morning, collect the eggs, say goodnight to the horses.
Mornings · pastureCoffee on the porch while the kids feed the chickens. Down to the canyon before it's hot — soccer on the grass, volleyball, a look at the creek. Lunch in the shade of the oak grove and a slow afternoon of naps, cards and horseshoes. A short drive down the hill to try some award winning wineries. Dinner family style as the sun sets over the valley. Then the fire, the s'mores, the stories, and more stars than the kids have ever seen.
The ranch sits on top of the hill off River Road in the Santa Lucia Highlands, looking out over the Salinas Valley. It feels remote; it isn't. Salinas is fifteen minutes down the hill, the Monterey airport is thirty, and Carmel and the coast are under an hour. The Highlands wineries are close by, and the Monterey Zoo is just around the corner — on a still morning you can hear the lions.
Family comes first here, but if you have a small retreat, a milestone birthday or a private celebration in mind instead, ask us if it's available. Same five-night minimum, same whole-property use. We want to steward this land well — we'll review all inquiries on a case by case basis.
The usual questions, answered as plainly as we can. Ask if you need something we missed.
These photos were taken in April, when the hills are green and the creek is running. By June the grass turns gold and the evenings are crisp; summer is fire-and-stars season. Fall is quiet and clear and warm. Winter rains bring the green back, with fog in the valley below and the hill above it.
Three short clips from the top of the property, the back ridge and the lower meadow. No music, no editing — just wind, birds and the occasional cow.
Most families barely leave the hill. When you do, here's what's near.
Seasonal Events California Rodeo Salinas in July · Monterey Jazz Festival in September · Car Week in August · Whale watching winter–spring · Wildflowers on the ranch in April.
Send us your dates and a line about who's coming — how many adults, how many kids, anything you're planning. We'll tell you if the ranch is free and what a stay costs. Five nights minimum.
Or email us at hello@theranch.com.
