Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River
Rustic Wildwood Gardens (Cert No. 721N), is a lush and serene haven located on the banks of the scenic Russian River. Adults, children and pets will enjoy the one-acre lawn and garden under the shade of the majestic redwoods. Follow a short private path a few feet from the lower deck down to the river and to the right to swim, play or launch one of the house kayaks. There are three sundecks on which to relax and read a good book, listen to the birds, watch the wildlife on the lazy river or enjoy the hot tub with spectacular views. Wildwood Garden has something for everyone.
Wildwood Gardens is delightful and relaxing every season of the year.
In summer, enjoy Monte Rio’s 4th of July fireworks from the hot tub, or from the spacious lawn. Build a campfire in the fire pit on the lawn and enjoy the long summer nights. Wildwood Garden is secluded from other houses in the area so you can enjoy your own private oasis.
Fall still has warm days and nights and most of the tourists have gone home, but they miss one of the best times to enjoy the sunsets on the river that attract thousands of small jumping fish. Watch the birds as they migrate south.
Winter is perfect time for a cozy and romantic weekend to enjoy the fireplace, a good book and a glass of wine while watching the wildlife and river float by. Take a long soak in the Jacuzzi tub and feel like all of your worries have washed away with the river.
In spring, greenery abounds.
This water front house has a short private path to the Russian river, just a few feet from the lower deck. Depending on river conditions, in the summer there is a small beach to the right at the bottom of the path. Guests may use any of the boats and life safety vests that Wildwood Garden provides. [Boat use is prohibited in the high water winter months, usually between November and April.]. Because the river is constantly changing our bank, we do not guarantee easy beach access.
The house is rustic cabin but well appointed. Both bedrooms have queen size pillow top beds. The main bedroom opens to the deck area with a hot tub and river views. There is a small loft overlooking the living room for the kids. While our permit allows for six overnight guests, the house comfortably accomodates four people.
The living room/dining room has vaulted wood ceilings and accent lighting. There is a flat panel TV above the fireplace, with streaming services, and a large sectional sofa. WiFi is available throughout the house. From the living room and bathroom you can access the river view redwood deck that spans the riverfront side of the house and a large picnic table and comfortable chairs expand your living space to the outside. The hot tub and BBQ are also on the riverside of the deck.
The kitchen has everything you will need to feel at home. The bathroom has a Jacuzzi tub, separate shower and plenty of fresh towels. The house is equipped with an on-demand water heater so the last person in doesn’t have to worry about getting a cold shower and all of the rooms have recently upgraded heaters. For those staying extra days, a washer dryer is available.
You can spend a leisurely afternoon wine tasting at nearby Martinelli and Korbel wineries or dozens of other smaller wine boutiques. Enjoy a 9-hole game of golf at the nearby Northwood public golf course or bring your bikes to explore the breathtaking road to the river’s end at the Pacific Ocean in Jenner. Cyclists from all over the world now explore the Russian River backroads. Antique shops, restaurants and art galleries await in nearby Duncan Mills, Guernevile, Healdsburg and Sonoma. A short drive takes you to the quaint hamlet of Occidental with old family restaurants in buildings dating to when the town was a booming railroad outpost.
Please note for guests booking on a Thursday or Friday, our gardeners will usually spend about 1 hour mowing and trimming the lawn.
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Quite Hours: Sonoma County Regulations mandate quite hours between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., no amplified music.
Parking: Sonoma County Regulations limit the number of guest vehicles to 3.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 638935vb
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
About the area
Monte Rio
Located in Monte Rio, this holiday home is on the waterfront. Potter Schoolhouse and Fort Ross State Historic Park are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Northwood Golf Club and Sonoma Zipline Adventures. Pee Wee Golf and Arcade and Rubicon Adventures are also worth visiting. Kayaking and water tubing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking and cycling nearby.
Armstrong Redwoods State Park - 12 min drive - 13.8 km
Getting around
Santa Rosa Station - 34 min drive
Santa Rosa, CA (STS-Sonoma County) - 33 min drive
Restaurants
Gold Coast Coffee & Bakery - 7 min drive
Northwood Restaurant - 4 min drive
Rainbow Cattle Company - 7 min drive
Koalas Fine Food - 7 min drive
Guerneville Taco Truck - 6 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows pets (limit 2 total). Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.
How much does it cost to stay at Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River ?
As of 9 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River on 2 Aug 2026 start from AU$494, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River ?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River ?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River ?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Wildwood Gardens Scenic Rustic Vacation Retreat on the River located?
Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is within a 5-minute walk of Russian River and Monte Rio Public Beach. Rio Theatre and Northwood Golf Club are also within 2 miles (3 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Host was welcoming and responded timely when needed. This cozy river property was perfect for a weekend getaway with our pups. We love being within 20 minutes of the ocean. Lots of great beaches and hiking trails to explore. We will definitely come back again in the summer or fall to spend some time on the river.
Beautiful location, stairs right to the river from the backyard. Cozy bedrooms and living room excellent for movie nights. Kitchen has everything you need to cook and a solid coffee maker. Hot tub was very nice and clean for cold mornings and nights.Quick walk or drive to the Monte Rio beach, Boho Manor for dinner and drinks, Monte Rio Redwoods Trailhead for hiking.Definitely recommend!
My family enjoyed this gem on the Russian River. The house was comfortable and very clean. Pet friendly too which was great! The hot tub in the rain was delightful! The large yard with fire pit was perfectly maintained and had a path right to the water. They even have kayaks available for use! The hosts were very friendly and easy to reach. I look forward to staying here again!
This was our second stay at this house. We loved our stay just as much as the first time! The house is in an ideal location, well appointed and has great amenities. Check in and checkout was a breeze! We highly recommend this property!
This was a perfect stay In a charming house with an incredible lawn and deck. For our stay we had to navigate down a small embankment to get into the water but it was easy for us. We spent all weekend out on the river. Our dog was also in heaven and we were devastated to leave. The hosts were also so kind and easy to communicate with.
Bliss on the Russian River. Great location to access the river and spend time enjoying the beautiful views. We saw lots of birds our favorite was the Great Blue Heron. We enjoyed the hot tub as well. Bed was comfortable and kitchen had everything we needed to feel at home. Also dog friendly we will book again!
Had a wonderful stay at this riverside house. Sat on the banks of the river and watched people float on by. Dogs loved it too! We went to beach at Jenner, played golf and Northwood, had champagne at Korbel, shopped at Duncan Mills and had excellent meals at Blue Heron (Duncan Mills) and Road Trip (in Guerneville).
Our first trip to Sonoma County and we couldn’t have found a better location. The area was so beautiful and diversified with quaint towns surrounding it on the ocean, in the vineyard areas ,in the Redwood Forests , and on the Russian River. Fabulous place to stay.
We loved our stay! The cabin was a great size and comfortable for our family of four and dogs. We loved the spa and yard and really enjoyed the river access. Great location and would definitely stay again.
We had a great time in this lovely little house right on the river. The house is well appointed and close to the town center. The large property is so beautiful and peaceful. We will definitely stay here again!
Overall, a great little cabin for a weekend away. The house is small, cozy, and has everything you need to enjoy yourself be it the middle of summer or the middle of winter. The back lawn is spacious and offers plenty of spots to lounge in the sun or hide in the shade. The water access is only OK...there's no real private beach to speak of, just a lot of mud. If you want to lay down on a beach you either need to wade across the river and lie down on the sandbar OR walk/bike/drive about a ⅓ of a mile to Monte Rio public beach.
We loved our stay on the river! The home had all the necessary amenities to make our stay comfortable along with our pups. Great location right on the river with a really lovely back yard space to gather, sit around the fire pit or take a kayak on the river!
Lisa V.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified
4/10 Poor
Patricia G.
1 Aug 2025
Disliked: Location, listing accuracy
This is NOT worth the price per night. 250.00 /nite TOPS. Tire on bike flatFloor so uneven my friend got vertigo and had to go home! Cracked tiles in kitchenBathroom’soap shampoo conditioner: one 1/3 full suave shampoo Deck floor slantedWashing machine area ‘up to code?’ Floor with soft spots . Grounds are beautiful but this house needs ALOT OF WIRK
Patricia G.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Aug 2025
Thank you for mentioning that our 1 acre river front grounds with river access are beautiful. Our rates are determined by the market and are very competitive for water front homes on the Russian River with direct river access. As to the tire, we no longer offer bicycle rentals because we determined that almost all guest bring their own bicycles. As we tell all our guests, please call if you have a question or issue. If you had called, we could have explained the bicycle situation to you. Likewise, the shampoo/conditioner was apparently left over from a prior guest so that is not something we provided. Not sure what you mean by soft spots in the floor. Like many houses along the river we are elevated because of river flooding in the winter leading to some uneveness in the floors. Moreover, as we pointed out in the description, we are a rustic cabin built in the 1960s. If the rustic cabin is not what our potential guests are looking for we advise them to check out the Farm House Inn on River Road that has rooms rates in the summer from $500 to $1,000 plus per night with no river access or views, but a fantastic restaurant. .
Staying at a property right on the river was a treat! I've been to the area many times and having the direct access to the river made for wonderful views but also so convenient for kayaking and floating. The outdoor property was our favorite but the house was tidy, check in process easy and great for a weekend getaway with friends and family.
Cori F.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
About the host
Hosted by Ron Lopez
We are a family of four, plus our beagle Max. We love to travel.
Why they chose this property
We have traveled extensively, but love the Russian River as the ideal vacation retreat. We love kayaking, the towns of Monte Rio and Occidental, the redwoods and our local wineries.
What makes this property unique
As the name implies, we love the large lush grounds and gardens at Wildwood Gardens on the bank of the Russian River.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests