Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!!
Grey Whale
Make like the whales and go on a journey to the Mendocino Coast!
Rediscover the joy of the American road trip and have a “whale of a time” at the Grey Whale, an architecturally stunning 4-bed, 2-bath vacation home that sleeps 8 on the Mendocino Coast. Named in honor of the annual cetacean migration, this secluded home nestled in a forest clearing gets plenty of sun, courtesy of ample windows on its two storeys.
This hidden refuge feels a world away from everything, but at just 3 minutes’ drive from Jug Handle, it’s centrally located, less than 10 minutes’ drive north to Fort Bragg or south to Mendocino.
Of course, with all the charm and amenities of the Grey Whale, you can also very comfortably stay in. The warm touches and accents – from the wood beam ceilings to the brick fireplace to the blue and aqua kitchen flourishes – will make this luxurious vacation rental feel like home. In the downstairs den, you can warm yourself by the fireplace, while upstairs, the large sectional couch provides room for the whole family or friend group to get cozy for game night or a movie marathon (there’s also a garage game room, the stuff of dreams for would-be ping pong champs).
Forest bathe, figuratively or literally: take a walk and breathe in the nature surrounding you, or enjoy a glass of bubbly and a view of the towering trees from the jacuzzi. When night falls, roast s’mores over the fire pit and take in the skies above you – depending on the time of year, you might even spot a shooting star. Upstairs, a well-appointed balcony has scenic views and is a great place to relax with a good book or crack open a bottle of your favorite beverage with friends.
Celebrate any occasion with home-cooked meals in the dining room with its splashy ocean decor, or eat al fresco at the table on the deck. You’ll have an oven, 4-burner ceramic stovetop, farmhouse sink, refrigerator with freezer, dishwasher, coffeemaker, and toaster oven. If you prefer to sample Mendocino’s fine dining or Fort Bragg’s culinary favorites, either town is a 10- minute drive away.
When you retire for the night, you’ll find two bedrooms upstairs and two downstairs. One upstairs bedroom has a queen bed, while the other has a trundle bed; downstairs, one bedroom has a queen and the other has bunk beds. Both bathrooms have showers, and one has a tub as well. A washer and dryer ensure you’ll always have clean clothes.
You’re also ideally situated for outdoor adventures, whether hiking, kayaking, or settling in for a day at the beach. At Jug Handle State Natural Reserve, discover hiking trails, a pygmy forest, and an ecological staircase. Trails along the bluffs offer breathtaking views, or follow the path down to a sandy and secluded beach.
To the south, you’ll find Russian Gulch State Park, Caspar Beach, and the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse before you arrive in Mendocino, with its quaint buildings, artists’ galleries, shops, delicious food, Big River Beach, and panoramic ocean views. If you head north, you’ll find the world-class Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens (with 47 acres of trails), as well as all that Fort Bragg has to offer. Fort Bragg boasts shopping opportunities, restaurants, pubs, art galleries, the historic Noyo Harbor, the Skunk Train, Noyo Center for Marine Science, and a number of paved and accessible hiking trails along the headlands.
Continue north, and you’ll find the Haul Road trail and MacKerricher State Park, with its boardwalk to Laguna Point. The platform at Laguna Point, with its 360° views, is a great vantage point for spotting seals and sea lions, a variety of birds, and the occasional whale spout. Many of the animals frolic on the rocks offshore.
If you’re looking for the eponymous whales, you’ll have the most luck November through May, with Whale Festival events along the Mendocino Coast throughout the month of March.
Heed the siren-whale song of the coast and book your stay at the Grey Whale, a lavish vacation home perfect for your dream vacation!
THIS RENTAL IS LOCATED IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF FORT BRAGG
This rental is located immediately south of Fort Bragg and is right in the middle and so close to some of our best beaches, parks, trails, great food, shopping and more.
Grey Whale is all about getting away from it all, the unit has WiFi, cable television, games and more.
GARBAGE There are garbage cans for Grey Whale on the east side side of the parking area of the driveway, Recycle, Standard and a green can as well.
VEHICLES There is only room for 4 vehicles at the Grey Whale and can park in the driveway right in front of this home.
WE ARE Located 34.5 miles from Willits Located 9.7 miles from Mendocino Village Located 111.0 miles from Sonoma County Airport (Santa Rosa, California) Located 117.0 miles from Santa Rosa Located 146.0 miles from Sonoma Located 134.0 miles from Petaluma Located 171.0 miles from San Francisco Located 184.0 Miles from San Francisco International Airport Located 184.0 miles from Oakland international Airport Located 189.0 miles from Sacramento Located 180.0 miles from Sacramento International airport
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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, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Fort Bragg
Located in Fort Bragg, this holiday home is near the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Glass Beach and Jughandle State Natural Reserve, while Sea Glass Museum and Triangle Tattoo Museum are cultural highlights. Travelling with kids? Consider Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and Skunk Train. Discover the area's water adventures with scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing/body boarding nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking.
Jughandle State Natural Reserve - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
Sea Glass Museum - 3 min drive - 2.1 km
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens - 4 min drive - 3.5 km
Skunk Train - 8 min drive - 8.4 km
Glass Beach - 14 min drive - 9.8 km
Getting around
Santa Rosa, CA (STS-Sonoma County) - 139 min drive
Restaurants
McDonald's - 6 min drive
Taco Bell - 6 min drive
Starbucks - 7 min drive
Los Gallitos - 7 min drive
World's Largest Salmon BBQ - 6 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!! pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!!?
As of 15 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!! on 27 Oct 2026 start from AU$867, 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 Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!!?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!!?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!!?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Grey Whale so close to so many beaches, hikes and more!! located?
This family-friendly Fort Bragg holiday home is located by the sea, within 2 mi (3 km) of Jughandle State Natural Reserve and Sea Glass Museum. Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park are also within 3 miles (5 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Fully equipped kitchen I Pet friendly yard and neighborhood I Washer & Dryer I Lots of room I Great location between Mendocino & Fort Bragg
Ted C.
Stayed 12 nights in Apr 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 11 May 2026
Im so very happy that you enjoyed our home and hope that you had some fun and made some great new memories to take home with you ! Always know that you always have a home with us!
Everything was perfect. Best stocked kitchen for cooking I've seen.
Patrick O.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 13 Apr 2026
What a great compliment, thanks so very much, we try hard to make sure our guests have everything that they need! I sure hope that you have been comfortable and that you had fun getting out and exploring our very beautiful Mendocino coast!
Thanks so very much for being our guest, we loved having you and hope that you will come back and stay with us at any time! Have a wonderful afternoon!
It was a lovely place, perfect for our getaway with friends, spacious enough for privacy and gatherings.
Conci M.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Sept 2025
Im so very happy that you enjoyed our home! Always know that you are always welcome back at any time! Have a wonderful afternoon and an awesome week ahead!
Verified
8/10 Good
robert a.
19 May 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication
Nice weekend with family at the coast
Great location between Fort Bragg and Mendocino near Jug Handle Beach.
robert a.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 19 May 2025
Thanks so very much for being our guest, we loved having you and hope that you had a fun trip! Always know that you are always welcome back at any time! Have a great day!
This property was amazing! Very comfortable and the best stocked place I've ever stayed at!
Heather P.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 16 May 2025
Im so very happy that you enjoyed our home and thank you for your very kind words! I hope that you had fun getting out and exploring our very beautiful Northern California coast! Always know that you always have a home with us! Have a great afternoon and a wonderful weekend ahead!
Perfect house and location for our family of five plus the doggie. Kitchen fully stocked for people who love to cook. We would definitely stay again.
Sara N.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Apr 2025
Im so very happy that you have enjoyed our home, we feel honored to have had the pleasure of hosting you and hope that you will come back and visit us again at any time! Have a wonderful afternoon and a great week ahead!
It was a warm, friendly and wonder time at the Grey Whale house. The rooms were great, kitchen had everything we needed to cook. Plenty of room for the kids and adults. Loved the decks and game room. The yard was amazing and the dog friendly blankets for the furniture was a great touch. We will rent this house again!
William M.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Sept 2025
Thanks so very much for being our guest and Im so happy that you enjoyed our home here on the coast! Always know that you are always welcome back at any time! Have the BEST day!
My family of 7 loved our time here! Pictures don’t do it justice. Well equipped with everything we needed for making big meals. Plenty of hot water and everything was in good working order and clean. The added bonus garage area game room with air hockey,ping pong and a range of other outside games was an awesome added surprise! Hot tub was hot and clean as well. Great location, close to everything but feels secluded, quiet and peaceful. Has a bit of ocean view and can hear the waves crashing. Woke up to deer in the yard each morning on our early morning runs to some of the amazing close beaches for the best selection of beach combing finds. We were here for a quick getaway for my 50th and had two teen boys, three 20 something’s and two oldies lol and we all loved our stay. Would definitely stay here again and preferably for longer. Host was excellent and communicated promptly. Thanks for an amazing stay!
Doug W.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Apr 2026
Im so very happy that you enjoyed our home, so happy that you enjoyed it and hope that you were comfortable. Always know that you are always welcome back at any time!
A wonderful, peaceful home to stay in while in Fort Bragg. A very well stocked kitchen and space for everyone. An extremely reaponsive host!
Dallas T.
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Apr 2025
Thanks so very much for your very kind words, we loved having you as our guest! I hope that you were comfortable and that you had fun getting out and about and exploring our very beautiful Mendocino coast! Always know that you are always welcome back at any time! Have a wonderful day!
Thanks so very much for being our guest, I hope that you had a fun trip and that you have been comfortable! Have a great day and a wonderful week ahead!
The Gray Whale was beautiful, peaceful, and perfect for a weekend getaway. We could hear the ocean waves from the house. Super comfortable and accommodating for my friends and I. I would definitely recommend staying here. Hot tub outback was a bonus.
Schuyler I.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Mar 2025
Im so glad that you enjoyed our home and truly hope that you have been comfortable! Always know that you are always welcome back to stay with us at any time! Have a great day and awesome week ahead!
The property’s clean and well organized. The kitchen’s well stocked and lots of space around the house. My kids really enjoyed the table tennis in the garage.
lisa k.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Oct 2024
Thanks so very much for being our guest, we absolutely loved hosting you ! I hope that you had fun getting out and exploring our very beautiful Mendocino coast! Have a WONDERFUL day!
We had three nights at Grey Whale and it was lovely. The host left good instructions and recommendations. The house had comfortable beds, lots of kitchen equipment, newly renovated bathrooms, and many games. The kitchen had an amazing appliance pantry with anything a chef could want! The garage laundry & ping pong space would benefit from better lighting. We loved that we could bring our dog along on vacation. We all enjoyed the beautiful Mendocino area!
Emily S.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 31 Mar 2025
Im so happy that you enjoyed our home, that's wonderful news! I hope that you had fun getting out and exploring and discovering all the great places and things to do that Mendocino has to offer! Always know that you are welcome to come back and stay with us at any time! Have a wonderful morning and a great week ahead!
The house was comfortable, but there were a few issues;It was advertised as sleeping 8, but only had beds for 7.We all like to cook, but the kitchen was small and the drawers and cupboards were full of too many duplicate and cheap tools and dishes. Everytning needs to be sorted and many items discarded to make it easier to find what you need. The hot tub area was not very inviting, and not all of the jets worked well.The lights over the ping pong table were not working.We did like the location, the gas fireplace, the upstairs family room, and the spacious yard.
Joan K.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Dec 2025
I hope that you enjoyed getting out and exploring our very special part of the world, there are so many great things to see and do and hopefully you guys had some fun and made some great new memories to take home with you !
I really apologize about the kitchen and the other issues, that's never Ok, I have just had a meeting with my team on all of this and will get on to it asap - I totally hear you !
I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and have a fun and safe New Years eve / day - Happy holiday's for sure!
The property is large and private at the end of a dead end street. The house is spacious enough for our family of 5 adults and 3 small kids. The kitchen was stocked and clean and had everything we needed. The kids loved the game room in the garage and the second living room upstairs. The balconies offer slight ocean views and were a perfect place to have coffee and get some fresh ocean air. We enjoyed the house during our stay and would come again.
Jennah T.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Aug 2024
Im so very happy that you enjoyed Grey Whale and it's many amenities, it really is a quiet neighborhood and is so close to everything! I hope that you had fun getting out and exploring and made some fun memories to boot! Have a wonderful afternoon and a wonderful rest of your week!
We appreciated the location to the activities we wanted to do up there and it being dog friendly. Kitchen was well-appointed and someone came to replace an easy appliance that wasn’t working so quickly! (We appreciated that!) There are a few cobwebs and it has that expected coastal smell. Beds and pillows weren’t the best, and one room didn’t have an accurate description of the bed size. (Fortunately, 3rd couple had a van with a bed they could use instead.) But, it didn’t take away from the overall use. It was nice not to feel like we were super close to nearby neighbors, and we had a great weekend away!
Gail R.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Sept 2025
Im so very sorry for all of the issues, I guess I dropped the ball on your stay, Im so very sorry about that! I do hope that you had some fun and made some great new memories to take home with you ! I hope that you have a wonderful evening and a great week ahead!
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Julie N.
3 Dec 2024
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Great house in perfect neighborhood of Fort Bragg. Needs alittle TLC “
Carlon was exceptionally responsive and helpful with our problems. He brought 3 space heaters when I complained about temp in house. Problem ( common) with water ants! Mattresses need to be upgraded. stove us gard to figure out which burners work and which don’t.
Julie N.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Dec 2024
Im so happy that you enjoyed our home and hope that you had fun getting out ans experiencing our very beautiful part of the world. Always know that you are always welcome to come back and stay with us at any time! Happy holiday's!
Thanks so very much for being our guest, we loved having you ! Have the BEST day!
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Dawn S.
28 Feb 2025
Liked: Communication, location
Dawn S.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Feb 2025
We feel so honored to have had the pleasure of hosting you and hope that you have been comfortable and had fun getting out and exploring our beautiful Mendocino coast! Always know that you are always welcome back at any time! Have a wonderful day!
About the host
Hosted by Pacific Blue Vacation Rentals
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests