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Santa Cruz Bayview Retreat

94%
·
· California
20 acres
4 sites
4 RV/Tent
Experience everything the Bay Area has to offer from this mountain top site. Roughly 50 minutes to any city in the Bay Area, this site is ideal for any person looking for an adventurous getaway retreat.   The Serenity and privacy make this an uncommon, yet ideal romantic place to stay. This site is sheltered by the manzanitas and pines of this chaparral community. Adventure seekers will find paradise here!  Mount Madonna Park with miles of trails is 20 minutes down the road. You can dump your septic there as well!  Horseback riding rentals are located near the park as well as an archery range.  Demonstration forest is 15 minutes down the road, with miles of mountain biking. Spend a day at one of the beaches in Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos, Rio Del Mar, Davenport, Half Moon Bay, Monterey, or Carmel and return to your private oasis. Or Explore Silicon Valley from this centrally located parcel. Kim Son Meditation Center and Mount Madonna Center are approximately 15 minutes away. There are also wonderful wineries throughout the mountains here. The trip to the site will begin with a three mile drive on a private dirt road.  Being on the very top of a mountain brings more seasonality than the surrounding cities.   Please be prepared for any kind of extreme weather. Summer: Shade is highly recommended it can get into triple digits. *Spring/fall: Temperatures are generally mild but high winds are possible. *Winter: Typically cold and windy. *During rainy/muddy conditions 4x4/AWD is highly recommended.  It is possible for it to get windy, foggy, rainy, hot and sunny, and even sometimes snowy. Please note: the nearest grocer is 30 minutes from this site. Emergency supplies are available for delivery to your campsite. Cell phone reception is good on most carriers.  Pets are allowed.  Enjoy your time howling at the moon, star gazing, bird watching/wildlife viewing, or relaxing with your favorite libation. Don't forget your camera! Since this is our first year renting our land we have found that August is a high wasp season time in the mountains. We are doing everything humanly possible to hunt down each and every Wasp for your enjoyment. With this in mind we ask you use the provided bug repellent, keep the lid to the trash closed, and do not pour grease anywhere you do not want wasps.
Activities
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Natural features
Desert
Forest
Coastal
Canyon
Available sites
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Location
California, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by N & S S.Joined in March 2021
94%
216 ratings · 176 reviews
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Matthew P.recommends
February 6, 2023
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
This site has a never ending amount of clouds and light drizzle. The view is fantastic. A trash can, bench, and propane fire pit are provided. Plenty of privacy, and host’s instructions are so good that you barely need to interact with anyone before you arrive. Ensure that you have the gear for plenty of rain, mud, and wind. Road up to the site isn’t bad, just prepare for a bumpy ride if your vehicle’s suspension isn’t the greatest.
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Alexandria K.recommends
November 30, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Easy escape with sea + city views
The stay was incredible. Maps took us directly there and my initials were handwritten on the gate so we knew which site was ours. It was clean and had a fire pit (pre paid) prepped and ready to go! The views were incredible and it was nice, quiet and relaxing.
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Veronica S.recommends
November 27, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Beautiful, 360° view. Amazing sunsets and sunrises, with a view of the bay. Great for car camping/tent. Picnic table and trash receptacle were very appreciated. We had our own propane fire pit, but the hosts also provided one at the site. For the most part, the road up the mountain was fairly smooth but there were a handful of minor washboard areas. We brought two older, more sedate dogs, who loved the area. Overall, very scenic, quiet and private. Absolutely breathtaking views.
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Colby G.recommends
November 21, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Great views, highly recommend the propane fire pit and to bring warm layers at night. Pretty private area and responsive host.
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Christian D M.recommends
October 16, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
For real… Private Island in the Sky
The view is breathtaking! Unfortunately, too much fog in day 2 to see much of anything, but day 1 view was amazing! Love this site! It truly is a private island in the sky!
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Britt S.recommends
October 9, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Absolutely beautiful! We will definitely be back!
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Tavia E.recommends
September 25, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Beautiful Sites! Love the Privacy.
Beautiful sites and an overall very nice private spot! Owners were nice and communicated quickly. There was cell service which was nice. The ride up was a bit bumpy but that just made it more fun! Only wish there was more than one porta potty or better bathroom options. In September beware of wasp and bugs.
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Dean Harvey M.recommends
September 13, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
This place is very relaxing safe private spot for camping. Nice scenic view in the morning and specially night time. Would definitely comeback.
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Anthony V.recommends
September 10, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Great view with a clean and ready campsite. Would definitely recommend to anyone. Be sure to bring a canopy as there is little to no shade if your coming during the summer. The host was welcoming and easy to get ahold of.
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Karen B.recommends
September 5, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Very quiet and private camping spot with beautiful views of the city, sunrise/sunset and stars! I would recommend bringing shade protection in the summer months as we had to go to town to get a shade tent, and be prepared for small bugs and wasps!
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Alex L.recommends
August 31, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Best Campsite for Privacy and Pets
This is, hands down, the best campsite I've ever stayed at – and I'd estimate I've camped in upwards of 100 locations. It's super private (nearest other campsite was probably 200-300ft away), the view from above the clouds overlooking the valley is UNREAL, and you could easily park several cars there if you happen to have a larger group. Also, the propane fire pit that they provided us was very much appreciated, as even though it was hot during the day, it got quite cold at night. Basically, I hesitate to write such a positive review only because I want this place to be available whenever I want it. But in all honesty, it's amazing. Many thanks to the hosts!
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Michaelangelo B.recommends
August 20, 2022
#4 Beautiful XL Gated Site w/ View
Great people!
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Chris S.recommends
August 19, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Beautiful and secluded site. The views of sunset/moonrise and sunrise are amazing!
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Roger Y.recommends
August 15, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Awesome private area! Exactly as described. Would definitely stay again!
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Dustin S.recommends
August 2, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Very beautiful view and quite private
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Layla G.recommends
July 31, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
the most beautiful site i’ve ever stayed at. it really lives up to its name “private island in the sky” and it’s truly magical. directions were clear and good response with any questions we had. such a beautiful place, hope to be back!
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Michael P.recommends
July 28, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Views on top of views
Spot was awesome, with amazing views! Host was very responsive, we definitely will likely be back in the spring or fall when it cools down.
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Charmaine L.recommends
July 26, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
A truly stunning view. Being able to see the clouds was spectacular! Lovely stars at night :) when you get to the summit, your spot can be located at the gate with your initials in a plastic cover. I HIGHLY recommend bug spray though because the flies can get pretty aggressive during the day in a late July summer. But at night, they seemed to all disappear. Reception is just good enough for a phone call/GPS. We have T-Mobile. But heyyyy, you are up here to stay away from electronics right? Haha
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Melissa N.recommends
July 24, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Beautiful place! Highly recommend sun or shade tents.
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Cameron S.recommends
July 11, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
The views were amazing! Sunrise and sunset!
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Ryan A.recommends
July 10, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
This was an amazing camp site with spectacular views. All directions provided were clear and concise. Bringing shade is a must. The road to the site is dirt and was passable with an adventrous Prius driver with very slow, careful, and attentive driving. One of our group remarked that he was glad he did not bring his new Prius. This was a wonderful surprise and I would recommend this site to anyone looking for an outdoor experience in a peaceful, secluded location.
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Matthew M.recommends
June 28, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Perfectly located getaway!
Highly recommend Private Island in the Sky! The views and the solitude alone are worth the price of admission. Make sure to get all your food and drink supplies at the Corralitos Market and Sausage Company, which you can access quickly via Ornsby Cutoff and Eureka Canyon Rd if you have the vehicle for it. From there, you can travel to Aptos where there is excellent hiking at the Forest of Nisene Marks, the Seacliff and Rio Del Mar beaches, and a bunch of good food and coffee places. Somethings to keep in mind. You'll want to use the bathrooms in Aptos as opposed to what's provided on site. On the mountain, there's not much to do besides mountain biking and relaxing. The dirt road portions can be pretty rough, especially on Ornsby Cutoff. The island is really exposed to the sun so bring shade. Also, bring bug spray.
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Lauren H.recommends
June 27, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Loved the site! Beautiful views and definitely quiet. The clear day we had we could see the ocean and all the way to Monterey Bay. The directions were perfect also. If anyone is concerned, I have a Mazda 3 and managed just fine up the road. The only issue was the bathroom in my opinion. The toilet didn’t fill by pressing on the pedal but there were bottles full of water to rinse? I had to fill one up but was unaware this would be the case when arriving.
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Mark S.recommends
June 13, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
This was a fantastic site high above Watsonville and the Monterey Bay. There's no shade, simply a great place to park your camper or pop a tent. We visited when it was very hot and sunny (recommend a sun shade or two for sure!!) but the breezes helped immensely. There was no one around so it felt very private, which always makes for a better outdoor experience. The site, table and add-on gas fire pit, and directions all worked as described. Grateful for the remote space and good time the campsite allowed. Thanks so much!
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Christian S.recommends
June 1, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
This campsite has an amazing view. I enjoyed how peaceful our day was. Directions and parking were very simple to follow.
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Nhartz P.recommends
May 15, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Beautiful view
I love how it’s private. the host is easy to reach and answered all my questions
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Richard W.recommends
April 10, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Awesome pop-up camper spot!
We trailered our pop-up camper here for the night. We came in via Hwy 17 Summit exit. The directions were fairly helpful, but the drive in was a bit further than we were expecting. There were unpaved areas, just bumpy roads and no clearance issues to speak of. Once we got to our site, everything was awesome. Nice picnic table and garbage can. Views were excellent.
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Mike D.recommends
April 10, 2022
#4 Beautiful XL Gated Site w/ View
Really fantastic and special site. Incredible ridge top views at almost 3000’ elevation. Feels much farther away than it is, a Sierra like setting on the coast. Site itself is quite large and has been pretty exquisitely leveled. The picnic table and propane fire table (extra $) was quite nice. I hope subsequent visitors take good care of the site, leave no trace.
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Melissa W.recommends
April 2, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Secluded and quiet
We were looking for a place secluded and quiet. That is exactly what we got. It was beautiful!!! We enjoyed the view, the sunset was so pretty. We would definitely come back :)
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Tammy H.recommends
March 28, 2022
#3 A Private Island in the Sky
Amazing views!
We enjoyed our stay! There was plenty of room for our group (2 camper vans) and the kids enjoyed exploring. Love that our area was gated and felt more private! Awesome to see the clouds roll in and out through the bay. Note, we came in by Hwy 17 (from Santa Clara) quite a few bumps along the way which slowed us down a little, but very pretty drive. Went out towards Mt Madonna, hwy 152 and while yes some tight areas and bumps too, definitely easier. Hosts were very responsive and answered all questions!
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