About Highlands Resort
A Little History
Highlands Resort has been around since the early 1920s when it was known as Highland Park Lodge. Like many of the resorts in the area, it began by offering platform tent camping and began adding cabins during the 1930s. In those days folks took the ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito where trains headed to the "Vacation Playland" villages of Guerneville, Rio Nido and Monte Rio. The current cabins date from the early 1940s.
The river villages have been a vacation magnet since the late 1880s reaching a peak in the 1920s and 30s (25,000 people came to the river for the July 4th weekend in 1925). As in those days, visitors come for the natural beauty, to play in and on the river, eat in great restaurants and party in the bars. Not much has changed.
In the 1970s the resort was reclining into a delapidated old age when Bill & Steve bought it in 1979 and turned it into a gay resort. They are credited with the wonderful landscaping at the resort. This was at the beginning of the area's revival as a tourist destination, especially for LGBT guests, during the 1980s. Highlands Resort has always attracted a loyal following of guests looking for a quiet, relaxing place to stay that is friendly and fun.
As we have been restoring the cabins we have tried to capture a bit of the 1940s and 50s by using vintage chrome & Formica tables and chairs wherever possible, using custom cut and inlayed linoleum floors, and by using vacation brochures blown up as art in the cabins. At this point we have rehabilitated all but 2 of the cabins (hoping to get the Studio Cabin and the Two Room Cabin done soon). And we are continuing to improve our rooms and suites.
Amenities
The Highlands Resort Offers the following:
- Private Cabins and Rooms with Full, Queen and King size beds. Many with small refrigerators and coffee-makers.
- Secluded outdoor Spa Tub (nudity permitted), surrounded by redwoods and our camping area.
- Large outdoor Swimming Pool in a garden setting (nudity permitted).
- Barbecue and picnic area.
- Guest Lounge with TV and DVD player, games, books and a baby grand piano (with a fairly eclectic collection of sheet music...from classical selections to the theme song from "Flipper").
- In-Room TV/DVD: Nope. Ok, well we have two Suites that have 'em, but that's all. Look at the Pool Suite and the Garden Suite if you just can't live without TV. We are happy to loan you movies from our DVD collection to play on your laptop or you can borrow our portable DVD player. Oh and you should know our taste runs to the more light and silly than to bloody action flicks or porn.
- Internet:
- Free Wireless internet - password available at the office. We have a "hot spot" that covers the Guest Lounge & Breakfast Room and a comfortable area outside the office with tables and chairs. While our hot spot may reach some of the rooms and cabins, we do not guarantee wireless in any of our accommodations. We also have a wired connection in our breakfast room for guests without wireless.
- Boarding Passes: Flying home after you leave us? We're happy to print your boarding passes for you.
- Massage therapy is available at the resort from '"Touch of Heaven Massage Therapy." Massage is done indoors in the "Tuscan Room" or, during the warmer months, outdoors in the center of a grove of redwood trees. We are happy to schedule an appointment or answer questions about rates for massage. Massage can also be requested when you make your reservation online.
- Continental Breakfast served daily is included with all overnight stays. Breakfast consists of coffee, tea, fruit, juice and:
- Monday - Friday we serve homemade granola (how California of us!). It's a yummy blend of oats, almonds, coconut and dried cranberries.
- Saturday, Sunday and Holidays we serve homemade muffins. Some of our favorites include: Lemon-Ginger, Orange-Bittersweet Chocolate, and Pumpkin/White Chocolate/Almond. We're famous for them!
- Essentials & non-essentials:
- Iron & Ironing board available upon request (we're not very "pressed" around here).
- Hair dryer - we have one we loan out.
- Mosquitoes - not a huge problem other than a bit just around dusk . We have spray available at the office.
- Pool towels are provided to everyone in our rooms, cabins and suites. If you are camping you need to bring your own towels, bedding, pillows,...
- Pay telephone: We don't have one anymore... sigh, they came and took it away because everyone's using cell phones.
- Tent camping in our meadow is available in the summer months (B.Y.O.Tent).
- Day use of the resort is available each day from 10am until 6pm for a small fee.
- Guerneville: Only four blocks away you'll find all your essentials. Supermarket, ATM's, Post Office, liquor store, shops, restaurants, bars & so much more (like a medicinal marijuana dispensary and a vintage putt putt golf course).
Who We Are
We're Ken and Lynette McLean (yeah, we're the token straight couple at the resort) and we've owned Highlands since March 30, 1995. We love our life here. We both grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Ken was born and raised just outside of Portland, Oregon, and Lynette grew up in Tacoma, Washington (although technically she's a California girl having been born in San Pedro during her father's military service). We find this area to be a lot like "home" but with much better weather!
We both have hotel backgrounds and love being in the hospitality business. Having our own place, we try to focus on what we desire to find when we travel. We want to provide a comfortable place to stay that is part of the local community and that offers our guests the chance to connect to this gorgeous countryside. Experience for a few days the natural beauty, abundance of great food, fine wine and the endless opportunities to interact with nature.
We believe in the virtue of "unplugging" life. Without the distraction of TV, the internet (and many cell phone providers) our guests are better able to interact with their companions and other guests, and learn to relax. Something that isn't always possible in the busy every-day lives we all lead. Doing without all the distractions opens up the opportunities of conversations and learning about ourselves and others. Days are longer and more relaxing, and tensions fall away.
We almost forgot our most important "innkeeper" - Olive. Olive will greet you when you arrive and play with you every chance she gets. She also likes to snuggle on the couch on movie nights. She's a Minature Schnauzer and regardless of what she may imply, she is not allowed any "people" food. She has a very sensitive tummy... a fact only remembered after eating something that disagrees with her.
Directions
Note: Please use our directions as many mapping programs are less than helpful. For example:
Google Maps: You can now find us with Google Maps! Just enter "Highlands Resort, Guerneville, CA" and you can zoom in and see our location from the air. (we look really cool from the air!) However, the directions program wants you to pass by the entrance to the resort and continue about 200 feet up the road. We do have nice neighbors, but they won't necessarily let you stay with them.
Mapquest: Interesting directions (not wrong, just more complicated than necessary) and about 500 feet short of our actual location.
Again. Please use our directions. We have a very strong interest in having you find us with a minimum of effort and drama.
From San Francisco:
Head north across the Golden Gate Bridge. This puts you on Interstate 101 heading North. Follow I-101 through Petaluma and Santa Rosa.
About 4 miles north of Santa Rosa, take the 'River Road' exit (do NOT take Guerneville Road).
Make a LEFT off the exit and follow River Road for about 17 miles until you come to the village of Guerneville.
At the second stop light turn RIGHT onto Armstrong Woods Road.
Go two VERY SHORT blocks and turn Right on Woodland Drive.
Head up the hill and after about 1/8 mile you will see our sign on the left, then a clump of trees, and then our driveway. Head up the driveway to the parking lot. Total time: about an hour and a half in normal traffic.
From San Francisco International Airport:
Get directions at your Car Rental Agency to get on Interstate 380. This fabulous piece of highway connects Interstate 101 to Interstate 280 (translation - Regardless of what your expensive GPS tells you to do, you do not have to drive through downtown San Francisco, thus avoiding lots and lots of traffic).
From I - 380 follow the signs to I-280 NORTH. When it is safe, move into one of the 2 left hand lanes. As you get closer to San Francisco the freeway will split in two with the right hand lanes continuing to downtown San Francisco.
Follow the signs to 'Golden Gate Bridge / 19th Avenue / Highway 1 North. The roadway will magically change from freeway to a major arterial (3 lanes) that heads due North and will go over the Golden Gate Bridge. All you have to do is follow the flow of traffic.
Once you are across the bridge you will be on I-101. Follow this through Petaluma and Santa Rosa. About 4 miles north of Santa Rosa take the 'River Road' exit. (Do NOT take the Guerneville Road exit.)
Make a LEFT off the exit and follow River Road for about 17 miles until you come to the village of Guerneville.
At the SECOND stop light turn RIGHT onto Armstrong Woods Road.
Go two (2) VERY SHORT blocks and turn RIGHT onto Woodland Drive.
Head up the hill and after about 1/8 mile you will see our sign on the left, then a clump of trees, and then our driveway. Head up the driveway to the parking lot. Total time: about 2 hours in normal traffic.
From Oakland Airport:
At the rental car office get directions to get on I-880. (Depending upon your rental car company you’ll probably take Hegenberger Rd. to the freeway.)
Now get on the I-880 going North towards Oakland.
Keep to the Right and take the I-980 East towards Walnut Creek (we’re just making a little jog over to a different freeway).
Merge onto I-580 WEST (the sign may say San Francisco although you aren’t actually going to go there. Don't freak out it will be ok).
As you go past the Berkeley exits you’ll need to be in one of the 2 right hand lanes as I-580 will split off from I-80 and head for the Richmond Bridge. (Toll is $4, I think.)
I-580 ends at Hwy. 101. Take Hwy 101 NORTH.
Follow this through Petaluma and Santa Rosa. About 4 miles north of Santa Rosa take the 'River Road' exit. (Do NOT take the Guerneville Road exit.)
Make a LEFT off the exit and follow River Road for about 17 miles until you come to the village of Guerneville.
At the SECOND stop light turn RIGHT onto Armstrong Woods Road.
Go two (2) VERY SHORT blocks and turn RIGHT onto Woodland Drive.
Head up the hill and after about 1/8 mile you will see our sign on the left, then a clump of trees, and then our driveway. Head up the driveway to the parking lot. Total time: about 2 hours in normal traffic.
From Sacramento:
Take Interstate 80 westbound.
Just past Cordelia you should see a sign that says Highway 12 West (it will probably say Napa) Take this exit and follow Hwy 12. Highway 12 merges with Hwy 29 for a short distance and then with Hwy 121. Keep pointing at the town of Sonoma when in doubt.)
Hwy 12 will go through the town of Sonoma and continue up through the Valley of the Moon. This is a lovely area with lots of vineyards in case you want to do any wine tasting. You'll now be heading for the town of Santa Rosa.
In Santa Rosa, Hwy 12 will wind about a bit and then turn into a real freeway. Take the Hwy 101 Northbound exit and go north for about 4-5 miles.
Take the River Road exit. (Do NOT take the Guerneville Road exit)
Go LEFT at the exit and follow River Road for about 17 miles.
This will bring you into Guerneville. At the 2nd stop light take a Right on Armstrong Woods Road.
Go 2 very short blocks and take a Right on Woodland Drive.
Go up the hill about 1/8 mile and you will see our sign on the LEFT, followed by a clump of trees, and then our driveway. Head up the driveway to the parking lot. Total time: about 2 1/2 hours - 3 hours in normal traffic.
From Ukiah:
You'll be heading south on Hwy 101. Go through Healdsburg (don't take the exit in Healdsburg that says Gureneville unless you want a really picturesque drive through winding country lanes dotted with wineries).
Go past the town of Windsor and take the Fulton Road exit.
At the light turn Right onto River Road. Follow River Road for about 17 miles until you come to the village of Guerneville.
At the SECOND stop light turn RIGHT onto Armstrong Woods Road.
Go two (2) VERY SHORT blocks and turn RIGHT onto Woodland Drive.
Head up the hill and after about 1/8 mile you will see our sign on the left, then a clump of trees, and then our driveway. Head up the driveway to the parking lot..
