We don’t know how you divvy up your camping calendar.
For us, the new year begins with the start of spring. And we try to see as much as we can before the summer crowds show up in their full.
Our first stop: Westerbeke Ranch. Legend has it the ranch came into the family when the soon-to-be founder’s wife turned down the offer of a Tiffany bauble … and instead suggested a purchase of land (smart lady). These days, it’s best known as a retreat and wedding venue, but the real finds here are the three tents.
Each sleeps two. There’s a pool if you get lucky with the weather, a hot tub if you don’t. And beyond the otherworldly setting — rural, blossoming Sonoma at its finest — the calling card is the center’s menu, supplied by chefs hewing closely to the farm-to-table ethos.
Beyond that, there aren’t many logistics you need to account for: Westerbeke is the kind of place where guest purchases are made on the honor system. That level of hands-off convenience works for us, and is exactly the way we want to kick off four seasons of adventure.
A few more bucket-list picks we’re looking to tick before Memorial Day:
The beach sleep…
There are still April spots available at Wrights Beach, the classic coastal campground.
For superior views…
Of the Pacific, Drakes Bay and all of Point Reyes, it must be Sky Camp.
For a night in the desert…
Avoid the crowds at Joshua Tree and overnight in the Mojave — no reservations accepted.
For camping between climbing…
Head to Pinnacles — the pool opens next week.
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