Wedding season is in full swing, and here at Nick’s Cove, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting a lot of fun groups.  Choosing an intimate venue such as Nick’s allows the flexibility for some creativity.

A traditional wedding has a quiet ceremony, mingling during the cocktail hour, and plated dinner during the reception. If you’re interested in infusing your wedding with a little more action, there are some ways you can accomplish this.  Here are our top three favorite suggestions:

Have games during the cocktail hour and/or reception.
Outdoor games such as bean bag toss (corn hole), horseshoes, lawn bowling, giant Jenga, and bocce ball are increasingly popular. Set up a few stations to keep guests occupied while you’re having your photos taken or when they need a break from dancing.

Create a flash dance.
This can be quite a challenge, but if you are able to pull it off, can be very rewarding. Get a group together that consists of your wedding party and other close family and friends.  Create a dance that is upbeat and catchy and send a video for the group to learn. Your guests will love the surprise and it will become the talk of the evening. Hey, maybe you’ll even become the next YouTube sensation.

Have a photo booth.
Hiring a professional photo booth can be really helpful because the booth attendant usually does a stellar job of encouraging guests to take pictures. You could also use the extra copies to double as your guest book. Have your friends and family attach their silly photos next to their wishes – it will always be entertaining to look through.

I hope this gives you a little inspiration for your big day. Just remember that the day is focused on celebrating your love, so stay true to that and have some fun.  Happy Planning!

Cheers,

McClure’s Beach is the northernmost beach on the Point Reyes peninsula, so it’s not too surprising that the drive to the parking lot of the trailhead is longer than the hike to the beach itself! However, the drive is well worth it for the views offered by the hike. Because the trail and beach are located in the Tule Elk reserve, there’s a good chance you will see one of these majestic and protected creatures grazing in the brush around the trail head. The trail itself is a moderate decline down to the beach, taking you through a canyon decorated by beautiful green plants as a variety of birds and active rabbits move all around you. After about three-fourths of a mile, the canyon opens to McClure’s Beach, and you are treated to a view of red cliffs presenting the Pacific Ocean. Walk around the cliffs to the beach itself, which is a sprawling sandy walkway, where you could easily spend a few hours strolling along, watching the surf, following the movements of fishing boats passing by, and picnicking. The hike back leads you up the moderate slope through the canyon, which will take you a little longer than the way down and in. We did the hike with a two-year-old and an eight-year-old, and the eight-year-old had no problem with the entirety of the trail. The two-year-old was carried for the last half-mile back to the trailhead. While the hike out to McClure’s beach is simple and accessible to all ages, the beautiful views and the relaxation offered by the large beach itself make it a rewarding and enjoyable hike.

This is a beautiful, intermediate 4 mile loop.  Starting at the parking lot just past the youth hostel, the trail takes you through a small field before the climb begins.  The hardest part of the whole loop is next, about 30 minutes of medium level hiking.  Once you reach the top, the rest of the hike is all at a slight decline.  Another 20 to 30 minutes later, the trail will merge with a coastal fire road.  At this point, there are several cut-throughs that connect out to the southern end of Limantour Beach.  We saw several people that carried picnics for a lunch break.  To head back, continue to follow the road as it curves inland between a tree-filled marsh and a steep hillside.  Before you know it, you’ll be walking down the road past the hostel and back to your car.

Have Fun!

Cheers,

Matt

This is truly a special place. The beauty of the bay and abundance of wildlife all around us is something that fascinates me every day. I love it when the tide goes out and I can see large flocks of Sandpipers at the edge of the water eating the invertebrates that are left behind from the retreating sea. With their grey feathers and long curved beaks they feast at the edge of the water. In the evening I have seen deer, silver foxes and bobcats. The creek that runs through the property is home to the endangered Red-Legged Frog which is also the name of our house-made hot sauce that we also bottle and sell to the public. While the frog is listed as endangered they seem to be thriving here at Nick’s Cove. They especially seem to like making the trip from the creek up the hill to the greenhouse at The Croft. In the greenhouse we grow the micro greens that chef Austin Perkins uses as a garnish on many dishes. Currently the greenhouse is full of vegetable starts to be planted in the garden. Heirloom tomatoes, peppers and squash are just a few of the vegetables that the farm will supply the kitchen for the guests to enjoy. Next to the greenhouse is our chicken coop where our girls supply many of our eggs. I was giving a new employee a tour of the farm the other day and the farm manager had let the chickens out to forage through the garden. The chickens see us approaching and run toward us. I am guessing that they thought that we might have food. They ran right up to our feet and even allowed us to pet them. As I write this the sun is shining and ducks are floating on the bay. It is hard to believe that a place as peaceful as this still exists amid the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area.

Cheers,

Scott