Shelter Cove · Humboldt County · California
Where to stay on the Lost Coast
A handful of oceanfront inns, one campground, and a small number of houses. Inventory here is genuinely limited — which is why the town stays the way it is, and why you should book earlier than feels necessary.
Our houses
Four
Inns in town
A handful
Book ahead
Well ahead
Quietest
Winter
Start here
Three ways to do this
A whole house
Groups & families
Kitchen, hot tub, outdoor space, room for everyone. Makes sense from about six people up, and essential given how early the restaurants close.
An oceanfront inn
Couples & short stays
Several small inns sit right on the bluff with unobstructed Pacific views. Simple, walkable to town, no cooking.
Camping
Trail & budget
An RV park and campground in town, plus wilderness camping up the Lost Coast Trail with a permit.
Ours
Vacation rental
One above the black sand at Shelter Cove, two among the redwoods on the Avenue of the Giants, and one near Redwood National Park. Same host, same guidebooks, very different trips.
Shelter Cove · above Black Sands Beach
BlackSands
Four storeys and 3,300 square feet on the bluff, sleeping twelve. Radiant floors you'll appreciate after a day on the beach, a covered stamped-concrete patio with a hot tub, and a fenced turf lawn set back from the water — which matters with small kids. Room to park a boat out front, and a short walk down to the beach.
Avenue of the Giants · Eel River Valley
Cliff House
Panoramic views over the Eel River Valley and the mountains beyond. Hot tub, and an outdoor kitchen built around an Evo grill — the deck is where everyone ends up, whether that's morning coffee or watching the fog move up the valley after dinner.
Avenue of the Giants · in the trees
The Hobbit House
Tucked into the redwoods and built for a group, minutes from the old growth. The base camp for the Avenue — Founders Grove, Rockefeller Forest, and the drive itself are all close by.
Bayside · near Redwood National Park
Baywood Redwood Retreat
Tri-level and newly renovated, backing onto the Baywood golf course with redwoods behind it and room for sixteen. Twelve hundred square feet of patio with an outdoor kitchen, a gas fire pit, a seven-person hot tub, and string lights over the whole yard. Three miles from Arcata, fifteen minutes from Moonstone Beach, and about an hour from Fern Canyon.
Book direct
Check availability
Search all our houses at once. Booking direct means no platform fees and you reach us, not a call centre.
- Every stay comes with a guidebook for that house — trails, tides, food, and how to spend each day.
- Check-in details arrive before you travel, along with directions that account for the mountain road.
- Questions get a real person. Before, during, or at 9pm when something isn't working.
The rest of town
Inns and motels in Shelter Cove
Small, independent, mostly oceanfront. If a house is more than you need, any of these puts you within walking distance of the beach and the restaurants.
Inn · on the bluff
Inn of the Lost Coast
Suites high on the cliffs with wide coastline views. Delgada Pizza and Black Sands Bistro are both on site, which makes it the most self-contained option in town.
Visit websiteInn · oceanfront
The Tides Inn
Every room faces the ocean, and the tide pools are directly below. Guests regularly watch whales go by from outside their door, and there's a resident family of sea otters.
Visit websiteInn · oceanfront
Oceanfront Inn at Shelter Cove
On a bluff with the surf right in front. Every room and suite has a private balcony or deck with unobstructed views.
Visit websiteInn · four suites
Spyglass Inn
Four oceanfront suites, each with a full kitchen and an in-room jacuzzi tub looking out at the Pacific. The most upscale rooms in the Cove.
Visit websiteMotel · at the marina
Mario's Marina Motel
The only lodging at the marina itself, with on-site boat parking — the obvious choice if you're here to fish. Short walk to most services, and Mario's Marina Bar is right there.
Visit websiteInn · near the beach
Black Sands Inn
Ocean-view rooms on Surf Point, pet friendly, and a few minutes' walk from Mal Coombs Park. Surf Point Coffee House is next door for breakfast.
The Castle Inn also operates in the Cove, up near the Little Black Sands parking area on Dolphin Drive.
Under canvas
Camping
In town
Shelter Cove RV Campground
Sites in town with a deli and store attached, ocean cliff views, and picnic seating. Walking distance to the beach and the flats.
Wilderness · permit required
The Lost Coast Trail
Camp anywhere between Mattole Beach and the creek just north of Black Sands. You'll need a King Range Wilderness permit and a bear canister — and you can't camp in Shelter Cove itself.
Read the trail guidePractical
Booking a stay here
- Book earlier than you think. There are only so many beds in Shelter Cove. Summer weekends, holidays, and tuna season go first.
- Winter is the secret. Storms are dramatic, the town is quiet, and you'll have the beach to yourself. Bring a book and expect short restaurant hours.
- Two nights minimum, honestly. It's a long drive in. One night means spending most of your stay on the road.
- Check what's open. Off-season, several restaurants run reduced hours — worth planning provisions around.
- Confirm pet policies directly. Some places here are dog friendly; the details vary and change.
- Don't count on booking from the car. Cell service on the road in is unreliable. Sort your accommodation before you leave the highway.
Other businesses listed here are independent operations we're not affiliated with. Confirm rates, availability, and policies with them directly.