Rustic family vacation retreat with private tennis court (dogs welcome!)

Originally built in the 1890s as the Inverness Tennis Club and expanded into a rustic, multi-family retreat in the 1930s by Henry and Ruth Colby, the Colby House is truly one of a kind. You won’t find another home quite like it anywhere in Northern California.

The main house is anchored by a massive great room (former tennis clubhouse) in all of its original redwood glory, in addition to a full kitchen, 4 bedrooms, and 1.5 baths. The detached second building features a master suite with king bed, full bath, and second-level views of the expansive property. WiFi is available throughout.

The Colby House is situated on a one-acre, fully-fenced natural paradise featuring a large deck with Adirondack chairs and BBQ, private tennis court, and wide array of native plant life including mature oak trees and blackberry bushes that bear fruit from early July to mid-September. And if you leave the gates open, you can expect the local blacktail deer to come take advantage of this paradise with you!

The property is in the heart of the original Inverness neighborhood, just a short walk to the quaint downtown and shores of Tomales Bay, and a 10-minute drive to Point Reyes Station (home of Cowgirl Creamery, Brickmaiden Bread, Bovine Bakery, and Palace Market). The town of Inverness is itself on a peninsula surrounded by Tomales Bay and Point Reyes National Seashore, with numerous hiking trails, beaches, and stunning vista points spanning all directions.

Many of our guests become “regulars” whom we welcome back year after year to reconnect with this truly unique home. After you spend a few days at the Colby House, we trust you will consider adding it to your list of special vacation destinations.

NOTE: There is NO TV in the house (but the WiFi allows for streaming), which is a conscious decision to allow our guests to connect with the property and enjoy each other’s company. Between our assortment of board games, piano, ping pong table, outdoor activities, and massive fireplace, we doubt you will miss it.

Here are some of our guest’s comments:

• “A delightful place…..I hope to come back again….”
• “……in harmony with nature….”
• “……so lucky to have spent time in this amazing home in this beautiful place…..”
• “….cooking delicious food together and gathering around the round table……”
• “….a place where time slows enough for you to catch up.”
• “We had a super family gathering. All of just loved being here. This is a fabulous place to be. Our stay has been delightful.”
• “Our dog was in heaven!!”
• “PS – The stars were fabulous.”
• “Upon walking inside, one can smell this home’s history. Rich and comfortable. Warm and full of genuine laughter. The place is full of good things. Well built, confident and provocative. It leaves you wanting to read its history. Thank you for the protection against modernization.”
• “We came looking for peace and tranquility, and things green and growing. They were here in abundance!”
• “This house is really remarkable…..the symbiotic feeling of the building and natural elements blending together……but perhaps even more amazing are the memories that are made here. A couple of days of rain encouraged us to get to know this place and one another a bit better. We congregated around the fire and did puzzle after puzzle together, lounged and talked and played board games – our family’s winter holiday was one we will always treasure. We found ourselves speculating about the Colbys and the history of this space, how special the family must be who came together here and have opened its doors to the rest of us.”
• “Our kids had a blast exploring in and around the house – they are not happy about leaving!!”
• “I enjoyed the space to dream.”
• “We loved our stay at Colby House; it is the quintessential Inverness house – cozy and comfortable. We enjoyed the piano. We appreciate the history of the house and the way you have kept things the way they were. The light and the quiet are delicious – we don’t want to leave!”
• “Had a great time and the kids not only survived having no TV but also had a great time.”
• “We loved this mysterious big old house, big decks, big windows, big glorious tennis court, big trees, and big generous loving sense of being cared for! Unforgettable.”
• “….what a fireplace!”
• “We really enjoyed traveling back in time.”
• And a few comments from the younger set:
• “We had a wonderful time. We climbed on the tree, played in the tennis courts and built forts.”
• “My sister and I had a lot of fun exploring and playing ping-pong. Thank you.”
• “I do not want to leave the tennis court. I want to stay here and I really love tennis. It was my first day playing tennis ever. I liked playing the piano. Your place is really fun. We went to the beach and I dug the biggest hole that I had ever seen.”