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From Hobbit Huts to Yurts, 12 Tiny House Vacation Rentals in Northern California

By Alex Bevk
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By Alex Bevk

Whether or not you can squeeze your life into a tiny house on a permanent basis, sometimes it's nice to try on a smaller abode for its tiny, tiny size. We've scoured short-term rental listings all around Northern California to find the best tiny-house rentals for your next trip. From Mendocino to Santa Cruz, here now is your guide to the houseboats, tree houses, hobbit huts, and, yes, water towers conspiring to lure you with the charms of grass roofs, backyard pizza ovens, and showering out of doors.


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Colfax Yurt

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A Mongolian yurt in the Sierra foothills? Sure, why not. This one is part of a larger complex that offers massages, a swimming pool, and hot tub. The yurt sleeps seven and rents for $125/night.

333 Pine Street, Colfax, CA 95713

Petaluma Tree House

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This tree house in rural Petaluma is located on a the former Swallowtail Studios, a famous glass blowers' cooperative. It's 30 feet off the ground with a tree growing right through the middle. The bathroom is in a separate building, but there's a queen bed in the loft. It's available for $175/night.

1221 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma, CA 94952

Geyserville Hobbit Hut

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Built from adobe bricks, this hobbit hut has a living grass roof and is also part of a larger complex—this one with a pool, sauna, hot tub, outdoor pizza oven, and exotic pet sanctuary. It goes for $100/night.

20889 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville, CA 95441

Oakland Airstream

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Ever dream of giving it all up and living in a trailer? Give it a test run in this Airstream in the Oakland Hills. The 31-foot trailer has a queen-size bed, along with lots of perks like washer/dryer, stand-up shower, electric fireplace, full kitchen, and a sweet pegasus (?) painting on the closet. Rent it for $95/night.

4601 Grass Valley Road, Oakland, CA 94605

Sonoma Water Tower

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The two-story water tower is located on a 15-acre vineyard ranch. It's got a queen bed, a kitchenette, a half-bath, and an outdoor shower. It starts at $185/night.

22999 Schellville Road, Sonoma, CA 95476

Santa Cruz Carriage House

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Seven hundred square feet isn't exactly tiny, but this one-bedroom carriage house is worth the exception. It dates from 1887 and features the original restored barn floors, but is updated with a swanky new kitchen and bathroom, plus pretty furnishings. It also happens to be oceanfront. Bonus: dogs are allowed! Rents start at $275/night.

116 Santa Cruz Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Sausalito Houseboat

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Take to the seas, tiny style. This 40-foot houseboat in Sausalito has multiple decks, a full kitchen, and a queen-size bed. It rents for $175/night.

Marina Plaza Harbor, Sausalito, CA 94965

Sebastopol Cottage

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A little wood-shingled studio cottage in West Sonoma County, this wee abode is attached to a larger house but has its own separate entrance. There's a queen-size bed and a little kitchenette, plus a shared hot tub. It goes for $115/night.

2447 Burnside Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472

Point Arena Bus

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Embrace the hippie lifestyle on this "bohemian bus" up on the north coast. So the ceiling is only six feet high, and the bathroom is an outhouse, but there are his-and-hers soaking tubs, and the host offers "yoga, gardening, mushroom hunting expeditions." Rent your magic bus for $110/night.

45483 Iversen Road, Gualala, CA 95445

Featherbed Railroad B&B

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How about a bed-and-breakfast made up entirely of vintage railroad cabooses? Featherbed Railroad B&B has nine cabooses, each with a queen-size bed and Jacuzzi tub (sometimes in the middle of the room). There's also a boat launch, beach, and pier. Rates start at $190/night.

2870 Lakeshore Boulevard, Upper Lake, CA 95485

Mendocino Cottage

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This two-story, two-room cottage in the woods has a separate private bathhouse. There's a queen bed, kitchenette, and private deck. It rents for $125-$145/night.

10500 Hills Road, Mendocino, CA 95460

Burlingame Tree House

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This is the tree house from your childhood dreams. Sure, it's super tiny, but there are actual trees growing through the middle of it! Two beds, plus access to the main house's bathroom and kitchen. Rent it for $250/night.

Fey Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010
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Colfax Yurt

333 Pine Street, Colfax, CA 95713

A Mongolian yurt in the Sierra foothills? Sure, why not. This one is part of a larger complex that offers massages, a swimming pool, and hot tub. The yurt sleeps seven and rents for $125/night.

333 Pine Street, Colfax, CA 95713

Petaluma Tree House

1221 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma, CA 94952

This tree house in rural Petaluma is located on a the former Swallowtail Studios, a famous glass blowers' cooperative. It's 30 feet off the ground with a tree growing right through the middle. The bathroom is in a separate building, but there's a queen bed in the loft. It's available for $175/night.

1221 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma, CA 94952

Geyserville Hobbit Hut

20889 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville, CA 95441

Built from adobe bricks, this hobbit hut has a living grass roof and is also part of a larger complex—this one with a pool, sauna, hot tub, outdoor pizza oven, and exotic pet sanctuary. It goes for $100/night.

20889 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville, CA 95441

Oakland Airstream

4601 Grass Valley Road, Oakland, CA 94605

Ever dream of giving it all up and living in a trailer? Give it a test run in this Airstream in the Oakland Hills. The 31-foot trailer has a queen-size bed, along with lots of perks like washer/dryer, stand-up shower, electric fireplace, full kitchen, and a sweet pegasus (?) painting on the closet. Rent it for $95/night.

4601 Grass Valley Road, Oakland, CA 94605

Sonoma Water Tower

22999 Schellville Road, Sonoma, CA 95476

The two-story water tower is located on a 15-acre vineyard ranch. It's got a queen bed, a kitchenette, a half-bath, and an outdoor shower. It starts at $185/night.

22999 Schellville Road, Sonoma, CA 95476

Santa Cruz Carriage House

116 Santa Cruz Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Seven hundred square feet isn't exactly tiny, but this one-bedroom carriage house is worth the exception. It dates from 1887 and features the original restored barn floors, but is updated with a swanky new kitchen and bathroom, plus pretty furnishings. It also happens to be oceanfront. Bonus: dogs are allowed! Rents start at $275/night.

116 Santa Cruz Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Sausalito Houseboat

Marina Plaza Harbor, Sausalito, CA 94965

Take to the seas, tiny style. This 40-foot houseboat in Sausalito has multiple decks, a full kitchen, and a queen-size bed. It rents for $175/night.

Marina Plaza Harbor, Sausalito, CA 94965

Sebastopol Cottage

2447 Burnside Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472

A little wood-shingled studio cottage in West Sonoma County, this wee abode is attached to a larger house but has its own separate entrance. There's a queen-size bed and a little kitchenette, plus a shared hot tub. It goes for $115/night.

2447 Burnside Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472

Point Arena Bus

45483 Iversen Road, Gualala, CA 95445

Embrace the hippie lifestyle on this "bohemian bus" up on the north coast. So the ceiling is only six feet high, and the bathroom is an outhouse, but there are his-and-hers soaking tubs, and the host offers "yoga, gardening, mushroom hunting expeditions." Rent your magic bus for $110/night.

45483 Iversen Road, Gualala, CA 95445

Featherbed Railroad B&B

2870 Lakeshore Boulevard, Upper Lake, CA 95485

How about a bed-and-breakfast made up entirely of vintage railroad cabooses? Featherbed Railroad B&B has nine cabooses, each with a queen-size bed and Jacuzzi tub (sometimes in the middle of the room). There's also a boat launch, beach, and pier. Rates start at $190/night.

2870 Lakeshore Boulevard, Upper Lake, CA 95485

Mendocino Cottage

10500 Hills Road, Mendocino, CA 95460

This two-story, two-room cottage in the woods has a separate private bathhouse. There's a queen bed, kitchenette, and private deck. It rents for $125-$145/night.

10500 Hills Road, Mendocino, CA 95460

Burlingame Tree House

Fey Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010

This is the tree house from your childhood dreams. Sure, it's super tiny, but there are actual trees growing through the middle of it! Two beds, plus access to the main house's bathroom and kitchen. Rent it for $250/night.

Fey Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010