by Aeron Noe

A spa treatment at Costonoa includes access to the outdoor hot tub. Photo: Aeron Noe.

Oct. 1, 2010 — I emerged from a eucalyptus grove to find a black-tailed deer grazing in the coastal scrub. He looked at me, curious. When I took a step, he hopped away leisurely through the chaparral. I imagined one of the Ohlone people, who once populated this area, coming across this deer’s ancestor centuries ago.

The path rose and rose, until I had a panoramic view of the ocean. My muscles were a little tight, so I was looking forward to the massage that was scheduled for later in the afternoon.

Welcome to Costanoa. This eco-resort, located 25 miles south of Half Moon Bay, may offer the perfect California daytrip. Bordered by three major state parks – Big Basin and Butano to the east, and Año Nuevo to the west – the resort offers access to a variety of stunning trails.

One of the most popular trails is the 3-mile Ohlone Ridge Lookout loop, where I encountered the deer. This trail climbs through the coastal scrub, in and out of small patches of Douglas fir, and offers a cluster of well-placed Adirondack chairs about half-way through the trail from which you can enjoy striking coastal views.

The landscaped grounds of Costanoa provide many places to sit and relax between hiking, eating and spa treatments. Photo: Aeron Noe.

For those who want to get closer to the water, the 3-mile Franklin Point loop is the ticket, sweeping down along the dunes and offering a bench retreat from which to view the Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

After a hike, there’s nothing quite like a massage. The Costanoa Spa isn’t a five-star spa by any means, but considering that this is an eco-resort with accommodations that include tent and RV campsites, luxury tent cabins, rustic wood cabins and lodge rooms, I didn’t expect top-of-the-line luxury.

The spa only offers massages, and the massage rooms were perfect. They smell nice and are generally well-equipped. No one offered me water or tea as I checked in, but there was water in the lobby of the lodge.

Other amenities that spa guests may enjoy include the sauna in the “comfort station,” which is also where the showers are located, and the hot tub, located right outside the lodge. The landscaped grounds are peppered with Adirondack chairs that invite you to sit and enjoy the scenery with a good book, or perhaps to doze off in the sun.

Photo courtesy of Costanoa.

I have to admit, the 50-minute integrative massage I enjoyed was fabulous. Gina, my therapist, got the amount of pressure I requested just right, and worked out the kinks in my left shoulder. I was jello as I walked away.

The only thing more you could want after a day of hiking and a massage would be a good meal, and Costanoa has you covered here as well. Cascade, the on-site restaurant, offers California cuisine using mostly local, organic produce.

And when they say local, they mean local. There is a working farm on the property where Costanoa grows about 70 percent of the produce that it uses during peak season. Dinner entrées include dishes like the sautéed vegetables with lemon-herb quinoa for $18 and buttermilk fried chicken for $24. The restaurant is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Costanoa.

There are a number of special offers that Coastsiders can take advantage of this fall. First of all, there is the local Coastsider’s rate, which offers 20 percent off accommodations and spa treatments Sunday through Thursday. Other deals include ride and relax, which gives two 50-minute massages and two horseback rides for $299, and the day spa special, which offers two 50-minute massages for $150.

On Oct. 16 and Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., families can stop by and enjoy the Costanoa Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza, which not only includes pumpkin carving — at a charge of $7 for a large pumpkin, $5 for a medium-sized one, and $2 for a small one — but also offers face painting, apple bobbing and other games.

The resort also offers free, guided hikes on Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. A naturalist leads these hikes, discussing native plant and animal life, ecology and the area’s human and natural history.

Between the hiking, spa treatment, and food, this is the California coast at its best.

Costanoa is located at 2001 Rossi Road at Highway 1, Pescadero. The phone number is 650-879-1100.