This house has a lot of charm -- with gorgeous views over grassy fields to Monterey Bay and a straight shot of sunset, a lovely flower garden around the entrance, and a sea breeze that keeps hot days pleasant. Jeannie is a delightful and considerate host; for example, she allowed me to arrive early and depart late in order to time both drives with my toddler's naps, which was extremely helpful and generous; and she also has the fridge stocked with an array of useful items -- eggs, butter, bread, yogurt, and some frozen meals -- since there are no restaurants or grocery stores in the immediate vicinity.
The house is also located halfway between two stunningly perfect beaches: Manresa and Sunset State Beaches, each of which has vast miles of white sand and few visitors. So this is a great location for beach-going, and it's also a 15-minute drive to Aptos and just a few more minutes to Capitola or Santa Cruz; a bit longer to Monterey but still an easy outing for the day. You can get to Elkhorn Slough in 20 minutes or Point Lobos in 45-50. There are a few downsides, but I think if you know about them in advance, you can plan for them: 1) the house does not really have heat, it has space heaters, which I for one do not feel comfortable leaving on overnight, so bring warm pjs. The beds also have cozy, warm comforters so I was very comfortable even when it got to the low 40s over night; however, my toddler who kicks blankets off was a bit chilly. Also, the house is almost all windows, and those windows don't have curtains -- something that is lovely for an adult (looking at the starts as you fall asleep) but again challenging for toddler naptime and bedtime if before sunset. Lastly, the house is 15 minutes by car from any restaurants or grocery stores -- so bring food if you want to cook at home or plan for a grocery trip, and don't expect to get food delivered from restaurants (you can, but I noticed there weren't that many choices on DoorDash and the delivery fees were high, like $8-10).
Enjoy the coast!