A Flock of Rentable Tiny Homes Pops Up at Dillon Beach Resort in Northern California

When three northern California families—the Goebels, the Smiths, and the Shipseys—came together to create Dillon Beach Resort, a seaside retreat on the northernmost tip of Marin County, they were determined to breathe new life into a very special place.

Located on 55 coastal acres between Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay, the resort looks out on the Point Reyes National Seashore and features almost a mile of private beach that the families work to preserve and protect. "The community of Dillon Beach is home to only 300 full-time residents," co-owner Mike Goebel says. "It’s close to the greater northern Bay Area, but it feels like you’ve escaped to another country. It’s small and remote, and it feels like the end of the earth."

Originally built by George Dillon in the late 1800s from first-growth redwood trees, the hotel has changed hands only three times in more than 130 years. "We wanted to bring clean design and a modern sensibility to the property while paying homage to its historic roots," Goebel says.

The owners created a new, open-and-airy aesthetic for the resort with white-painted walls, textured details, and vintage-style touches. They initially considered Airstreams as accommodations, but then they discovered Tru Form Tiny and were taken with the company’s Craftsman-style designs. "We fell in love with the quality of construction, the attention to detail, and the efficiency of Tru Form Tiny homes," Goebel says. "They helped us find that balance between a clean and open coastal feeling, and something that’s still intimate and unique."