If we had to pick the single thing that guests mention most in their reviews, it would be the fire pit. Not the ocean views (though those are a close second). Not the heated floors. The fire pit. There’s something about sitting on the ocean-side deck with flames dancing in front of you and waves crashing in the background that just stops people in their tracks.
When we designed Sea Esta, we knew we wanted a fire feature on the deck. But we also knew that traditional wood-burning fire pits come with real downsides at the coast — the wind makes them unpredictable, the smoke follows you everywhere, and the cleanup is a chore nobody wants on vacation. So we went with a gas fire pit, and it’s been one of our best decisions.
Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of it during your stay.
How to Use the Fire Pit
We get asked about this constantly, and honestly, it could not be simpler. The fire pit is on the ocean-side deck — you can’t miss it. Here’s the step-by-step:
- Locate the key valve. There’s a small key valve on the side of the fire pit base. It controls the gas flow.
- Turn the key counterclockwise. You’ll hear the faint hiss of gas. That’s exactly what you want.
- Light it. Use the long-reach lighter we keep near the fire pit. Hold the flame near the burner and it will ignite within a second or two. The flames come up evenly across the fire glass.
- Adjust the flame. Turn the key to increase or decrease the flame height. We usually run it at about half — enough to feel the warmth without it being overwhelming.
- When you’re done, turn the key clockwise until it stops. The flame will go out. That’s it.
No smoke. No ash. No hauling firewood. No waiting 30 minutes for it to get going. You turn a key, you have fire. You turn it back, it’s off. We’ve watched guests go from “I’ve never used a gas fire pit” to experts in about 15 seconds.
One tip: the fire glass (the decorative glass pieces in the pit) can retain heat for a while after you turn off the gas. Give it 15–20 minutes before touching anything inside the pit, especially if kids are around.
The Art of S’mores at Sea Esta
Yes, you can absolutely roast marshmallows over the gas fire pit. We keep marshmallow roasting sticks at the house — long-handled, safe, and easy to use. They’re perfect for getting that golden-brown exterior without singeing your arm hair.
What you’ll need to bring (or pick up on the way):
- Marshmallows. Standard size or jumbo — dealer’s choice. Jumbo roast more evenly and give you a better marshmallow-to-chocolate ratio.
- Graham crackers. The classic honey ones are hard to beat, though cinnamon is a worthy contender.
- Chocolate. Standard Hershey’s bars work fine, but if you want to level up, grab a bar of dark chocolate or salted caramel chocolate from one of the shops in Petaluma. Ghirardelli squares also melt beautifully.
The best place to stock up is Petaluma, about 30 minutes before you arrive. Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Safeway all have everything you need. If you forget, the Dillon Beach general store sometimes carries marshmallows, but don’t count on a full s’mores inventory.
Pro tip from Kellie: try your s’mores with Biscoff cookies instead of graham crackers. We started doing this last year and we’re never going back. The caramel spice with melted chocolate is something else entirely. Trader Joe’s carries them.
S’mores Technique (Yes, It Matters)
The gas fire pit produces a clean, even flame, which is actually ideal for marshmallow roasting. Hold your marshmallow about 4–6 inches above the flame and rotate slowly. You’re looking for an even golden brown all the way around. Resist the urge to plunge it into the flame — that’s how you get a charred outside with a cold center.
For the perfect s’more assembly: crack a graham cracker in half, lay a piece of chocolate on the bottom half, press the hot marshmallow onto the chocolate, and use the top cracker to slide the marshmallow off the stick. The heat from the marshmallow melts the chocolate just enough. It’s a small thing, but it’s one of those vacation moments that kids remember for years.
Wine by the Fire
If s’mores are the family move, wine by the fire pit is the grown-up version of the same magic. There is genuinely nothing like sitting on the deck at 8 PM with a glass of Sonoma Coast pinot noir, the fire pit going, and the Pacific Ocean stretching out in front of you. It’s the moment guests describe when they tell friends about Sea Esta.
We’re fortunate to live in one of the best wine regions in the world, and the coastal vineyards produce wines that feel like they were made for this exact setting. Here are our favorites:
Fort Ross Vineyard
Located on the true Sonoma Coast, Fort Ross makes pinot noir that’s elegant, mineral-driven, and absolutely stunning. Their estate vineyard sits at 1,800 feet above the Pacific, and you can taste the coastal influence in every sip — there’s a salinity and freshness that pairs perfectly with ocean air. If you can only grab one bottle for the fire pit, make it this one. Their tasting room is worth a visit if you have a free afternoon — it’s about an hour north of Dillon Beach along one of the most beautiful drives in California.
Red Car Wine
Red Car focuses on cool-climate pinot noir and syrah from the Sonoma Coast. Their wines are bold but balanced, with a richness that pairs beautifully with a chilly evening by the fire. You can find their bottles at wine shops in Petaluma and Sebastopol. The syrah, in particular, is a sleeper pick — big enough to stand up to the cold night air, smooth enough to sip slowly while you watch the stars come out.
Halleck Vineyard
A small family winery in Sebastopol that consistently produces some of the best pinot noir in Sonoma County. Their wines have won more awards than we can list, but what we love most is the approachability — these are wines you want to drink, not just admire. Their tasting room is intimate and the staff genuinely loves talking about wine. It’s about 40 minutes from Dillon Beach and makes for a great afternoon outing before a fire pit evening.
Can’t make it to a tasting room? Petaluma has several excellent wine shops. We like stopping in before heading home and grabbing a couple bottles for the week. Ask for Sonoma Coast pinot noir and you won’t go wrong.
Stargazing from the Deck
Here’s something most guests don’t expect: Dillon Beach has remarkably dark skies. We’re far from any city, the nearest significant light pollution is Petaluma (30 minutes away), and the ocean to the west is pure darkness. On a clear night, the sky here will take your breath away.
The fire pit actually makes stargazing better, not worse. The low flames don’t throw enough light to affect your night vision significantly, and having a warm spot to sit means you’ll stay outside long enough for your eyes to fully adjust. Give it 15–20 minutes after you settle in and you’ll start seeing stars you didn’t know existed.
What You’ll See
- The Milky Way. On clear, moonless nights (check the lunar calendar before your trip), you can see the Milky Way arcing across the sky. It’s visible from about April through October, with the galactic center at its most dramatic in July and August. It looks like a luminous river overhead, and once you see it from Dillon Beach, you’ll understand why people drive hours to find dark skies.
- Shooting stars. Sporadic meteors are visible on any clear night if you watch long enough. During the Perseid meteor shower in mid-August, you can see dozens per hour streaking across the sky. It’s one of the best natural shows anywhere, and our deck is an ideal viewing spot — recline, look up, and wait.
- Planets. Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn are all visible to the naked eye at various times of year. They’re the bright “stars” that don’t twinkle. Jupiter and Venus are often the brightest objects in the sky after the moon.
- Orion. Visible in winter months (roughly November through March), Orion is the most recognizable constellation in the sky. The three belt stars are unmistakable, and with binoculars you can see the Orion Nebula just below the belt — a fuzzy patch of light that’s actually a stellar nursery 1,300 light-years away.
- The Big Dipper. Visible year-round from Dillon Beach, this is the constellation most people can find without help. Follow the two “pointer stars” at the end of the cup and they lead straight to Polaris, the North Star.
Best Months for Stargazing
August through October are the prime months. Summer fog typically clears by August, and the fall months bring crisp, clear skies before the winter rains arrive. September is probably the single best month — warm enough to sit outside comfortably, clear enough to see deep into the sky, and the Milky Way is still positioned beautifully overhead.
Winter can also be spectacular — cold, clear nights after a storm passes through can produce some of the most transparent skies of the year. You’ll just want extra blankets and a hot drink in hand.
Stargazing Apps We Recommend
- Sky Guide (iOS) — Our favorite. Point your phone at the sky and it identifies everything in real time. Beautiful interface, works offline, and the AR mode feels like magic.
- Stellarium (iOS and Android) — Free, incredibly detailed, and great for planning what you’ll see on a specific night. You can set your location to Dillon Beach and it will show you exactly what’s visible.
Download one before you arrive — cell service in Dillon Beach is limited, and you don’t want to be waiting for an app to download when the sky is putting on a show. Both apps work fully offline once installed.
Fire Pit Etiquette
We want you to enjoy the fire pit to the fullest, and we want our neighbors to love having Sea Esta next door. A few simple guidelines:
- Keep the volume reasonable after 10 PM. Dillon Beach is a quiet residential neighborhood. Conversation around the fire is perfect; music blasting from the deck is not. Sound carries far at the coast, especially at night when the wind dies down.
- Don’t leave the fire pit running unattended. It’s gas, so there’s no fire spread risk, but it’s a good habit and it saves propane. If everyone heads inside, turn the key off.
- Watch children around the fire pit. The flames are real and the fire glass gets hot. Kids are welcome at the fire — just keep an eye on little hands.
- Keep roasting sticks over the fire, not near the furniture. Melted marshmallow on deck cushions is a thing that has happened. We’d prefer not to repeat it.
The Vibe
We’ve sat by this fire pit hundreds of times, and it never gets old. The sound of waves is constant — sometimes a gentle rhythm, sometimes a full-throated roar, but always there. The salt air has a particular quality at night that’s hard to describe until you experience it. And the darkness out over the ocean is complete, so every star feels closer than it should.
Some of our guests curl up with a blanket and a book. Some bring a bottle of wine and sit for hours talking. Families make s’mores and play card games by firelight. Couples just sit together and listen to the water. There’s no wrong way to use the fire pit, and there’s no moment at Sea Esta quite like it.
If we had to describe the Sea Esta experience in a single image, it would be this: you, a glass of good wine, the fire pit glowing, and the Pacific Ocean filling the darkness with sound. That’s what we built this place for.
Ready for fire pit nights at the coast? Sea Esta is a modern beach cottage in Dillon Beach with ocean views, a gas fire pit, heated floors, and everything you need for an unforgettable stay.