By Kevin Smith, Staff Writer

The rooms at Pigeon Point hostel are simply furnished but clean and affordable starting at around $76 a night for a private room with a double bed and single bunk above.

That was perfect for the three of us. Each of the four buildings also has a full kitchen and a common room stocked with an assortment of books, games and sometimes even a piano. Ours had an aquarium and a miniature pool table.

But you wouldn’t want to hang out there too long because there’s plenty of other stuff to do outside, like that great hiking path that circles the grounds and eventually drops you down on the beach.

They also have an oceanfront boardwalk and a private Jacuzzi. Their website says you can rent the Jacuzzi for $8 a half hour, but our host let us use it for free.

Perched on the coast above soaring brown pelicans, Pacific harbor seals and migrating gray whales, it offers a soothing escape from your troubles. And if you’re heading south toward those gas prices, you’ll meet trouble soon enough.