Celebrating My 50th in Plymouth, California

After two years of very low-key pandemic birthdays, I was ready to celebrate the heck out of March 12, 2022. Not only was I turning 50, but my birthday fell on a Saturday. I found a beautiful Airbnb in Plymouth, California and invited two of my very favorite people, Jonna and Suzzi, to join the three of us for a weekend of fun. It was incredible. Everything about the trip exceeded my expectations. 

We stayed at the Historic Bunk House at Butler Hill. The bunk house was once the sleeping quarters for dozens of miners working the nearby gold mine, now restored with all the modern conveniences and plenty of historic touches. 

The 3-bedroom 3-bath house had more than enough space for our group of five. 

The large grounds include a lawn, an amphitheater area, water features, and a bar inside a granary.

The back fence is a replica of an old mining town.  

We arrived in Plymouth Friday night and enjoyed a fantastic dinner at the Plymouth Hotel. Definitely get the lumpia and a wood-fired pizza (or three). We spent the rest of the evening chatting and playing games at the house. Well, four of us did. One of us had to write an English essay that was due at midnight. I don't know why, but a lot of Trevor's homework is due on Fridays at midnight. 

On Saturday morning, Jonna, Suzzi, and I took a field trip to Donut Street Cafe. Look at their gorgeous donuts. They all tasted incredible. Lest you think I ate a dozen donuts by myself, let me clarify that I cut every donut into fifths so that we could each try them all. So I only ate 2.4 donuts. 

We dined al fresco. The weather was beautiful and it was a great way to start the day. 

We went back inside where I opened my gifts. 

  

Then we did a murder mystery set at the bunk house back during the mining era. That's one of the neatest things about this Airbnb - you tell them how many people will be there and they set up a murder mystery for you that is perfectly suited to the size of your group. We had so much fun trying to solve the mystery. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that I guessed correctly!

Jonna and Suzzi worked together planning a gift that was absolutely perfect for me: a charcuterie board and a huge assortment of cheeses, meats, fruits, breads, crackers, nuts, and more for me to arrange for lunch. I LOVED it. I had no idea putting together a charcuterie board was that much fun. 

  

Here's a top-down view: 

Again, that was food for five. Despite the fact that I posed with it by myself, that most definitely wasn't a single serving. We didn't even finish everything on the board (despite our best efforts). 

We'd planned to go out to a fancy dinner, but I had so much fun making the charcuterie board that I asked if I could make a different one for dinner. There was so much food left that I hadn't put onto the lunch board that I thought it would be a great challenge to see if I could make something completely different for dinner. I'm skipping ahead a bit, but here's how that one turned out:  

So what did we do in between lunch and dinner? I put together my puzzle, we played games, and we walked through the town of Plymouth. After dinner, we had cake, watched a movie, and played more games. It was the perfect way to spend my birthday. 

We went to sleep way past my bedtime and lost an hour during the night (I'm not a fan of Daylight Savings Time), but we still had plenty of time on Sunday to continue celebrating. I'd requested a late checkout from our hosts, which they were happy to grant. 

I'd also requested their scavenger hunt. Not only do they have that great murder mystery you can do, but they also set up a hunt that takes you around the property and into historic sites in town. So cool! 

We hunted for rocks that spelled out the next clue. 

We visited the site of the original mine and used the sign to find another clue. 

  

We assembled a map and a followed a poem for more clues. 

  

The Dead Fly Diner was not part of the scavenger hunt, but I had to take a photo. I have no words.  

We found a clue by a grave near the Odd Fellows Hall. 

At the end, we found certificates declaring we'd completed the scavenger hunt. What a fun touch!

I loved absolutely everything about our time in Plymouth and specifically at the Historic Bunk House at Butler Hill. If you're looking for a fun weekend trip, definitely check it out. 

Huge thanks to Steve, Trevor, Jonna, and Suzzi for making my 50th birthday one I will never forget. It was absolutely perfect and I am so grateful.