We did a road trip with the kids to California’s North Coast and to explore Mendocino and Ft. Bragg. The area is stunning. Lush forests of redwoods and evergreens blanket the bluffs facing the Pacific. Even the piney smell of the region is renewing. It reminded us of Big Sur with more places to stay and eat. Most accommodations are small inns or bed and breakfasts. We stayed at the Heritage House in nearby Little River which we loved. Food, even at casual spots, was high quality and generally amazing. After two nights, we took the scenic way home along Highway 1 and stopped for some beach time at Sea Ranch which I had wanted to check out for many years just based on its architecture. If we did not have kids with us we would have done a weed tour (apparently Mendocino is an epic source of plants) or hit some of the.many vineyards and breweries along the way. Feel free to reach out for color or tips.
Highlights included:
Lodging and dinner at Heritage House (Little River)
Breakfast at Goodlife Cafe (Mendocino)
Glass Beach and the Coastal Trail (Ft Bragg)
Noya Harbor (Ft Bragg)
Mendocino Botanical Garden
Circa 62 (Breakfast)
Shell Beach (Sea Ranch)
Vue Kitchen (Gualala)