One of my favorite places to explore Nature is Mendocino County in Northern California. Mendocino is an enchanted place filled with real, unspoiled California coastline.
The best way to get to Mendocino is to fly to San Francisco Airport (SFO) or Oakland Airport (OAK). Oakland is a smaller airport so depending on where you live, it may be more expensive. Either way works. You can also fly to the Capital of California, Sacramento (SMF). This will add some additional time to get to Mendocino County.
When to go: Year-round, but great lodging prices in the Fall and better weather in late Spring and the early Summer
Trip Length: 4-5 days, but feel free to take these stops a la carte!
Distance: Approximately 450-500 miles round trip from SFO
Let's get started!
First Stop : Golden Gate Bridge National Parks | Bay Area | Cost: $ (Parking Fee)
There are 80,000 acres to explore at the Golden Gate National Parks so it can be hard to decide what to do.
- You can enjoy the spectacular views of Golden Gate Bridge throughout many of the overlooks.
- During the spring time, you can take a wildflower walk at Fort Funston
- During the winter time, you can try your luck and spot some whale at Muir Beach Overlook
Feel like going off the beaten path?
Second Stop : Point Reyes National Seashore | Marin County | Cost: $ (Free Parking)
There are some great panoramic water views with some great quick hiking trails. Elephant Seals can be seen from the Overlook near Chimney Rock Trail more frequently during birthing and mating season December through March. During Mid-April pups can be seen until the end of the spring/early summer season. The Seals can also be seen molting their skin. Be warned, the area can be loud and smelly due to the wildlife. It is best to see the elephant seals from a distance, so it's a good idea to use binoculars. Please check the Point Reyes National Park Service for any closures before you do.
Third Stop : Schooner Gulch State Beach | Mendocino County |Cost: $ (Free Parking)
Geologic oddities at Schooner Gulch State Beach have emerged from unusual combinations of rock formations and erosion. One such example is Bowling Ball Beach where rocks look like giant bowling balls.
Fun Fact : This area was frequently visited by Russian and native Alaskan hunters in the early 1800s. This is why one the Mendocino's Gulches is called Russian Gulch State Park.
Fourth Stop : B. Bryan Preserve | Point Arena, CA | Cost: $$
One of my favorite memories of Northern California! This preserve is 110 acres, home to a wide variety of animals. There are some African Antelope, Zebras, and my favorite Rothschild's Giraffe. Near the end of the tour, you are taking to the Giraffe barn where you can feed them. You are given sweet potatoes (their favorite treat) to feed them where the tour guide shows you how you can get a "Giraffe Kiss." I personally wasn’t brave enough for the kiss, but some of my fellow tourists found love. Tours are required so make sure you check out their website or call.
Fifth Stop : Russian Gulch State Park | Mendocino County | Cost: $ (Parking Fee)
Russian Gulch State Park is just two mile north of Mendocino. It features the best of the best with two main attractions. One section has pristine sandy beach views with camping and RV access. At the other end, there is a magnificent 36 foot waterfall deep in the wildness of a redwood forest filled with mosses and ferns. The last time I was here, there was a small wedding being set up under the gorgeous redwood trees.
If you have an hour: Check out the Headlands Trail, where you can gaze at the Pacific Ocean from various vantage points and investigate the park’s notorious sinkhole, Devil’s Punchbowl. Here is where you can snag a quick photo of the Frederick W. Panhorst Bridge, which rises 100 feet from the bottom of the gulch.
If you have half a day: Head up to the Park’s spectacular waterfall on the Fern Canyon Trail.
If you have a full day: Hike the Fern Canyon Loop in the morning and then another trail in the afternoon. If you watch the clock, you can catch the last rays of sun on the beach at the mouth of Russian Gulch Creek. Let's just say WOW!
Sixth Stop : Glass Beach | Fort Bragg, CA | Cost $ (Free Parking)
Located in a small town called Fort Bragg, Glass Beach is famous for its unique glass pebbles. It used to be the local landfill back in the day, however that changed when the townsfolk removed all pieces of trash. What remained was broken bits of glass and china. Over the years, the constant barrage of the waves smoothed the edges of the glass making them look like little glass pebbles.
There are two main portions of glass beach where you find the glass pebbles. On the first beach, where there is easy access, it is mostly bare from when other visitors illegally collected the glass. The farther beach is less accessible but that's where you can find real gems (blue/green/china chunks mixed in with the typical browns/clear). Please BEWARE that this is a dangerous surf area since it is a very jagged shoreline. With high tide, you may become cut off from your original trail and will need to have an escape route just in case. Remember, leave nature as it was. Do not take any glass pebbles. Future generations will no longer enjoy Glass Beach if everyone took souvenirs.
Bonus Stop : Skunk Train | Fort Bragg, CA | Cost $$
Step back in time with a ride on the Skunk Train. Here you will take a magical journey through a Redwood grove where you’ll see nature in a unique experience. Named after the stinky animal, the skunk trains are powered by a gasoline powered engine and a pot-bellied stove that burns crude oil to keep its passengers warm. The conductors shared that the trains were like skunks, “You can smell them before you can see them”. There are two towns where you can take the Skunk Train. One is in Fort Bragg and the other is Willits. I’ve hopped on the train in Willits and it was a great experience riding the train while listening to some old timey tunes sung by the onboard entertainment. They do have an onboard car for food and drinks as well as a picnic style bbq when you get off in the middle of the journey called Glen Blair Junction. The food was nothing special but it was nice to have a hot meal in middle of the cold season in October.
Final Stop : Drive-Thru Tree | Leggett, CA | Cost $ (Entrance Fee)
Have you ever wanted to drive through a tree? Well now you can! The Chandelier Tree in Leggett is approximately 100 feet above ground with giant three-armed candelabra branches. This ancient tree is approximately 2,000 years old with a height of 315 feet. This is a fun quick stop that anyone can do.
Fun Fact : The Chandelier Tree is a Coastal Redwood with no tap root, but instead a shallow root system that spreads out for 250 feet away from the base. The tree’s heartwood may be hollowed out and it will still continue to grow.