Things to do in the area

Accommodations   Directions

If you’re looking to make a longer vacation out of your trip, you’ve come to the right place.

Staying in the San Francisco Bay Area

  • On the way in/our of the area, you might want to stay in San Francisco, Oakland or Berkeley for a night or two (Oakland and Berkeley are in the “East Bay,” or east side of the San Francisco Bay, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the lingo. Staying in the East Bay is usually cheaper than staying in SF, and you can take the subway into SF easily). We don’t really have any brilliant suggestions for hotels but one often cheaper and better possibility to check out is Air B&B – a service where you rent out people’s houses rather than staying at a hotel. We’ve had really good luck with it.

On the road in Mendocino

Mendocino County is classic Northern California, with beautiful redwood forests, gorgeous rugged ocean cliffs and kickass wineries. Be sure to spend some time walking on the paths by the ocean in the town of Mendocino itself, and consider leaving some time on the drive up for a picnic amidst the redwoods or a visit to the wineries of the Anderson Valley. As you’re coming from SF, Highway 128 curves back and forth over rolling hills of oak woodlands, then passes through the Anderson Valley and its wineries, and finally enters a magnificent eleven-mile-long redwood forest tunnel along the Navarro River before opening up to the sea. Here are some of our top picks for stuff to do in the Mendocino area (and here they are on a map):

 

Anderson Valley

This is your place for wine & beer tasting. The main towns in the valley are Boonville and, a little further north, the hamlet of Philo. If you’re wanting to stop for a bite, I’d opt for the restaurants in Boonville (the one Mexican place in Philo is pretty mediocre, but Boonville might not blow you away either. All the restaurants are by the road, and the towns are small, so you can check out their menus).

  • Beer Tasting – Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Boonville. Trust us, eh? They’ve got good brews.
  • Wine tasting: The Anderson Valley has lots of good wineries, and knowledgeable, down-to-earth people staffing them who are up for chatting & answering questions. Few of the places charge for tastings and, thankfully, you don’t have to elbow throngs of people out of the way to get to the counter and swill some Pinot. Overall, it kicks the ass of the more famous Napa & Sonoma valleys. Some of our favourite wineries are Navarro and Brutocao, but there are plenty to explore. Here’s a list.
    Update:After a recent trip to the site, we’d also like to recommend Toulouse Vineyards. It’s well worth a stop.
  • Picnics: If you feel moved to stop for a picnic and need to pick up supplies, there’s a health food store in Boonville (Naturally FIne Foods). Many of the wineries have outdoor patios with tables where you can enjoy a glass of their wine and eat some snacks. After you pass the wineries and in the final stretch before you hit the ocean, you’ll come to Navarro River Redwoods State Park – another great place to get out of the car, have a snack, jump in the river and frolic amidst very, very tall trees. More info about the park here.
  • Stay a night! Want to stay an extra day or two in the Anderson Valley on the way up or back? Here are some good options…
    • Camping
    • B&Bs: There are a bunch of them; they tend to be on the pricey side. The only one we can vouch for is the Philo Apple Farm B&B. It’s really nice. You can search online for others (search for Anderson Valley, Philo or Boonville).

Mendocino – the town & coastline

The town of Mendocino is a very boutique-y Northern California town. It’s definitely touristy and, again, on the pricey side, but quite lovely. There are a bunch of restaurants and hotels/B&B’s… it’s a small place, so very easy to check out the entirety by car or on foot. There are natural food stores and grocery stores here if you want to pick up some food. Not to be missed is a walk on the paths by the ocean (and it’s free!) – it’s stunningly gorgeous, rugged coastline. The paths are accessible by going to the southwest end of town (i.e. drive to the south end of town and towards the ocean). Amazing. And usually very windy – bring your layers. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, canoeing and kayaking close to town, and it’s easy to rent equipment. If you feel like staying at a pretty luxurious hotel, the Stanford Inn by the Sea is pricey but beautiful. They also have a fabulous gourmet organic vegan restaurant. Honestly, the restaurant is delicious, even though it’s vegan.

Old Growth Redwoods 

One of the most magical places on earth is an old growth redwood grove at Montgomery Woods State Reserve, off the Comptche-Ukian road between the towns of Mendocino and Ukiah. It’s a short but steep 1/4 mile walk from the road, and so worth a visit, especially if you’ve never seen giant west coast trees. It’s on the road to Orr Hot Springs, so easily combined in a visit.

Soakin’ in hot springs 

If you’re looking for a quintessential Northern California experience, go soak your bones in some natural hot springs. Orr Hot Springs is a fantastically chill place with nice tubs, decks and sauna and steam room. They is no food available on site – you have to bring your own and prepare it in the communal kitchen, so be sure to hit the grocery store first. Note that Orr is “clothing optional” (translation from Northern Californian dialect: many/most folks will be naked in the pools, but you can wear a bathing suit if you want. Yes, male and female bodied folks soak in the same place). Children are welcome. Orr is on a country road about 45 minutes away from the town of Mendocino to the east (you can drive on the road from Mendocino to the town of Ukiah, then back south on Highway 101 to the Bay Area). You can go for the day (6 hours) or stay overnight but either way, advanced reservations are required. There are some camping spots as well as cabins. They don’t have their own website because they get plenty of business through word of mouth. Call them to ask about availability and to make reservations: 707-462-6277.