California has a lot of amazing destinations but one that has really stood out for me is Mendocino. It’s a small beach town surrounded by state parks, redwood forests, rivers, and wineries. All the places listed on this blog can be visited in a 2-3 day trip.
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Where is Mendocino?
Mendocino is in Northern California, about a 3.5 hours drive north of San Francisco. If you are planning on a Pacific Coast Highway Roadtrip this is a great stop to include along with Monterey and Big Sur.
The Best Hotels in Mendocino
Little River Inn
We stayed in Little River Inn which was perfect. They have pet friendly rooms that have ocean views and it was very close to all the attractions in Mendocino.
We chose the Hannah Madison Suite which was actually separate from the main hotel but had more privacy. The view from here was incredible. Our room had a balcony with chairs and a hot tub, I truly can’t imagine a better way to spend sunset than soaking from here. Check Rates
Nicholson House at Beaujolais
One of the top stays in Mendocino is the Nicholson House. This charming cottage is located in the heart of downtown so you can walk to the coast, shops, and all the restaurants. Cafe Beaujolais is also worth visiting for the pizza alone! Some of the best food we’ve had on this trip. Check Rates
Mendocino Grove Glamping
The glamping tents in Mendocino Grove is the perfect middle ground between camping and luxury. This accommodation features a fireplace in each tent, wifi, shared bath, BBQ grills, and more. Check Rates
Find more hotel options in Mendocino
Camping
If you are looking to camp, there are some great options here as well. We camped in the following campgrounds and had a great experience. Each one had all the amenities like hot showers, fire pits, and clean bathrooms.
Russian River Gulch State Park Campground: In the most picturesque State Park but sites are hard to come by. We made our reservation by snagging some last minute cancellations.
Van Damme State Park Campground: Also another amazing camping option. They also have beach camping for self contained vehicles like RVs & Vans. You do not need prior reservation to park in this lot but you do have to pay the same $45 camping fee.
Albion River Campground: A great place to launch your watercraft or rent one. We got a campsite right by the river and paddling here is worth going to alone-more on that later.
Things to do in Mendocino
Visit Russian Gulch State Park
If there’s one place you can’t miss in Mendocino, it’s Russian Gulch State Park. Head over to the picnic area for the most scenic views and check out some of their trails.
Fee: $8 day use per car
Dog friendly: No dogs on trails but dogs are allowed on the beach and picnic area
Rent a canoe in Big River
Big River is a scenic beauty. The color of the water is emerald or teal depending on where you are and one of the best things to do here is rent a canoe from Catch A Canoe. Their boats are dog friendly and we loved that the boat we rented had a rudder making it super easy to turn. Rent a canoe
Ride the Skunk Train to Glen Blair Bar
One of the most unique things to do in Mendocino is heading over to Fort Bragg to ride the Skunk Train to Glen Blair Bar. This ride takes you through the redwoods and into a “secret” bar in the middle of the forest. There you can find drinks, live music, fire pits, and games.
They only do these tours on Fridays and some Saturdays and the train leaves every hour with the last departure at 10:30 pm. Book the Skunk Train to Glen Blair Bar
Visit Mendocino Headlands State Park
Spend some time checking out the cliffs, natural bridges, and tide pools of Mendocino Headlands State Park. It’s close to town and a makes for a great place to watch the sunset.
Paddle Albion River
We paddled from the Albion River Campground (you don’t need to be staying here to do this) and ended up seeing abandoned floating homes when we were paddling. Truly a unique experience that not many people seem to know about. If you don’t have your own kayak or paddleboard you can rent one from the campground.
Go Wine Tasting in Anderson Valley
Anderson Valley is just 30 minutes away from Mendocino so if you have a bit of time, I recommend checking out some wineries here. A few of them like Navarro & Husch have free tastings and we enjoyed our time in both wineries. This area is known for their Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer.
Where to Eat in Mendocino
Luna Trattoria
Set in a cute garden with amazing Italian food. This restaurant is very popular so make sure to get your reservation at least a few days before.
Brickery Pizza
The perfect spot to have lunch. Their pizzas we’re great and they have a huge outdoor sitting area. You can also take your pizza to go if their patio is full and have a picnic at Mendocino Headlands State Park nearby.
Princess Seafood
If you’re craving some seafood, you need to head to Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg. We tried Princess Seafood and we loved our dishes. Their outdoor patio faces the harbor and they were also having live music the day we visited.
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