North Coast Redwoods, Seascapes, and Wine Tasting

Redwood-bounded Crescent City lies in the top left-hand corner of the state, where ancient trees grow to enormous heights and waves crash on rock-strewn shores. Start your visit by checking the daily schedule at the historic Battery Point Lighthouse. When the tide recedes, you can walk to this mariner’s beacon perched on an offshore rock and climb the spiral stairsteps to the light tower. A short walk away, pop in to Seaquake Brewing's lofty warehouse space for a blonde ale or non-alcoholic kombucha paired with New England clam chowder. Four miles south of town, hike to Enderts Beach to marvel at the tide pools on its southern edge. You’ll likely spot urchins, anemones, sea stars, limpets, and more.

Nestled on headlands overlooking a teacup harbor, picture-perfect Trinidad makes it hard to put your camera away. Survey the scene from land with a hike to the top of Trinidad Head, or join a guided paddling excursion with Kayak Trinidad to commune with seals and seabirds in the protected waters of Trinidad Bay. Swing over to Sue-meg State Park to search for gems at Agate Beach, or hike through a tunnel of Bishop pines and Sitka spruce to Wedding Rock, a coastal overlook atop a stalwart sea stack. At dinnertime, cozy up at Larrupin Cafe with tofu kabobs or filet mignon served among twinkling lights and eclectic decor. Before bedding town, watch the stars twinkle over the water at Turtle Rocks Oceanfront Inn. 

Soak in the sea-salty air in Eureka, a harbor city with a rich maritime heritage. Learn about the city’s fascinating past as you float across Humboldt Bay aboard the 1909 wooden cruiser Madaket. Take a self-guided tour of downtown’s well-preserved Victorian buildings, and survey the work of Humboldt County artists at the Morris Graves Museum, housed in a stately 1902 Carnegie Library. Swing into Humboldt Bay Provisions to taste oysters harvested from the bay. For dinner, Tavern 1888 serves hyper-local cuisine—mushrooms from Fungaia Farms, lettuce from Little River Farm and Humboldt Hydrofarms—plus seafood from Humboldt and Arcata bays. Sleep in Victorian splendor in the blush-toned Pinc Lady Mansion, an 1889 Queen Anne decked out with stained glass windows and gingerbread flourishes. 

Weott is the northern jumping-off point for the Avenue of the Giants, a 31.5-mile route enveloped by titanic redwoods. Nearly 60 percent of the world’s tallest trees can be viewed along this road, so prepare to crane your neck and say “wow” repeatedly. Stop into the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center to learn about this astounding ecosystem, and pull over for a slow, reverent walk among the conifers at the Drury-Chaney Grove, Rockefeller Forest, or Founders Grove. When you need a food stop, Redwood Palace in the town of Miranda satisfies with burgers, salads, and charcuterie. End your redwood-filled day at Garberville’s Benbow Historic Inn, a 1920s resort on the Eel River. 

Miles of wild Pacific-edge scenery lure you to linger in Fort Bragg. Start with an oceanside walk on the paved Coastal Trail, then pay a visit to the International Sea Glass Museum, where more than 3,000 pieces of sea glass and sea-tumbled terracotta are on display. Soak up more surf-crashing drama at Jug Handle Beach at Jug Handle State Natural Reserve, five miles south of town. From the reserve’s parking lot, the Ecological Staircase Nature Trail heads inland along a series of wave-cut terraces, showing off a variety of flora. For even more botanical drama, take a stroll among the roses, begonias, and towering trees at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. The 47-acre preserve offers a brilliant foliage show year-round, but spring is the showstopping season when more than 1,000 rhododendrons burst into bloom. At dinnertime, head to The Wharf at Noyo Harbor for cioppino, crab ravioli, and the chance to watch the fishing fleet come in. 

Wander the art-centric village of Mendocino, where 1800s cottages are fronted by rose-entwined picket fences and shops beckon with coastal art and one-of-a-kind gifts. Order a cappuccino and avocado toast at Goodlife Cafe and Bakery, then visit the Ford House Museum on Main Street to learn about Mendocino’s logging history and the Pacific gray whale’s annual migration. See what the local artists are creating at the Mendocino Art Center, then get outside and play: Stroll along Big River Beach at Mendocino Headlands State Park, or hike the oceanfront bluffs at Spring Ranch, where waves crash, seals dive, and pelicans plunge. Rent a bike and pedal along the Big River Trail, which travels alongside the Big River and its estuary. 

The hamlet of Philo lies in the heart of the vineyard-rich Anderson Valley—15 miles of rolling hills that produce spectacular Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Alsace varietals. Stop at any tasting room that strikes your fancy, perhaps Goldeneye Winery for Pinot Noir, Handley Cellars for Chardonnay, or Roederer Estate for sparkling wines. There’s more to do than sip and swirl: Take a walk among the big trees at Hendy Woods State Park, where ancient redwoods grow 300 feet tall. Pick up picnic sandwiches at Lemon’s Philo Market, then taste organic ciders under the apple trees at Gowan's. Down the road, The Apple Farm sells jams, chutneys, and preserves made from 100-plus varieties of homegrown apples. 

Boonville is the biggest community in the farm- and vineyard-studded Anderson Valley, but its population barely reaches 1,000 people. The half-mile-long town achieves a friendly merger of down-to-earth ranch life and wine-country urbanity. Poke around the Anderson Valley Historical Museum, housed in a one-room schoolhouse. Shop for artisan goods at Farmhouse Mercantile and vintage curiosities at Sun & Cricket. Book a wine-and-cheese tasting at Pennyroyal Farm and get acquainted with adorable goats. Visit Anderson Valley Brewing Company’s sustainable beer-making campus, a 30-acre “park” with live music on weekends, an 18-hole disc golf course, and lush lawns for kids to play on. Kick back with a veggie burger on a ciabatta bun at Lauren’s at the Buckhorn, then stroll over to Paysanne for artisan ice cream. 

Ukiah is both a place and a lifestyle, sitting snugly at the intersection of cowboy-casual and wine-country sophistication. The vineyard-dotted town delivers on the unexpected: Wander the meditative grounds of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas monastio community or dine on Malaysian-Indo-Chinese fare at the monastery’s vegan restaurant, Jyun Kang. Visit the Grace Hudson Museum to see the artist’s early 20th-century paintings of the native Pomo people. Three miles from downtown, naturally carbonated mineral water rises from the earth at Vichy Springs Resort. Bliss out with a soak and a massage, then head back to town for sushi at Oco Time, tacos at La Cocina, or farm-to-fork fare at Cultivo.