Returned to Van Damm State Park for a second time and already looking forward to future visits…read more I've yet camped at the upper campsites. Only experienced the two lower loops closest to the entrance as well as the beach across the highway. It's an overall great campground. The only concern would be your neighbors and the mosquitos at sites that are along the creek. Most if not all sites are RV friendly. Anything larger than a mid-sized travel trailer, you might want to be selective. For trailers that are low profiled, stick to the lower loops to avoid scraping. Opted to never pull a trailer here because I'm not a fan of towing on highway 1. Typically, the host would drive around the campground delivering firewood at 12 dollars a bundle. Otherwise, they are available at the host's designated site.

Gorgeous easy to follow trail that takes you along the river, up through old growth and enormous…read moretrunks, then to a Pygmy forest. All well maintained with adorable bridges along the way!

Such a gorgeous coastal walk near downtown Mendocino! There's ample parking in town and it's an…read moreeasy walk from the coffee shops to where the trail along the coast starts. There's ample parking are some great viewpoints and really gives you a taste of the Northern California coastline without having to drive far or hike.

Very pretty view of the ocean. Beware if you have a dog that pulls as the cliffs are very steep,…read moreotherwise had a blast exploring.

One of the most iconic bridges on the Mendocino coast. This state park is below the route 1. There…read moreis a large parking lot with direct access to the rivers mouth, sandy beachs and open nature. Also, a maintained restroom. We stopped for a while to take in the incredible views, walk on the waters edge and get a better look at the gulch bridge overhead. This special place is unique in its direct access to the river and area, and most just drive over the bridge without ever realizing the park is just below. This is a hidden gem on the Mendocino coastline and worth seeking it out and exploring a bit. 4.5 Stars rounded up for the direct water access 01190

I get up to Mendocino about every 5 years and always make a point to hike in Russian Gulch State…read morePark. The fern canyon and waterfall loop is a favorite and depending on the season, you can see various mushrooms, wildflowers and foliage. In the spring, the kiosk is staffed and the gate to access the campgrounds and the small lot for Fern Canyon is open. There are a few spots closer to the trailhead but more in the main lots outside the campground (which adds about half a mile to your hike.) See my previous review for more about the Fern Canyon, waterfall loop hike. You can also head down to the beach to get a view of the bridge that traverses Highway 1 and some beautiful rocky shoreline. It's pretty special that you can visit the redwoods and the coast all in one beautiful park. A must do when visiting Mendocino.

I visit Mendocino every five years or so, and each time, I make a point to stop by Jug Handle…read moreNatural Reserve. On this trip, I made it down to the beach and was rewarded with a few sea glass finds, moody coastal views and a new perspective of the park. After looping along the coastal bluff trail, there's an obvious path down to the beach that's not too steep. If you're up for a longer hike, there's the Ecological Staircase trail. I've not done that hike, yet, but seems like it could be an interesting adventure. Since my last visit, I've noticed improvements on the trail and better signage. It's free to park and a great stop to stretch your legs along the Mendocino coast. Spring brings lots of wildflowers, so it's a great walk, even on rainy moody days. Always a must stop when I'm in the area.

This is a great place to access a beautiful , clean beach. It's a short hike along a trail then…read moredown some stairs. It's a perfect and not crowded beach. Since I was here last, they've created some raised decomposed granite trails. These raised, packed trails look like they would be conducive for use by strollers, walkers and wheelchairs. It's a beautiful addition to these grounds. There is a decent sized parking lot, portable toilets, clear signage. The grounds and trails are clean, the beach was prestige. Kudos for the new trails.

It was light fog on my first pass through here but still worth stopping but it was perfectly…read morebeautiful on the return the next day. This is a stunning beach and I'm so glad that I made the stops. Large parking lot that was almost empty both times in late May. I suspect that the location along CA-1 makes it rather packed and I hope you're able to get here and be at one with nature. Just sitting and being close to the Ocean and just... nothing. Perfect. [Review 17618 overall - 408 in California - 1137 of 2022.]

Van Damme is an amazing spot in the heart of Little River. A beautiful spot in a sea of beautiful…read morespots as the Mendocino Coast is a pristine place. It is great to swim, paint or just escape the nonsense all around us and to escape into nature.

Navarro River Redwoods State Park was one of the last places I explored in California before moving…read moreback to Washington State in October 2019. I was on one of my driving adventures north of the San Francisco Bay Area and noticed the sign for this park as I was driving on the road I was on. Not sure where a central hub was, I decided to explore by utilizing the pull-offs along the road. From different pull-off areas, I spotted a number of trails heading off into the redwood trees, however I opted to stay closer to my vehicle. Some of the remains of fallen redwoods were closer to where I parked and I had fun checking that out. I had recently gotten a buzzcut hairstyle and more than usual appreciated the sun protection the trees provided for my scalp/noggin.

Until today, I'd never seen a redwood tree in person. I've missed out. And if you've never seen one…read moreeither, then you're missing out. California Route 128 goes through this beautiful state park on both sides of the road with a few narrow pullouts on both sides and the occasional lane that leads back to an organized campsite. I wasn't interested in camping here but I did park and take pictures and walk through these amazing trees for a little bit, hoping that I wasn't about to get eaten by a bear. No bears spotted. The main body of the park is eleven miles long and between 20 and 500 yards wide. There is also a beach section near the Navarro River bridge with campsites available on a first-come, first-served. That wasn't today's itinerary either. Absolutely magical and I'm so glad to have experienced this park. [Review 17615 overall - 406 in California - 1134 of 2022.]

I've visited Mendocino many times and somehow have never spent time at this wonderful (and free)…read morestate park. The entrance is off Highway 1, just outside Mendocino's shopping district and headlands. There are big wide beaches where the river meets the ocean which are visible right away. However, if you make a left at the bottom of the hill and drive a short ways to the end of the lot, there's a wonderful trail that meanders alongside the river. This former logging road is wide and gently graded (at least for the first 2.5 miles I walked on it.) It's great for bikes and more casual "hikes." It goes, I believe, about 7 miles inland so you can go as far as you'd like and turn around. It's a mellow journey and one more about the sites and sounds along the trail and the general peacefullness of the area, rather than a specific destination. You weave along the river and eventually in to the redwoods, where the water views become filtered through the trees. Along the way, we saw a few banana slugs and enjoyed a mostly shaded trail. I would love to come back with my bike and do the whole trail, end to end. The start of the trail had more people, which then tapered to just a few bikers and runners after the first mile or so. Seems to be a local's spot and they're very lucky to have it!

Easy access, great park, huge area with huge parking lot. The path to the Big River is sandy, drift…read morewood and logs, grass, rocks and clean, free of trash. There are disability sized portable toilets with access to people in wheel chairs. Tide was down walked way out into a sandy bar like area. Found some jelly fish. Great place for dogs, they are supposed to be leashed even though some were roaming free. You can walk under the bridge when the tide is out, out to the ocean and beach.

Decided to rent some bikes while we were staying in Mendocino. The shop is cute with it being right…read moreon the water. Definitely debated renting a canoe as well but we just didn't have enough time. The bikes were perfect to get us around town and down a trial close by. We had them reserved for 3 hours but they weren't worried about our time limit as long as we got them back by 4:30. The owners of the shop are super chill and relaxed. We felt very welcomed in their space. It was easy to book online and they're very responsive and flexible. I will say the breaks on the bike were a little worn but didn't pose any issues for us. We felt safe riding around and had no trouble.

We got the outrigger canoe for three adults and one pet and it was such a fun experience doing this…read morewith our dog! I was a little bit nervous because our pup doesn't exactly love water nor do we canoe often, but Rick via email and the staff on site were so helpful in answering any lingering questions. Rowing away from site was easy and smooth, and we floated off the side for a bit to take in the view. Once the wind picked up, rowing back was harder since we were going against the current, but still manageable! Everyone had a great time. We didn't use up the full three hours we were booked for, but nonetheless made it quite the way before turning back. We also respectfully from a distance, saw many seals! Our pup ended up enjoying her time on the canoe, and was all smiles. She was so relaxed that she actually fell asleep on the way back while we worked to paddle against the current. I'd say totally add this to your itinerary and make sure you bring a hat, sunscreen, and water for hydration!

What a fun place to go. It appears there are bathroom, but there is a keypad on them so we weren't…read moresure if they were open. There is a small parking lot with lots of spaces open on Wednesday, May 5, 2026, at around 6:30pm. There is still plenty of daylight left so this was a perfect time to visit. There aren't signs to glass beach, just a sign at the parking lot for glass beach. If you take the unpaved path and walk straight out you'll find it. To the left is a would sculpture of whales and to the right there is a sandy path to walk down to the beach. Don't climb the rocks, walk on the sandy trail. Soon as you get to the bottom you will be walking in nice size stone mixed in with broken shells. I'm not sure what kind, but there is a ton of broken pieces. Next you will get to the gravel part closest to the water. The gravel has mixed softened edges of glass pieces. The glass looks like tiny pebbles. You're not supposed to take anything home so please resist to there will be something to see for the next person that goes. The glass is all very tiny pieces. Mostly clear or green pieces. I didn't see any purple or red pieces. I believe we saw a lot of purple jelly fish. I didn't touch them so I wasn't to sure what they were. They were all washed up on the beach. This isn't the type of beach that you'll bring your beach chair and wear your bikini too. This is more of an exploring beach with trails around the area. There were no signs that said no dogs so there were a few dogs. Just make sure you're like the people we saw picking up after your dog. We had a fun time on the beach and took lots of fun pictures.

This is a top destination location for Fort Bragg, but it was definitely underwhelming. It could…read morehave been the time of day we went, but my husband and I were not impressed. It was actually disheartening to see so many people out there digging at the sand and collecting the glass. I imagine it used to be alot more abundant and beautiful, but to me, it was just a sad sight. It was packed with people and even looked a bit dirty. I'd say, head here if you're in the area, but don't expect the romantic version of it you've seen on social media. Just my two cents!