Mendocino Headlands State Park is unforgettable. We walked straight from the village out along the…read morebluffs, with sweeping ocean views the entire way, then made our way down to a quiet beach where there was no one else around. Just sitting there with the sound of waves and birds felt incredibly peaceful. Simple, raw, and beautiful in a way that's hard to describe. One of those places that makes you slow down and just take it all in. Absolutely worth the walk from town.

We were able to find street parking easily in the morning- free. We walked a small section of the…read moreMendocino Headlands Trail. The bluffs and ocean views were beautiful. There were stairs on the side that lead to Portuguese Beach. We also viewed the blow hole. It was windy out there, but overall it was a nice quick stop.

This was a cute little place to stop and take pictures at we really enjoyed the view. It is very…read moresketchy to go down into the beach area and we almost fell a few times. There is a lot of different people around all over the place taking pictures. Overall definitely a nice rest stop. Idk if I'd go out of my way to visit though but it's cool to have come once.

A few miles south on Hwy 1 from Pt. Arena. Takes a few minutes to get there, park at the beach sign…read more(heading south) AND make sure to look for the trail head to the North side on that lot. Get there 30 mins, or an hour BEFORE LOW TIDE, walk down the trail (Be Careful) and watch the tide head out- you'll see the massive Bowling Balls. Keep track of the tides, Be safe.

Well, we don't camp here, but the small and free public beach is definitely worth a stop. I fondly…read moreremember coming here with my father - he loved this beach - and it was the subject of a couple of his watercolors. Came here In the summer with my wife and we enjoyed the combo of the ocean surf and the wide Navarro River. The river ends in the sea here. The beach access road is on the west side of Hwy 1 immediately south of the Navarro Bridge.

On the south side of the Navarro River near the bridge, this campground is at the end of a very…read morenarrow roadway. There is a decent sized parking lot that includes a number of first-come, first-served camping spots next to the "temporarily closed" Captain Fletcher's Inn. The beach is open and the parking is free. Several large trees have drifted down the river and washed up on the beach, which makes for some wonderful pictures. Other than the roaring wind and the crashing ocean, it was completely peaceful. I can absolutely understand why people would want to camp here. [Review 17636 overall - 426 in California - 1157 of 2022.]

Big River State Park in Mendocino is absolutely stunning, one of those places where you're reminded…read morehow much nature is showing off along this coast. With the river winding through redwoods and opening out toward the ocean, the scenery feels almost unreal in its scale and beauty. There are trails everywhere, great spots for kayaking, hiking, or just sitting quietly and taking it all in. The whole Mendocino area is packed with parks, and this one is a standout for its grandeur and sense of peace. It really feels like a place to slow down and appreciate how incredible the natural world is.

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!

If you are up for an adventure this is it and the best part is that its free. First you have to…read morecross the Little Rock Cemetery to get to the trail that takes you to the ledge of a giant sink hole. If this doesn't feel like an adventure to you yet then find the hole in the safety fence, locate a rope that is tied around a tree and climb down to the little beach below. After all of that and your still feeling brave then enter the dark cave which leads you to the crashing waves. This cave would be absolutely perfect for some kind of sea monster movie because it is big enough for a giant sea serpent. I'm totally afraid of heights but I'm so glad that I was brave enough for this memorable adventure. Who said you can't rappel down to the sink hole wearing a pink pencil dress?

Hard to find but worry it. No signage on the street. Just walk through the cemetery and you'll see…read morethe trail. Someone has conveniently laid ropes to help you climb down to the cave. Careful. It's slippery and the drop-offs a bit scary. close. Little trails take you to the waters edge. We were the only ones there. Beautiful view. Only 40-45 minute stay max. Worth it.

Let's start with the view! When we walked in the front door, my friends and I were amazed by the…read moregorgeous sight in front of us -- we could see all the way to Point Arena. After a long drive, we went straight for a dip in the hot tub to relax. As we settled in for our stay, we discovered that La Puerta is amazingly well equipped for a vacation rental. The kitchen has just about every tool you can imagine and a surprisingly good spice cabinet (when was the last time you saw cumin and dry mustard in a vacation rental?!). They even put out a blanket that says "La Puerta Puppy" for my dog. The location is ideal. It's less than 15 minutes to Mendocino. We spent most of our time at the house, though, just relaxing, taking in the view and the sound of the waves while we cooked and played some of the games from the small bedroom. We did venture down the hill to Navarro Beach and saw some amazing driftwood structures. Even on a sunny, warm day, we had the beach almost to ourselves. Britton was super helpful with information about the house and the area. She responded quickly to every question I had and provided great tips for what to do and see around Albion and Mendocino. We will definitely be back.

The view is spectacular. It changes throughout the day, sometimes sunny, sometimes foggy but always…read morebeautiful. The house is very comfortable. We had 6 adults and 3 small kids. There was a port-a-crib for the littlest. Everyone enjoyed the hot tub and sauna. The kitchen is fully equipped, a true chef's kitchen. The owner is a phone call away for any questions but their guide book answered most of them. Location is a 5 minutes drive from the beach, lots of hikes farther away, kayaking and wine tasting. We were there for a week and could have stayed longer.

We have been coming to this area for vacation off and on for years, but had never heard this…read moreexisted. Found it only on Yelp looking for local parks. The directions on Yelp were perfect to find the trail - right behind Pt Arena city hall. We did not see much signage, nothing to flag the trail entrance. Just look for a wooden gate behind and on the right side of city hall; it looks closed but pushes open. The trail is skinny, so two people cannot walk abreast. After a nice forested start, the trail goes through lovely open fields. The views then open up to some tremendous coastal cliffs with crashing waves. We did not take it very far, as my knee was aching, so I decided to not push it. But it all looks wonderful, and look forward to returning and seeing more. We also stopped by the part of the open space by the Point Arena lighthouse. Turn onto lighthouse road, and it's 1.4 miles up the road on the left, a dirt parking area. Fantastic coastal scenery here, bring your camera. The first location remains relatively unknown, but on a summer weekday the lighthouse area had a decent number of people. (There is a single pit toilet at the lighthouse parking area, but no lock.)

Pros: - We went with my mom who has arthritis and it was…read moreflat and a great spot for us to walk as a family - Incredible views!!!!! - Lovely from both sides - we hiked the south part one morning and the north part another morning Cons: - Windy! I'd recommend a windbreaker or jacket, even on a warmer day. If you have longer hair, bring a hat or headband.

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.]

Freedom of Beach…read more Random beach we stopped at along our way up the PCH to Ft Bragg to stretch our legs and use the facilities. The Good: *It's nature and a beach all rolled into one! :) *Easy access off the freeway and free parking. *Restrooms (see below) *Decent views of the ocean but nothing we haven't seen before and better. *Waters seem fairly calm and would be a good place to kayak. The Meh: *No sandy beaches but full of smallish river rocks that make walking on the beach a chore. *Because of the aforementioned rocks not a place you can picnic or hangout, really. The Ugly: *The restrooms are the hole-in-the-ground type and obviously hadn't been pumped in a while. #CantUnseeThat TLDR: Nice stretch of coastline that would be great for kayaking but not much else beyond a leg stretch and pit stop--just don't look down... 0_o

This place has great coast views! Camping is quiet and without amenities! Sites are spread out! No…read morehost on site! Self register and $35 overnight! Great sunset from my site! Must drive or it's a very long hike to the beach! I can also see the Point Arena lighthouse from my site! Overall good camping for the price! I would give it a five stars if it had power hookups!

Service was great and staff was friendly. I will definitely be back. I am looking forward to coming…read moreback.