We enjoyed finding these gardens and quickly decided we'd return on another trip…read more The various sections were full of varieties of different types of flowers, which kept my eyes happy and camera busy. The view of the Mendicino coast is beautiful and worth stopping and enjoying the weather. We also stopped at their cafe and enjoyed a sandwich and bowl of chowder. If you're driving from the 101, starting from Ukiah, I'd recommend taking the southern route to the gardens. It's more scenic and less frantic. The northern route can be pretty hair-raising since locals seem to treat the drive as a challenge to get their first.

Another great visit to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Said hi to Marly; I'm friends with…read moreher sister. The dahlias were in full bloom, so beautiful. The agave plant was also in bloom. New art along the pathways and done that I enjoy seeing every visit. Lots of people, lots of dogs, lots of sun and plants. Another delightful day at the gardens. Loved the bird houses to be auctioned.

Grr. Oh Yelp, why dost thou load my photographs backwards? I wanted to tell a story …read more.. Just back from a beautiful weekend on the Humboldt/Mendocino Coast. Back to what appears a rainy day in the Bay Area. In late June. Wtf. This walk was as splendid as the last. Different, as I had a hiking buddy this time, different as I left the water filter on my bed at home and had to beg other hikers for the use of theirs. Different in those respects but similar in many others. Tips: 1. Bring the bear can for the food. I still don't think you need it if you think about what you're doing before you do it but the rangers don't agree and as we saw two this trip and they are serious about the bears you may as well bring it along. I hate bear cans. 2. Time your walk so you can stay at the best campsites. I like Big Flat the best of all. It's about 17 miles in from the northern trailhead, so either: a) start early and walk all the way there in one day, or b) start late, spend the first night at the lighthouse (3 ish miles), and make a more leisurely day of it to the sweet driftwood shelters that will serve for your Big Flat dwelling on day 2. 3. Time the tides. I don't fret too much over them but it pays to have a general sense of when they'll be high. Some spots are tough to traverse at high water. And some of the tough spots at high water are comprised of stones the size of bowling balls that when wet and when you're in a hurry because of sneaker waves can be a real pain to get across. Literally. 4. Watch for the rattlers in the grass; don't tree your food. 5. Pack a little tequila for the gloaming. About 280 miles from Temescal to the mouth of the Mattole (north trailhead). Less to Shelter Cove. You can take two cars and shuttle around (if you have company) or park at Shelter Cove and arrange for a shuttle to take you north (you'll be hiking back to your car at SC). A couple of years ago I paid 50 clams for a solo trip from SC to the put-in. Takes about an hour and a half to get around. The Lost Coast is about as far in miles and time as Yosemite Valley. In all other respects, it's a world apart. We're blessed to live in such a wonderful place. Take it all in.

I went backpacking this Memorial weekend. It was an unforgettable experience…read more Lost Coast. First time I heard the name, I imagined a very desolated and abandoned coast. I got a picture in my mind the ocean sitting with sadness. I went there and found my image was not so wrong. There were a lot of driftwood on the beach as if it was abandoned by somebody. Scattered woods looked in grief. However, right next to the beach with dead trees, steep hills with lush green reside. What a contrast. The other side is Pacific Ocean. Ocean is powerful and strong. Reflecting the sun, the ocean was very shiny. So beautiful. I was able to see whales, sealions, and sea otters. Beauty and sadness exist on the same page. Actually the naming is from depopulation in 1930. Now many backpackers are attracted by the pretty scenery. In terms of difficulty of backpacking, I would say it is very different from doing in the Eastern Sierra. Hiking on the sandy and rocky beach requires another muscles. Overall, this Memorial Weekend was memorable.

I was impressed by this park because it was so beautiful, family friendly and it had immaculate…read morebathrooms! There's a little loop path that has little signs about Redwood trees, the birds nearby and the fun facts. I appreciate how there's a grassy pasture in case you bring pups (they shouldn't go on the trails). There were picnic tables around too to enjoy a meal. The bathrooms were clean and unique, I'd never seen a skylight in a bathroom.

Nice state park, well maintained, nice folks In charge. Close to "Northern Nights Festival" and…read more"Ragge on the River", for night before camping.

Great tide pool find! Check tide times online before going so you know the best time to visit, go…read moreat low tide to be able to see and explore more of the rocks and creatures. Starfish, hermit crabs, larger crabs, sea urchin, fish

Free access day today…read more Beautiful, well maintained, clean restrooms, accessible to all levels of mobility, leashed dogs welcome, gift shop. Plenty of trash receptacles. Wood sidewalk/path plus smooth trails. Cool whale skeleton and information. Something for a everyone whether you want to camp or day use. Clean beaches, flowers, plants, birds, greenery, deer. Friendly staff members

Stopped by here a few years ago and loved the area, its peaceful, we hiked down to the black sands…read morebeach, but it was pretty rough on the feet so you can't do bare feet due to the rocks, but it was a gorgeous spot worth checking out since we were there, the water is cold, and the waves are high so you can't swim, but its nice for sight seeing

Black Sands Beach is a beautiful beach that is secluded. We went on a busy weekend, although I hear…read morethat on non- busy weekends or weekdays you might have this place to yourself. You park and walk down to the beach. When we went the bathrooms were out of order. It's a beautiful beach to walk along and soak in the views. Tip: Don't go near the water. There are signs all over to stay 100 ft away or more from where the waves break due to the under toe.

What a lovely drive. Even if you are not getting out and walking or camping in the park, the drive…read morealong Avenue of the Giants, which parallels Hwy 101, lets you experience the majesty. If you had someone in the car who was of limited mobility, the drive through is a must! The Avenue goes through the Redwood State Park. Within the park are opportunities for camping, walking, and river access. You can see the river from the Avenue drive.

Avenue of the giants is a great way to drive along the freeway with a more scenic route. It was…read morebeautiful and gorgeous drive and they have stops that you can go to for view points. I suggest you go early to avoid crowds if you want to get to every site and not have toooo much traffic. Also Make sure to get the map at the first stop so you can read about each stop and decide which ones ha wanna go to.

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.

Shelter Cove is very remote. One way in, one way out. At least 30-40 mins to get anywhere. But…read morethey've got a lot to offer right there in the community. Let's be clear: the number of stars here isn't indicative of a four-star hotel. But overall it didn't disappoint. GREAT view and the sound of the waves crashing outside were high on my amenity list. The unit itself is pretty bare bones. Cheap but comfortable furniture. Kitchen has pretty much everything you'd need to cook. Bed is okay, maybe a little hard. Really hot showers, which was nice. Managers are super nice and 100% responsive to any needs. We got one night free bc of their spring special, which bumped it up a star for us. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I HEARTILY recommend it? Probably not. But I have no complaints.

This place is incredible. All of the rooms have an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean. You are…read moreliterally on the edge of the continental shelf when you stay in this place. The rooms are comfortable and have everything you need. Complete with coffee maker refrigerator and super comfy bed. There is a television but I never turned it on because the view was intoxicating and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I was here right around solstice and so the day was very long and by the time it was too dark to enjoy the view it was bedtime. The hotel managers were friendly and kind and helpful. This place is walking distance from Gyppo the local favorite brewery. And also right on the lower Pacific Road which runs along the ocean. Close to Mal Combs Park. I absolutely recommend this place to anyone wanting the experience of sleeping right next to the ocean. You could hear the surf and waves all night long. It lulled me to sleep.

This visitor center has some informative displays about the history of the redwood forest. The…read morestaff there were all friendly and helpful in recommending some hikes and things to see. We walked the little nature trail across the road. It was a fairly flat, well-travelled trail with gorgeous scenery amongst the trees.

I visited Humboldt State Park on the first weekend of Spring, and spent most of my visit on the…read moreNorth Bull Creek Trail (8 miles round trip). My destination was the Tall Tree, and I passed miles of banana slugs, moss, lichen, spring wildflowers, and the refreshing surge of Bull Creek with its turquoise hues. The park was far from crowded, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Park Staff tending the maintenance needs (weed abatement). I felt safe & incredibly relaxed on the trail. There are over 100 miles of trail in this park and plenty of river access, providing something for everyone. If you only drive through the Avenue of the Giants, it will be time well spent in this gorgeous paradise.

My kids and I wanted to check out Glass Beach, it was walking distance from where we were staying…read more It is not wheelchair accessible down to where the glass is, but my wheelchair bound son did stay up on top for a nice view of the ocean. My other two kids and I went down in search of pretty glass, it's closer to where the water is. We had a great time digging through the rocks to see what we could find, it was like an Easter egg hunt. Not much colored glass, but we found a lot of clear ones. We picked a few we liked and returned the others to the ocean. Overall, a fun way to spend about an hour if you're in the area!

"Where is the sea glass?!" I heard one man ask another. You might see nothing. Also You might find…read morelittle glass pieces on the beach, depending where you go. There are 3 sites for the beaches, some harder to find than others. Some beaches were hard to get down to, always be careful and safety first! If it is too steep then don't chance it Beautiful spot to look out into the ocean, enjoy the cliff views and just be present. Nice to be in the sun! And out! Check out the sea glass museum in fort Bragg town to learn more about it, which really helped me prior to going. If made it more meaningful