One of NorCals best kept secrets is the quaint town of Point Arena, home of Arena Cove! The…read moreabsolute most picturesque, gentle, calm and natural water views you'll ever see! Arena Cove is home to a pizza parlor and coffee shop as well as a fishing pier and if you come at low tide, the most amazing tide pools with fish, sea urchin, sea star fish, crab and countless water plants. Beautiful hiking on the shoreline and the best sunsets! I love visiting when I need a time out from the hustle and bustle of life; a quick trip is always humbling and helps me to refocus on the finer things in life... like nature!!!

I hate it when people Yelp landmarks instead of businesses. Just a personal pet peeve of mine…read more There's an exception to every rule, and I happen to be exceptional, so based on three exceptions to the rule I believe a review of Point Arena Cove is worthy of Yelp. First, this is an obscure little town and it needs Yelp reviews to encourage people to stop and experience all it has to offer. Second, this cove is not visible from Hwy 1 so you might drive right past it. Third, there are hours associated with the pier (open for boat launches from 7am to 4pm), so it's like a business. I'm not an expert on coves, but I've seen quite a few in my day. I think I'm a pretty good judge of cove character. La Jolla Cove, in San Diego was my favorite. Until I visited Point Arena Cove. There is so much going on here. I visited on a Saturday morning and ended up having great conversations with the very warm locals. A few showed me the abalone they had just hauled in (the Fish Police were right there to make sure every one was legal) and another showed me pictures of an albatross that visits the cove (very rare!) surfing with surfers. There are dogs galore (please leash them on the pier) and nice owners to go with them. This is a working cove, but people also go to talk and drink coffee. The cove is the best place to capture the local flavor of Point Arena. You absolutely must visit it.

Incredible, magnificent part of the California Coast. Do not miss this amazing place! Very easily…read morewalkable.

In 2005 title to the Stornetta Ranch, which meets the Pacific Ocean, was transferred to the Bureau…read moreof Land Management to ensure its long-term protection & provide accessibility to the public. This translates into expanding the California Coastal National Monument to 1665 acres, with 12 coastal miles of undeveloped federal- & state-managed public land. A vast open space to hike & enjoy the rugged cliffs, & view the sea rocks, islands, blowholes, dunes, tide pools, & waves during daylight hours. Public privileges like nowhere I know of. Locals said it's never crowded. Tourists wouldn't necessarily know about it unless they studied up on the purpose & meaning of "Point Arena ~ Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument." If you google it, there is a dozen interesting articles tracing the history & significance.

I went out to the light house but parked outside the gate. Beautiful scenery and view of…read morelighthouse. Grounds look nice and clean. Ample parking inside and outside the main gate. Views of the oceans and lighthouse. I had my dogs with me and they needed to run. I'm confident the light house and grounds are just as spectacular inside the complex as they looked from outside the gates.

A wonderful place to spend time! We stayed at the lodging…read morehere for 3 days last year. Highly recommend that as well! After closing the entire place is yours! You can chill with the lighthouse cat or explore with flashlights under the moon. During our stay we went to the top of the lighthouse many times.. it's a quite few steps but worth it! The gift shop is also cool! We went home with a shirt and a magnet. Although the need for this lighthouse is no longer, it still works and is magnificent as is the whole park! Complete with rocky cliffs and a labyrinth by the sea.

Clean and beautiful little winery off the beaten path. Wine here is good. I had their wine tasting…read moreand they have a good pinot noir and a good chard. they are a sister company w/ Justin wine and that is why i chose this place. Recommended if you like a lil' historic bldg to enjoy a nice wine tasting with a nice patio or grass area to picnic in.

THIS is the location to go to if you want a true Russian River experience, limited crowds, locals…read moresharing their passion for not only the wine you're drinking but also the wine down the road. Never a disappointing glass or view, with a prettier drive than you could ask for regardless of the time of year

Beautiful theater, comfy seats. Shows a mixture of New Releases, and classics…read more We liked the old & huge movie camera in the lobby. Bring cash it's easier! Cards are accepted. Great selection of movies, and 1 day only specials.

Glad to be back to the movies!…read more Firstly, the arena theaters Covid safety protocols are on point! Every other row of seating is taped off to ensure social distancing.** An usher will escort you to your seat upon entering. You can grab concessions after you've been seated. I indulged in a large tub of popcorn (half the fun of movie theaters right??!) and was happily surprised to find they have individual nutritional yeast containers- along with the usual salt & butter- available to top off your popcorn! Overall, the experience made me very happy to return to viewing movies in theater! Looking forward to returning soon. **TIP: Get there early if you are particular about your seat selection, as the limited capacity means larger parties may be split up once the theater fills!

Landmark wines came highly recommended by a friend, so I decided to check it out this weekend with…read moremy in laws when they were in town. We enjoyed a fabulous afternoon tasting at the winery- Emily guided us through our tasting and made us feel so welcome. They even welcomed our dog, which was really kind. The Pinot noirs there are really wonderful- if you do the tasting, you will get to try a few different ones to compare.. I won't say my favorite but you should try them all and see what you think! Oh and also, the grounds are beautifully well kept- look at the gorgeous flowers at the front as you walk in!

Generous pours, dedicated service and breathtaking environment. A bit on the pricey side, but they…read moreall are in this area. Some items on the menu were not longer available.

One of the magical places on the Mendocino coast. Cabrillo Lighthouse Station has been on the north…read morewestern shore for over 100 years. The Fresnel lens of the lamp make this lighhouse a special one as these types are rarely used any more and are disappearing. Restored and maintained, this facility is opened daily at 11:00 and the grounds are open from sunrise to sunset. It's a popular spot for whale watching (Nov-Apr) as well as exploring the rugged coastline, including the site of the Frolic shipwreck from 1850. The lighthouse was damaged and flooded in January of 2023 when a series of high waves from the storm crashed through the buildings ocean side doors. Making it a part of the storm history of this lighthouse, which had been only hit with waves ever on two other occasions, December of 1928 and February of 1960. The grounds are dog friendly, on leash. The lighthouse staff are knowledgeable and friendly. The lighthouse museum is free to enter. Donations are encouraged and welcomed. We spent about two hours there reading the local history inside the museum, which there is a lot and exploring the lighthouse and outside grounds. 4.5 Stars rounded up for the spectacular views 01199

To get to this lighthouse it's about a mile walk from the parking lot. I'm all for walking and…read morehiking but that could be a dealbreaker for some just wanting to swing by and see it. The background is beautiful and there is lots of room for photos of the ocean. The lighthouse is quite small but has a little gift shop inside. Tours up to the lens are a couple of times a month. Before the lighthouse there's a little compound with the old keepers' quarters which you can walk into and check out. If in the Mendocino/Fort Bragg area and only time for one lighthouse I think this one is better for being closer to town (Point Arena is about an hour drive) and for available trails to go on a walk after the lighthouse. If you want something more of a tall statuesque lighthouse where there are tours throughout the day to the top and you don't have to walk a mile from the car I'd recommend Point Arena.

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.

My wife and I booked the 25 mile Noyo River rail cart excursion and it was an amazing and fun…read moreexperience. Our guides, Travis and Atlas, provided an educational and interactive experience. At the same time, they gave us our space to explore and just take in the beauty of the redwood forest. I do recommend dressing in layers as the morning half of the ride was cold and the return trip was warmer than expected. Bring gloves if you plan to be the driver because your hands will be exposed to the cold morning air due to controlling the speed of the electric assist controls. Make sure to use the bathroom before you leave. The only stop with a bathroom was at Camp Noyo, which is 12.5 miles from the start. It took my group of 3 rail bikes about 2 hours to get there. Don't be scared of the 25 miles because the electric assist made it an easy ride. I think we were able to pedal, with the assist on, for 90% of the trip. We used the full electric option for about 3-5 minutes total because we wanted to relax our legs. Overall, I recommend the experience, especially if you like being outdoors and surrounded by nature.

I've made the trip up to Fort Bragg several times over the last 10 years and had always seen the…read moreads and signs for the Skunk Train. With the full length of the tracks not currently open to Willits, it didn't seem worth it to partake in the shorter train rides. However, once I learned about the rail bikes, I was in! There are two options for the rail bikes. The shorter, two hour excursion is to Glen Briar from their downtown Fort Bragg Depot (the Pudding Creek route) is about 7 miles round trip. If you want a full day adventure, there's the Noyo route which is 25 miles and departs from Sherwood road and is noted as a more stenous excursion. Given I was short on time, I opted for the Pudding Creek route. However, I would definitely do the rail bikes again and try the Noyo route. For the Pudding Creek route, we arrived about 15 minutes before our 10 am departure time. There's a small lot for guests and a short walk over to where the bikes are. Instructions are easy to follow and the staff is amazingly helpful and thorough. With the motor assist, pedaling along the rails was rather mellow. At the end of the line, we stopped at a scenic pavilion in the redwoods and had the option of a short guided hike or to just chill and enjoy the picnic area. I had time to do both and it was a really enjoyable way to spend the morning. There's a basket on the front of each bike to store your backpacks and drink holders for your water bottles. Back at the depot, there's a cute gift shop and behind it, a model train exhibit that was pretty cool. I love a good kitschy attraction and this was a fun, touristy thing to do while visiting the area. I enjoyed it so much, that I do wish the route was longer (hence my hope to go back and do the longer Noyo trip.) Sure, it's pricey, but if you can swing the cost, come in with the right expectations and you'll have a fun day, while also learning a bit more about the area from your guides.

Gorgeous day trip during good weather! If you're lucky you can see the ocean during a clear day…read morebut most times, there's a fog blanket. Beautiful lighthouse and view from the top. You can go down a ton of steps to see and learn about the lighthouse. Make sure to stop by Marin French Cheese Company on the way and bring a picnic of cheese, sandwiches to snack on. It's pretty windy down there too so bring layers and a jacket. You can explore the adjacent trails and do some hiking too. Definitely will get some Insta worthy photos!

Beautiful views of the coast and at this historic site. There is a small parking lot otherwise you…read morecould park along the road. It's quite a walk from there to the lighthouse. There is a small visitor center and some bathrooms. They closed the stairwell to the lighthouse because of the wind. Bring a coat or windbreaker no matter what time of year. No fees for entry or parking. There are some beautiful views