A breathtaking confluence of natural beauty, a striking resemblance to recognizable Grandmotherly…read morefigure and a stimulus to the imagination...all encompassed within the backdrop of a stunningly beautiful beach that is always uncrowded, always clean and effortlessly accessible. It is the sweet dessert for anyone who finds comfort, inspiration and pleasure being along a salty shore.

This is a massive, super cool rock formation on Trinidad Beach…read more "Grandmother Rock" is situated on the north end of Trinidad Beach and a very easy walk from the parking lot. Legend has it that the Tsu-rai Indians once used this beach as part of their summer camp. One day, a young warrior launched his canoe into the cold waters of the beach (Northern California beaches do not have warm water even in summertime!). He never returned and his grandmother waited so patiently for him on the beach that eventually, the gods took pity on her and turned her into a rock. You really can see her - sitting, huddled up, looking out to sea, and even her hair - in a bun on the back of her head. The "bun" even has some succulent plants growing out of it. You really don't have to use much of your imagination to see this striking image. Definitely worth a trip for some cool, northern California local flavor.

This is a beautiful home, one of the most photographed homes in the country. It's a beautiful…read moreexample of Queen Anne Victorian architecture. The home was finished in 1889, and was built for lumber baron William Carson. He and his family lived in the home for many years. It was in danger of demolition, as maintaining such large historic homes became costly. A group of local businessmen bought the home in 1950, and turned it into a private club. They have since spent millions and millions of dollars to restore and maintain the home. While it is absolutely beautiful from the outside, unfortunately, it is not open for tours. However, if you happen to know a member of the club, or if you are invited to an event such as a wedding, office party, etc. at the mansion, you can get a tour. It's a very nice home on the inside, and the highlight is the cupola at the very top, which Mr. Carson used to observe his business interests. If you would like to see what the inside looks like, you can Google the phrase , "Carson mansion interior."

Beautiful Victorian architecture!…read more Went up north for the Memorial Day weekend for the redwoods but had to make a stop to check out the famous Carson Mansion. Love the green tones of the home and varying rooflines. At first I was surprised that there was no placard with a summary of the place but then I noticed a small sign. It was fun to see the sign at the front of the gate that had a QR code to scan and it'll take you to a Spotify listening to learn about the history of the place. Very cool, because this way you can listen to the history of it via your phone at either the site at that moment or even play it on the drive back. It was unique and something I haven't seen before! We took our time and appreciated the view because if you turn to the left you can also observe the water and pedestrian walkway corridors in town. If you're in Eureka and even only have 5-10 minutes to spare, I recommend swinging by the Carson Mansion to get a taste of high quality architecture, unique views, and a lil history moment!

Hole in a Redwood tree, Okay for one time [Klamath CA]…read more California is home to some of the world's ancient giants in the form of redwoods and sequoias. In fact, three of these magnificent drive-thru redwood trees are in NorCal and we've experienced two of those including the Chandelier Tree (Leggett) and this one, Tour Thru Tree in Klamath. Some of these massive trunks are so wide that you can drive a car through them. $5 admission fee (cheaper by $10 from the Chandelier Tree charging $15 per car). The only thing confusing is the cars lining up in a little space to get to the entrance of the tree... the space can barely fit 4 cars, one car out of place can throw you off. The opening was carved in 1976 to avoid damaging the tree's living wood. Anyway, our little Toyota Corolla rental had no problems getting through the tree trunk. Not sure how large SUV's will fare or even a mini van. Well, that was a quick 5-minute experience... maybe 6. Review #3781

It's was a good adventure to bad my truck didn't fit but it's worth the trip and specially the viewread more

Arcata is such a charming college town that it deserves a bucolic, family-friendly congregation…read morespot surrounded by quaint shops and cafes. This isn't quite it. Frankly it has more in common with People's Park in Berkeley. Not as ravaged, mind you, but it was definitely a stoner hangout when Jamie W. and I took an evening stroll here. We couldn't even find a bench just to sit because they were all taken over. I couldn't tell if it's like that all the time, but hey, first impressions, y'know. RELATED - Lost on the Lost Coast? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2A1YVjy

The center hub to meet in Arcata…read more The history of this plaza from an indigenous native point of view is very tragic to say the least. Even though it is a devastating topic to bring I think it is important people are aware. I learned more about this based on Native communities here and classes at HSU. Overall the plaza is a place where you can find people either going for a stroll to cut from one place to another or to experience the many events that occur here such as Pastel on the Plaza, Oyster Festival, Northtown County Fair, Farmers Market to the Kinetic Sculptor Race. Before Covid you find pillow fight events, hula Hooper's And random events on the plaza.

The Road to Petrolia! The Lost Coast!…read more My brother knows all the good spots up here. He has lived up this way for the past 13 years and knows all the roads, scenic views, ins and outs etc of Humboldt County. He took us through Ferndale and then we hit this road for a little drive. This road is pretty rough. Potholes, uneven ground, gravel, 2 lanes turning into 1, bumps etc. If you have a 4wd, you will be fine. We had a Chevy Sonic rental car, and my mom was bitching and complaining about the bumps the whole way up lol. You know what though? It was worth every single bump and bruise done to the car and our asses! This road is absolutely beautiful! It's a windy road that goes for about 40 miles. We didn't take it the whole way, but did go about 20 miles on it. Took us about an hour in, mostly uphill (we stopped to snap a lot of pictures!), and only about 30 minutes coming out, mostly downhill. This drive had everything! Beautiful scenery at every turn. Cows roaming freely in the fields, tons of beautiful ferns, bushes, trees etc. You would go from high up the hills, through thick fog, down into clear skies where you could see for miles and miles. I'm telling you, this road had EVERYTHING! We wound up down by the beach and stopped to take in the sights. Absolutely stunning! Appropriately named "The Lost Coast" due to nothing being developed out this way, no main highways/roads that connect to these small communities along this road. If I won the lotto, I would buy a house up this way. Nobody for miles and miles! If you have some time, I would highly, and I mean HIGHLY recommend this drive. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a more scenic drive that I have encountered in my 39 years on Earth. It was beyond beautiful and I'm glad my brother took us on this path.

Rough road, best taken in something with some suspension travel to cushion out the bumps. I took…read moreit in my mildly lifted Samurai which was perfect. Take your time and be careful through all the blind curves. SPECTACULAR views, some of the best I found in a weekend that includes Highway 36, Crescent City and plenty of redwoods. The view of the coast and beaches was a wonderful treat. I will be printing pictures from this trip.

There were no hatchery employees on-site the afternoon weekday I visited. I walked around a bit and…read morediscovered that two of the hatchery raceways were being used to raise salmonids. One was being used for Steelhead fry (anadromous "sea-run" Rainbow trout) and the other for regular Rainbow trout (Both Oncorhynchus mykiss). I got a few pix in and then headed on out. Later I found out there is apparently a way down to the Mad River from the hatchery, but I did not discover it during my visit. #MadRiverFishHatchery

Pretty cool fish hatchery, the drive up and scenery around this place are probably better then the…read moreactual hatchery itself, but its still pretty cool if your sitting around with nothing to do. From Arcata its a short drive, no more then 10 to 15 minutes. Once your there you can walk around wherever, just don't touch the electric fences around the fish ponds. the whole complex is located right on the river which you can walk down to and is very nice as well. I really enjoyed going out, but its not the coolest thing I have ever done.

8/29/24 Came here…read moretwice today. Once this morning to visit Old Town and then by accident in the evening when going out for Happy Hour/dinner. Quality/Quantity - The first lady working the center is AMAZING. She was the one whose husband is in the Coast Guard. So sorry, I forgot her name. She is so positive and helpful. And when we stopped by on accident for the grand opening event, she was so welcoming again! The entertainment, food, and drinks were all so good. Met a few locals and business owners. And no food was wasted, as I saw the "public" come and finish it all off. The food was so good, especially the tri tip. Too bad I am trying to eat healthier. Oh, and no drinks were wasted, I helped finish all that off, LOL. Atmosphere - Clean welcoming space. Open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm. Service - 6 stars!! And on both visits. Price - Free, thank you. Owner Comments - Congrats again on your grand opening.

The Eureka Visitor Center is located in the heart of downtown Eureka and is in the same building as…read morethe Clarke Historical Museum. Inside is a lot of information and educational material about Eureka and the surrounding Redwoods parks. There is someone there to answer questions if needed. I enjoyed looking at the display that shows all the movies that were filmed in the Redwoods Region.

On a sunny day the walking trail can feel like a breeze but on a cloudy day it can feel a tad bit…read moresketch depending on the sidewalks and blocks you walk. Constantly be aware of your surroundings, nothing in particular has occurred to me but as a person who grew up in L.A., is passionate of true crime stories and have witnessed homeless and/or mental health. Be mindful in taking valuables with you or leaving them in your car. You can either leave your car behind Target parking lot, near the Old Town Waterfront or across the block of Living the Dream ice cream store. Which is another spot that is highly recommended.

Nice little boardwalk on the Humboldt Bay to go for a stroll and watch the boats go by. There are…read moresome shops and places to grab a bite near Eureka's historic Old Town and Waterfront area. You can also book a sunset cruise on the Madaket. Other than that, I mostly enjoyed going for walk with the cool breeze in my face while eating an ice cream cone. Lots of homeless people hanging around in the later hours.

Awesome. Some of the best in the north state. The venue is so beautiful; the clear skies, the pine…read moretrees and of course the Trinity river. Lots of booths and tailgate parties too.

The lighting of Lewiston Bridge is an annual event put on by local volunteer groups. It is a great…read moreway to bring the community together around the holidays.

This short, easy hike follows a former logging road that was reclaimed by nature. The park service…read moreshows how they have worked to return the area to its natural state, letting a creek run again and re-forming the slopes. It is closest to the northern exit from 101 onto the Drury Parkway. Signs are pretty easy to see, and there is a small area to park at the entrance to the trail. Make sure you schedule another hike in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, because this is a quick trip, even if you stop to read all of the interpretive signage.