We had a great time visiting the Bale Grist Mill in St. Helena. Our tour guide explained it was…read morebuilt in 1846 from the design in the 1795 book "The Young Mill-Wright & Miller's Guide." I was able to read some of the book from the Library of Congress archives and found Oliver Evans wrote the guide and patented his design in 1790, the year the patent office was formed, before patents were numbered. In 1804 they retroactively assigned him patent number (X3) three. He licensed his design to hundreds of people including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. He became the first American to live off of intellectual property income.

Historic Grist Mill where grain is milled powered by a gigantic water wheel. From the friendly…read morereceptionist to the remarkable tour guide this is a fabulous experience. I have not been here since before the pandemic but it is always an amazing experience. Bring a picnic and sit outside at the tables or take a hike after the guided tour in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. You will learn a lot about the history of the region. And the milling process. Modest entry fee.

What an amazing find. This historic placard commemorates events that are important in the history…read moreof Colusa.

I didn't know what to expect here. Was here during the middle of the week and went into the park…read morelocated in the center of town. It used to be the county courthouse they reconverted into a museum. Authentic display of geologic, indigenous cultures, early settlers, and post war era artifacts that you see up close. $2..donate.. then ask them a lot of hard questions like.. where were some of the settlements? Why are there women's saddles but no men kinds? Get a hotdog in the park.

I have volunteered at the Lake County Courthouse Museum for several years and witnessed its…read moreevolution. The museum has grown to be a wonderful repository for local artifacts as well as a perfect venue for community events. The space is accommodating for meetings, social gatherings. I even staged a murder mystery dinner there recently. A great place for any special occasion.

Filled with innovative, fun and independantly owned businesses. Has an interesting past. Used to…read morebe a brothel and speak easy back in the day. The building is made of brick and redwood. Additionally, it holds many businesses such as Maldondo's Renew, Pilates with Anne, Lions and Tigers and Hair, Hee bee Gee bee's, Soft Shell, Bricks, Old Chicago Pizza, Studio 33, Dick Warner Wines, Fantasia and the Christmas Shop. Not only are there great stores and services but once inside you swear you are in an Escher Sketch. With so many add ons it sometimes seems as if stairs are leading to nowhere. If you want to see a great old Petaluma Building filled with history be sure not miss this one.

To be honest, this review is completely biased considering this is the building where my parent's…read morerestaurant used to be and where my dad's wine shop is currently located. But, if you happen to be in Petaluma at any point, you can come to this one building and get your hair cut, buy Christmas ornaments, do pilates, and drink wine with my dad. All that in one building that used to be a brothel!! Craziness!

The point arena lighthouse is very impressive and it's history is very interesting. This is…read moreactually the 3rd lighthouse on the premises. It is well worth the $5 extra fee to climb to the top. The views from the top of the lighthouse are inspiring and very beautiful. Very polite staff and a nice gift shop as well.

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.

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.

Next Stop: Duncans Mills... one stop shopping…read more Different shopping experience! While taking the scenic route along the Sonoma County we came upon this Russian River town. The cute little town is nestled in the Pacific Coast among redwoods and vineyards. Shopping, restaurants, antique stores, art galleries, camping and recreation activities abound this town. We stopped to check it out. The stores are so cute in this quaint village and they strictly enforce covid regulations here. When entering the stores you must sanitize your hands, wear your masks, and social distance. If you love tea you must stop at the Tea Shop, they also sell spices. The bookstore is adjacent to the tea shop and is such a cute tiny store. There is also a plant store, the Antiquarian. Located on Hwy # 116, 4 miles inland from the coast. The town has a population of only 85. There is shopping and food on both sides. They even have a tiny post office and a train depot & museum. Review #2184

Selfishly, I want to keep this place a secret…read more For those in Northern California, this is a perfect overnight getaway. Though Christina Ferreira sold her beautiful inn, there are many AirBnBs along the river, or you can splurge with a place in Jenner. Start your day at the DM bakery, or visit Cape Fear for the best eggs benedict - instead of the heavy version most of us know, theirs is light and lemony. Stroll the shops and the exceptional Christopher Queen art gallery, where the owner, Nancy (sister to Christina) shows exceptionally dedication to her 10 artists, and curates shows that would make any city gallery owner jealous. End a perfect day with dinner at the Blue Heron - sit in the bar or better yet, out back...locals will make you feel at home and you'll leave with both a full belly and full heart.

Have driven by many times and have stopped once and what a absolute icon of Northern Californias…read moreculture! It does seem like someone will replace the toilet if it breaks so that is a plus.

Did someone break it? My heart is sad... this is one of my favorite stops on the long drive from…read morethe Bay Area to the redwoods.

My daughter and I had a wonderful time on the rail bike excursion! Between the scenic ride and the…read moredelicious boxed lunch by the river, it was a Sunday very well spent with great friends. The staff was incredibly kind, helpful, and the true definition of hospitality. On our return from the rail bikes, I accidentally locked my keys in my car while it was still running with the A/C on. We were the last group there, and the two gentlemen working that day went above and beyond. They stayed an hour after closing while my daughter and I waited for a tow truck to unlock my vehicle. They even offered to let me use their own AAA membership to help with the situation. Not once did either of them seem frustrated or inconvenienced, despite having to stay well past closing. Their patience, generosity, and genuine care meant so much to us. Thank you both for turning a stressful situation into a positive experience. We truly appreciate everything you did and highly recommend this rail bike adventure!

This was such a fun family experience. Just getting under the sun and doing something fun. This…read moreride is easy to do. We were lucky to have one of the volunteers too with us. We had so many fun discussions around railroads. Recommend trying it out !