Came to Mendocino for the weekend and we caught the 730 skunk train into the Blair Bar in the…read morewoods. Such a fun and awesome experience. We chose to stand on the outside deck of the train. It was a bit windy, I recommend bringing a jacket. The train ride to the Blair Bar was 20 minutes. Once we arrived the views were spectacular! It wasn't time for sunset just yet but once the sun started going down the lights became more vibrant. We immediately walked over to the bar to grab a drink. We ordered 2 old fashioneds and they were nicely poured with a good amount of whiskey. There was live music, and tons of seating around warmers and large fire pits. They offered s'mores kits and light snacks. The pits do get a bit crowded. We couldn't get a seat until the 9pm train left. Which opened up some spots around the fire pits. The whole experience was great. It made me feel like I was in a scene of Virgin River! Definitely recommend if you're ever visiting the Mendocino or Fort Bragg area of Northern California.

For over 20 years I wanted to ride the rails. My son and I finally did this yesterday and we loved…read moreit. The newly designed and patented rail bikes just started being used 2 weeks ago. They are smooth, quiet and comfortable with full back support. Previous bikes had a tractor type seat with no back support. The new seats are firm so you might want to bring some padding. I talked with them about this and they were very receptive to me. Since they are electric with pedal assist, we decided to use the electric motor the entire distance. That way we focused on the experience 100% and it was delightful. A perfect, personalized lunch was provided, which added to the experience. Safety is top priority with them so with several road crossings, some with crossing arms/signals and some without, excellent care was taken to make the crossings safely. Our guide was Atlas and he was training 2 new employees. Everything went perfectly! All three of them were so kind and constantly wanted to attend to everyone's needs. I recommend you take the rail bike tour, sit back and enjoy the ride. Just imagine the amount of work that went into making the rail line over 100+ years ago. With the bikes, you sit just above the rails and can marvel at what it took to build this and any rail line. You will have a new appreciation for all railroads. You wind your way through the hills and I believe I read there is a section of the line that winds over 8 miles to actually travel a straight line of 1 mile. It is an engineering marvel. Enjoy!!!!!

This is an easy coastal trail with several off-rout options. Read up on the geology, and the trail…read morewill be even more interesting. Park at the Glass Beach parking lot, join the trail on the bike path or from the beach. I prefer

If these views could talk, they'd literally be screaming. That's what I was doing deep down inside…read moreas I walked along this scenic coastal trail. Those views are simply breathtaking. You can easily spend your entire day here and never get bored. This trail goes on for miles on end right alongside the beautiful Mendocino coastline. The official parking lot is the one right across from Glass Beach, but there are actually several different access points to this trail. I started my hike from Mackerricher State Park and continued down until I reached Glass Beach. There's a paved pathway (also known as Haul Road) which runs along the coast and is great for a nice leisurely stroll. People with strollers and wheel chairs can easily navigate this paved path. And then, there's the actual coastal dirt path that literally hugs the coastline. This is the path I spent the most time on. You'll pass by tons of secluded pocket beaches and the most gorgeous tide pools along the dirt path. There's also a few up and downs, making this path a bit more adventurous than the flat paved one next to it. Access to the beaches down below are super easy from the trail minus the little bit of scrambling needed to actually get down there. You'll be hit with beautiful coastal views from every angle. It's pretty addictive actually. And the best part is that there are so many amazing little stop-offs along the way, many of them being super secluded. I was able to enjoy a few spots where I practically had the beach and the tide pools all to myself. Many people were wearing masks but a lot of people weren't. The good thing is, both paths are really easy to social distance on. If you're looking for a a beautiful place to hike or to take a leisurely stroll along the coastline, the Fort Bragg Coastal Trail is the one.

A simple box girder bridge in Fort Bragg, California (yes another place named after the same…read moreConfederate general as the Fort Bragg in North Carolina) it carries traffic over the Noyo River here at its mouth into the Pacific Ocan. Made from prestressed concrete, it was completed in August 2005 and is the sixth bridge at this crossing. It is quite a high bridge, 110 feet above the river and has three spans with the longest 327 feet. There are just two lanes with a narrow breakdown lane on one side. It has rather low barriers which are great for preserving the view as you cross the bridge and look at the Ocean to the one side and the harbor on the other. The harbor below has a plethora of restaurants (seafood-focused, of course), tourism vendors (kayaking, whale watching tours, fishing) and seafood vendors. [Review 17619 overall - 409 in California - 1138 of 2022.]

It was our first time visiting Fort Bragg so we decided to pop into the visitor center on our first…read moreday. There was a very friendly woman working and she gave us many great suggestions on what to do. She was also very nice to talk to. The walls of this place were covered in brochures and menus for the surrounding area, we learned a great deal about the area from looking around. We are very happy that we stopped by!

Stopped in the other day from San Francisco and was really impressed with the friendliness and…read moreknowledge of the staff person working this helpful information office. Thanks for making my trip so much more enjoyable!

We had a wonderful day on the water with the captain and deckhand. They were very friendly and…read moreknowledgeable. Kept a respectful distance from the whales and allowed them to come closer if they wanted. Saw several different groups of whales and lots of sea lions and birds. 02/12/26 would come again!

I was able to make a reservation for a private outing in less than 24 hours to spread my dog's…read moreashes. Joshua was great on board taking photos of the celebration and meeting our requests. Capital and crew were great in making it special.

Very happy with my latest experience visiting the Guest House Museum. My fiancé and I visited this…read moreafternoon today and were welcomed in by John. He was kind and very knowledgeable. We learned some of the history of the guest house and how it was originally built as the official residence for the Union Lumber Company (formerly knows as the Fort Bragg Lumber Company). I really appreciate the knowledge John shared with us. The Guest House Museum is run by volunteers, there is no entree fee but they do accept donations. Inside you can also purchase postcards, pins, magnets, books, and more. There is lots to see at this museum. I highly recommend stopping by and seeing this amazing piece of history.

This is a free museum that is ran by volunteers. They are super knowledgeable about the history of…read morethe house and Fort Bragg! I forgot the name of the volunteer who was there when I went, but she was super sweet and spent a lot of time talking to us about her experience growing up in Fort Bragg and the history of the house. I also got to freely roam around the museum as well. It's worth a visit if you're in the area!

Pomo Bluffs has a beautiful scenery. There are many trails , and weather in early July is cool,…read moresunny but breeze, too. Just perfect! We've travel up and down CA coastal several times, and I still can't get enough! From the Monterey Peninsula to the bluffs, it is just breathtaking. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes, great walking shoes, light sweater, plenty of water, snacks and of course sun screen. the scenic, trails, pathways, are breathtaking . Even thought Carmel, Cambrian and sand dollar are my favorite places in Northern Ca. It doesn't matter if you like trails or 60 degree weather these are the places to visit. Big Sur, DelMonte,Morro Bay , half moon bay, anything by the northern peninsula or above the peninsula, I totally recommend. I will assure you that you'll enjoy the scenes, the trails, the resting benches, the weather, and sunsets. Be adventurous and travel one of the most beautiful highways in California "highway 1."

My vertigo was running pretty strong this morning as I looked out over the bluffs here. That said,…read morethere was plenty of opportunity to enjoy some absolute peace. There wasn't a single sound this morning except the blowing wind and my heart beating in my ears. Great spot with a walkway and marked path. As long as you stick to that path, you're fine. If you're feeling adventurous, you can do some climbing. Just be sure someone knows your next of kin. [Review 17626 overall - 416 in California - 1145 of 2022.]

I had a good, quiet time in this small museum. You could easily do the museum and shop in 10mins,…read morebut if you love history and science, you can be there a whole hour or more watching the videos and starring at the sea glass. It's got an old business feel, and I appreciated it. You can tell the captain puts in a lot of effort to keep the shop original. The captain stayed after hours to allow me to take my time. Thank was sweet!

Great if you're interested in sea glass and all the different types. Lots of beautiful colors and…read morewhat makes them those colors. The museum is run by the all time expert on sea glass. According to the signs posted, they need donations to keep the museum free. The suggested donation for the museum is $2 for adults and $1 for students and seniors, a small price to pay for this interesting place.

One of our favorite places to visit on vacation. Dog…read morefriendly botanical gardens on acreage that extends to the Pacific coast. Cafe, gift shop, helpful dedicated staff. All kinds of gardens on display, lovingly maintained. Definitely on my top 10 places to visit In Northern California. The perfect getaway destination.

We happened to see the botanical garden when driving on Hwy 1. We had no idea it was 47 acres!! The…read moreshorter trail will take about 45 minutes, but you can walk a loop around the entire thing. Admission was $123.30 for 5 adults. There was a cafe that closed an hour earlier than the garden. They also have membership, which gets you discounted visits. The rose garden smelled so good. I wish each bush was identified/labeled. I spent about 2 hours here, and some of it was spent walking in circles because lack of directions and signage. The dahlia garden is nice - need to come during season to see them all bloomed. WiFi didn't work for me even though they had signs at the store. Parking was easy in their parking lot.