Good walk to get out there from the parking lot all the way out to the light station…read more instructions- you're supposed to leave your car in the first parking lot, don't drive it all the way to the lighthouse because that road has a pedestrians only sign. lighthouse itself is very clean and well maintained, compared to others ive seen along the california coast. very much cared for. interesting free museum inside that building. you cant go up but you can look around the first floor

During weekends, the Cabrillo Light Station does full-on tours of the lighthouse all funded by…read morevolunteers. It entails walking about a flatish half mile (one way) on a paved road to the lighthouse, ending in panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, a couple of picnic tables, and even some cabins to rent, if staying a couple of days to unwind is part of the plan! On a Sunday morning after a canoe paddle down the Big River, we did the half-mile trek to the lighthouse. It was fairly busy, with 3 or 4 groups ahead of us. On the tour, volunteer guides on each of the four levels explain the need for the lighthouse, its inner workings, and how innovation and technology changed it over the years. There are four levels to climb: after the first flight with two handrails, there is only one handrail up the steps, making it a great core workout in addition to a historic and informational experience! After (or before) the tour, wander around the museum/gift shop, where there is a souvenir for every lighthouse aficionado to buy sprinkled with more historic information and pictures not only of the lighthouse, but also of the surrounding environment and wildlife. If lighthouses are your jam, the weekend is a great time to go with the tour, museum/gift shop, and even a place to stay if you want! Convenient to downtown Mendocino, after the tour, the charming downtown is a great place to grab a bite and do some shopping! Young and old alike, this is a great experience!

If you are driving up Highway 101, this is a fun attraction to stop at…read more There is a $15 fee for automobiles and you can drive through the tree and take pictures. It's a spot that has lots of carved figures that makes it unique as well. Chandelier Tree is approximately 2400 years old, which is cool in and of itself. The grounds are impeccable and this place is always well kept. It's about three hours north of San Francisco so if you are driving through, it's a great place to stop, stretch your legs, and take in the beautiful views. In 1937, the first car drove thru this drive thru tree so it's cool to see pictures of this and that this has been preserved over all of these years. Everyone was really friendly here. There is a gift store that is open during certain hours that you can check out. You can also walk around or sit on a bench and relax for a bit. Please Note: If you have an extra large vehicle, you might not be able to drive thru it, although you can always walk through it if you want to visit the area.

You're going to be shocked here, but it's a big tree. That you can drive through…read more Kind of a cool side quest and just know that you're not driving anything big through (we were in a VW Atlas and had about 2" of clearance.)

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.

Serene quiet park…read more great photo spots! There's the iconic bridge but in order to get on that beach you have to walk on a narrow wobbling log in the water. Pretty scary for me. I finally did it, with the help of a very kind stranger who held my hand and it felt all better. Interesting how a lot of the fear is in your head. Why is there not a better safer path to get there? Watched many groups try and about half the people said nope and left

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

What a GREAT place to make a pit stop…read more Quality/Quantity - Tourists stop. Great place to get souvenirs for friends and family. Many locally made gifts. And of course, many Bigfoot gifts. Lots of wood carved items and photo opportunities with Bigfoot. Atmosphere - Huge cool place, especially if you are into Bigfoot, Sasquatch. Last year, they did a good job with marketing; added flags, more merchandise outdoors to entice drivers to stop by. Parking on the side of the road, yet still safe; less safe parking across the road. Clean bathrooms (outhouses), hand sink, soap, and paper towels. Open 7 days a week. Service - Everyone was friendly. Price - Tourist prices. Owner Suggestion - Congrats to the Carlson family for 41+ years and all your success and your new marketing. :) Can I suggest a website?

Stopped in to buy some items on our way through. The shop and product selection is pretty…read moreimpressive. I wish I could say the same for the customer service which was horrible. Most of the employees were helpful and in good spirit. There was however one employee who cussed at me and threatened me in front of my family and others customers over a misunderstanding. Foul language and aggressive behavior is not ok and that is something that I will not tolerate. I asked to speak to the manager but was told he was on vacation and that he was not going to be of any help on assisting me with this matter. I asked why and I was told by a second employee that this behavior is viewed as acceptable by the manager. I am choosing to write a review so that everyone knows what could happen if you are planning on stopping by. I will never return and I will advise others in the area not to do so as well.

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.

Amazing place in-love hiking up mt konocti overlooking all of kelseyville calif ! Its full of…read morenature natural landscape and unbelievable beauty

If you're coming out to the Clear Lake area looking for hiking, this is probably one of your best…read morebets. Pros: You don't have to go far up the trail to get picturesque glimpses of Clear Lake. Easy hike, terrain is not difficult footing even for kids. Parking lot right near trailhead, and seems like parking is not hugely popular so you're likely to get a spot. Cons: Looooooooong drive up... get ready to play I Spy with your kids for a good 20 minutes. Also if your passengers are prone to motion sickness, this isn't the greatest drive. Service vehicles also use the trail so if you have kids you'll need to keep them close by. Some areas may be muddy in winter months. If the bottom of the mountain is cold, it is WAY colder up here. Bring far more clothing than you might think is necessary.

If you happen to be in Lower Lake and you like local history, you might enjoy stopping by to see…read morethis tiny jail built in 1876. For such a tiny Registered Historical Landmark, there are several informative plaques telling the history and some funny local lore. If you choose to give a thumbs-up or not, I hope you found my review helpful!

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.

Stopped by here during our road trip up north, and absolutely loved it, its a great scenic route,…read morewe stopped by and explored the redwoods, spend time in nature, its gorgeous, as some trees are thousands of years old, it gives you a good perspective on life, blew my mind, clean and crisp air, peaceful

This lighthouse was moved here after it got decommissioned. It's repainted every year to maintain…read morethe vibrant color and cute looks. Inside the lighthouse, there are posters and pamphlets, explaining the history of the lighthouse. Unfortunately, you cannot climb up the lighthouse. There's also a friendly staff answering any questions you may have. Behind the lighthouse, there's an area of tide pools. We saw lots of sea creatures, including hermit crabs, regular crabs, pelican, and seals. Love seeing animals in their natural habitat!

Cape Mendocino Lighthouse is located in Shelter Cove. While it wasn't built in Shelter Cove, it was…read morerelocated there for preservation. There is a sign outside of it that you can read more about the history of this lighthouse each of the floors.This lighthouse was dissembled and moved in 1998. There is someone there in the summer months to answer questions and possibly all year round (not sure though). It is next to Mal Coombs Park, which has picnic tables, a lookout area over the ocean, and you can walk down to the ocean. You will see seals and sea lions there at times.