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!

When in the Redwoods, you gotta visit a drive-thru tree! There are a few and we decided to see the…read moreChandelier tree since it was the first stop for when we were driving from Ft. Bragg off Hwy 1 to the 101. Our van with the cargo box obviously wouldn't fit into the tunnel, but we were able to park and walk to/through the tree for photo ops. Since our car wouldn't fit, I asked my son to drive through with his wheelchair. It was a fun, quick stop to see something unusual and to watch as other cars drove through. We watched as a Tesla X creeped through the tunnel - I didn't think it would make it but it did! There's a gift shop and restrooms, both are not wheelchair accessible.

It is not the only drive-through tree in the area. Pick whichever one you are near, I think. (There…read moreis another one near the south side of Redwood State Park on Avenue of the Giants, and it costs $15 per car) This venue costs $20 per car. It is a very tight fit for the car!! The entry person will let you know if your car will not fit. The tree was obviously carved for a Model T. You get a $1 coupon for the store which btw is the price of a water there. It was a good place to stop and neat to see this and other trees. I think seeing one drive-through tree is enough though.

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.

We arrived shortly after 9:00am and paid the $10 day use fee. It was a short drive on a one lane…read moreroad to get to the parking lot. EV parking was available, which was nice. There was another small parking lot closer to the trail. We walked past the camp sites to get to the trail. The sites were on the smaller side, but all of them seemed to have a spigot. I used the flushing toilets before starting the hike. We did the Fern Canyon Trail to Falls Loop Trail- 6.2 miles. The first part was mostly flat, but there is some elevation gain for the loop. We went counterclockwise, but you reach the waterfall quicker if you do the loop clockwise. The 36-foot waterfall might not be the most impressive, but it was nice. There's a fallen tree trunk in between the two streams for you to sit and take some photos. We sat on a bench afterwards and enjoyed the views while having some snacks. I guess we got there at a good time, right before a crowd of people descended. Overall, the forested hike was nice and peaceful, and we also spotted a banana slug. There are some muddy parts though. I wished I read a bit more about the park before going. I would've wanted to do the short trail for Devil's Punchbowl which also has views of the bridge. Darn...

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

Great roadside shop, nice people. They have a lot and I mean a lot of big foot souvenirs…read more I've always wanted to stop by on my drives up and down the 101. Finally made the stop and it was worth it. Definitely gonna be a regular stop from now on. They got better prices than the other Bigfoot items in the other shops along the 101 too.

Great little yeti-themed road. I stopped for the bathrooms (decent and clean porta potties with…read moresinks) and sculptures and ended up buying a few keepsakes for myself and friends.

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!

What a lovely drive. Even if you are not getting out and walking or camping in the park, the drive…read morealong Avenue of the Giants, which parallels Hwy 101, lets you experience the majesty. If you had someone in the car who was of limited mobility, the drive through is a must! The Avenue goes through the Redwood State Park. Within the park are opportunities for camping, walking, and river access. You can see the river from the Avenue drive.

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 this lighthouse and the surrounding area a few years ago and loved the nature, its super…read morepeaceful, can see the sea lions, the history is fascinating for the lighthouse, overall it was a great trip

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!