Like most people I suspect, Jamie W. and I came upon this little house quite by accident since we…read morewere making our way to the headlands from the town center off the main thoroughfare. I was immediately struck by the bright teal color contrasting with the faded red of the steps (see my photo). We knew it wasn't your standard clapboard, "Murder She Wrote" cottage, and yet we were wondering how the owner violated the all-white, Cape Cod-style conformity of the rest of the homes. As it turns out, it's a Taoist temple built by the first Chinese settlers in the early 1850's. In fact, it's the oldest Taoist temple in the state. The temple is dedicated to the Chinese god of war, and the outside of the building has a sign that says from (right to left) "mo dai miu", translates to mean "Temple to the Military God". It's open on weekends but only between May and October. For the rest of the year, you have to turn into a lookie-loo like me and unapologetically peep through the windows. They don't mind....I think.

If You drove into town, you probably wouldn't even have known a temple like this existed because it…read moreis not on a Main Street and it is tiny!! I actually found this temple through yelp. My grandmother likes to visit temples and we were going to be in the area so I decided to take her here. I like going as well, gives me a sense of calming. There isn't much to see here. And there is only one lady who works here, who is absolutely the sweetest lady. She told us the history behind the temple and how her great grandfather had built it long ago. Her father entrusted her with the temple so now it is her duty to protect and look over it. You probably can't tell but she's actually part Chinese! FYI there are no restrooms there but a nice art center two blocks up offered their restroom :)

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!

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.

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.]

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.

Yes, there are two Fort Braggs and at the moment, both the one in North Carolina (one of the…read morelargest US Army bases) and this one in California are named after the same guy, a North Carolinian Confederate General Braxton Bragg, who had previously served in the United States Army in the Mexican-American War. The California one is working on a rename to instead honor a different and less Confederate Bragg. This marker is in the main part of downtown Fort Bragg, near the Sea Glass Museum and the Guest House Museum and the city clock. The marker is a bit faded but reads, "Established in this vicinity June 11, 1857 by 1st Lieutenant Horatio Gate Gibson, 3rd Artillery, later Brigadier General, US Army. Named by Gibson in honor of his former company commander, Braxton Bragg, later General, C.S.A. Abandoned in October 1864." [Review 17630 overall - 420 in California - 1149 of 2022.]

Beautiful. Pretty…read moregem we stumbled across amongst other hidden gems. Friends and I took lots of pictures here. Our boys loved the huge tree! Weather was perfect and people are also nice here. There's a bunch of shops around and of course the skunk train. If you are looking for parking, there are lots of parking around the area. We ended up parking our vehicles at the skunk train lot. If you decide to go into the historical home spice it up and spook yourself out before going in. Cross the street and look into the windows before walking in. It'll make your visit worth it!

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.