Some of the "Best"
places to be on the Mendocino Coast
The links from this page are to
pages that may contain high resolution pictures of the various
special places in the area. The pictures (may) take a while to
load but are meant to be savored when you have a moment to spare.
- The Navarro River Beach
- free picnicking, wheeling gulls, seals, driftwood, lots of
room, wave chasing, fantastic sunsets, slack water river.
- Top of the grade in Albion; about 8 miles
inland. Quiet, spreading forest and ocean views.
- The Post Office: pick your town; you're bound
to run into lots of warm hearted people and many of your friends.
Perhaps the hub of the great and greater local social
circles.
- Your own home. Peace, quiet, contemplation,
projects, rest, healing, nurturing, recreation, menu of your
choice, planning your life, living well, letters, phone calls
(or not,) comfort, and inspiration.
- Cotton Auditorium, Fort Bragg. Great music,
theater, benefits, opera. Talented people.
- The catwalk under the Albion River Bridge.
Not for the faint of heart, nor perhaps for the reasonable.
I didn't tell you about this. Vertigo and risk city. Possibly,
probably, almost definitely illegal.
- Russian Gulch State Park. Just north of Mendocino
for easy walking through moist greenery.
- Graduation Ceremonies at Mendocino High School.
Brings new meaning to rite of passage.
- Glass Beach in Fort Bragg. Where nature has
converted trash into art and can be viewed in process.
- Big River. The Sunset Magazine picture beach.
Find out why via foot, bike, boat, surfboard, or swimming. Rental
boats and bikes available from Catch-A-Canoe near Hwy 1 and
bridge.
- Albion Grocery. These folks have it all. Fresh
seafood, gourmet asian foods, liquor, video rentals, sporting
goods and fishing supplies, ice, gas, you name it. One stop
shopping.
- Makerricher State Beach. Camping, day use,
lovely and spreading shoreline. A real spirit freshener.
- The former sawmill property at Fort Bragg.
Watch your future home in the formulative stages. Call for tour.
- Hendy Woods State Park. A ways inland, this
park has big trees, swimming, and camping.
- The Skunk Railroad. Scenic rail trip from
the coast inland to Willits - and back, if you wish.
- Mendocino Headlands. Find out the difference
between Bull Kelp and sea otters. Sample kale as you walk and
admire the foaming sea and turquoise a la breeze.
- Whale watching from just about anywhere you
can see the ocean, the closer the better. Pods run on time schedules
October through April. See your travel agent.
- The Ledford House.. 707-937-0282. Great views,
warm family feeling, great dinners.
- The Albion River Inn. Really tasty food and
accommodations.
- Mendocino High School soccer field and track.
Will you ever want to run laps anywhere else again?
- The Albion River.
Walk along the first mile or so via road. Great Blue Herons,
Kingfishers, lovely trees, reflections, boats, fishing, friendly
people.
- Crown Hall in Mendocino. Great music, local
benefits, meetings, benefits, and theater.
- Van Damme State Beach in Little River. Walk
from the beach to the Pygmy forest or vice versa or make the
round trip. Find your ecological niche. Diving, kayaking, camping.
- First Friday in Fort Bragg. The first Friday
of every month walk from gallery to gallery sampling openings,
really great local art, food, and meeting people. Lots of fun.
- Second Saturday in Mendocino. Same as above,
only different - further south, 8 days later.
- Noyo Harbor. See what you can find that suits
your palate, sense of smell, or seagoing sensibilities. Restaurants,
boating, fishing, walking, lodging; the din of civilization
abates here.
- The Mendocino Art Center. Fairs, festivals,
classes, performances. A tradition.
- Heeser Drive. Meet Jonathan Livingston Seagull,
contemplate flying. Look for China.
- Talk ducktalk with the ducks at the pond nextdoor
to the Kelly House Museum.
- First Friday free dance lessons at Fort Bragg.
- Paul Dimmick State Park on Hwy 128. Redwoods,
camping, picnicking, swimming.
- Elk State Beach in Elk. Look for the Mile
Rock that my nephew swam in from.
- The Whitesboro Grange Breakfast on the third
Sunday of each Month at Navarro Ridge Road.
-
The Fourth of July Parade in
Mendocino. Lots of fun, friends, and wacky floats. Park early.
One of the most thrilling and literal highlights of the parade
this (particular) year (pictured below) is Captain Don Leslie;
"Sword Swallower, Fire Eater, Tattooed Man, Musician,
M.C."
-
Captain Don - Passed June 4,
2007 - Happy trails, Don, and thanks for all the thrills.
Many blessings.
- Great Day In Elk. This delightful parade,
foodfest, and crafts fair complete with greased pole climbing
is not to be missed. This happens the weekend after Labor Day
annually.
- Westport. Find out why the town is so small
in such a big way. Check out the views along the way to and
from - while safely parked, mind you.
- The Bates/Schmitt Apple Farm where Hwy 132
crosses The Navarro River at Philo. Super organic apples, juice,
and other incredible produce.
- Close to an Osprey nest. See why the Osprey
has my vote for Parent of the Century.
- The Little River Headlands. Incredible scenery
that brings new meaning to the seasons.
- The Ledford House in Albion. Wonderful eats
and a view that's hard to beat. I mentioned this earlier. Say
hi to Tony, Lisa, Kerri, Iana, Marlyss, Julie, Ben, Amy, David
and a bunch of other friendly people.
- Spring Grove Road. Stroll the road or scramble
to the shoreline and rocky beach.
- Point Arena. Ask about the nature of local
politicians' middle and last names. Get pizza at the Cove.
- The Mendocino Cemetery. Be still or read headstones.
Contemplate the view.
- Caspar Beach. Almost invisible.
- The Lighthouse at Point Cabrillo. Stroll Coastal
Conservancy land.
- The Lighthouse at Point Arena. Please bring
me the giant Fresnel lens for my reading room.
- Jughandle Park. Notice the color of the waves
at the beach then walk the ecological staircase.
- In front of The Green Flash. This takes a
clear horizon over the ocean, a sunset, patience and unpredictable
atmospheric conditions. Please explain it to me. Dazzle yourself.
- The Hughes llama ranch in Albion. Will llamas
inherit the earth? Ask John Hughes about the Albion Crosses.
- The Presbyterian Church in Mendocino. Steeple
w/view. Sing the Messiah around Christmas.
- The Gallery Bookshop and Bookwinkle's Children's
Books in Mendocino. Linger in this great selection of literature
and note how attentive and friendly the people who run the place
are.
- Queenies, formerly The Roadhouse Cafe in Elk.
Excellent breakfasts, coffee, and lunches.
- The sidewalk on Main Street in Mendocino.
Equal delights on both sides of the street. View versus overpriced
schlock versus truly high quality art. Tough choices and you
can have them all.
- The Elk Cemetery above Cuffy's Cove. A view
to die for.
- Caspar Little Lake Road. Do the loop de loop.
- The Restaurant in Fort Bragg. Home of many
fond memories.
- The County Airport in Mendocino. This is no
pygmy airport runway, but it's set there in the pygmy. Say hi
to your favorite Gulf Stream, Lear or cyclist. Just say no to
jet fuel sales.
- Coast Cinema in Fort Bragg. Three theaters
with first run movies. 707.964.2019.
- The Mendocino Homecoming Parade. October/Novemberish
on a weekend. School Spirit.
- The Mendocino Cafe. No frills setting with
really appealing food. You'll go back.
- Picnic at The Ford House on the Mendocino
Headlands. You won't mind having your lunch alone. Tables so
there's room for company.
- The Little League Field at Friendship Park.
Not just baseball.
- Cowchip Bingo Benefit for Big Brothers and
Sisters, Fort Bragg. Must be seen to be believed.
- The Caspar Inn in Caspar. The best live music
and dancing and fine liquors. Ask about ROGERWOOD, see
you there someday.
- Rogerwood, at Earthdance, Sunday September
16, 2007, and points in between.
- Greengate swimming hole on The Navarro River,
where the Masonite Corporation took everything but my shorts.
- Elk; Town of. Live, love, and learn.
- Corners of The Mouth in Mendocino. Organic
foods, herbs, dishes, and a "vibe".
- Viraporns! Great Thai food and art, just behind
(west) of the Pine Beach Inn, just north of caspar off HIghway
One.
- Fabric Indulgence. You do need some silk.....
- Navarro Bluff Road. What a great place to
live! Walk the old Highway 1 to Navarro Beach.
- College of The Redwoods. Get smart.
- The Mendocino Music Festival Tent. Dessert
for the ears.
- The Albion-Little River Firehouse on Halloween.
Maybe scary, definitely fun.
- Any mushroom patch. Choose carefully and eat
- only those you are absolutely certain are edible.
- Sweetwater Gardens Hottubs and Saunas. In
Mendocino. Get a massage
- Cameron Road. Drive, walk, or cycle up the
ecological staircase.
- Philo Greenwood Road a.k.a. Route 132. A shortcut
- maybe - treat.
- The Boonville Hotel. Dynamite food and cabinet
work of note.
- The State of the Ark "thrift store"
in Fort Bragg. New to you goodness.
- Usal Road. An adventure.
- The Sinkyone Wilderness.
A still greater adventure.
- Orr Springs. Hotsprings. Neat drive.
- Out of This World on Main Street in Mendocino.View
via telescope. Thinker's toys.
- The Anderson Valley. Meet boontling.
- Montgomery Woods. BIG trees. Very peaceful.
- Frankies Ice Cream and Pizza. Just around
the Corner from Wild Thing.
- Todd's Point in Fort Bragg. Whale watch. Do
the Pomo
- Anderson Valley Feed and Farm Supply. The
best sweet corn.
- Logging roads. Good walking and mountain biking.
- Wellspring Renewal Center in Philo. What a
feeling.
- Stanford Inn By The Sea. You can hear it,
too.
- The Redwood Health Club in Fort Bragg. Get
buffed.
- The Elk Community Center. All kinds of good
things happen here.
- Kelly House Museum in Mendocino. This came
from that?
- The Recreation Center in Mendocino. Classes,
Summer Camp, facepaint.
- The Noyo River. Boats to backwoods.
- Jackson State Forest. Our legacy and playground
and some other things, too.
- Get offline now - been there,
- now get a life. Let all the wonders of nature
find you... and
- until you get here, be really happy right
where you are.
- Share...
- ... some laughs, some tea and a walk on the
beach. Whadaya say!?
-
An infinite number of more places.......
to play, be, stay, look at, linger in, come back to, and remember
fondly...... to be updated.
|
