In Northern California, where redwood forests meet the Mendocino coast, lies Anderson Valley, a region renowned for its ideal pairing of warm days and fog-cooled nights. It was these characteristics that led Jean-Claude Rouzaud, patriarch of the Louis Roederer family, to this remote area in 1981 to begin cultivation of premium pinot noir and chardonnay grapes. Today, … [Read more...]
#54 – Breweries of Mendocino County
If beer is your thing, you will definitely want to take the time to visit a Mendocino County brewery or two and sample their superb offerings. Here are a couple we suggest you check out: Ukiah Brewing Company WHERE: 102 S. State St., Ukiah MORE INFO: 707-468-5898If beer is your thing, you’ll want to take time to visit a Mendocino County brewery and sample its great … [Read more...]
#55 – Anderson Valley Wineries
The Anderson Valley Wine region, best known for its production of rich Pinot Noirs and smooth, dry, Alsatian-style Gewürztraminers, is the home of beautiful scenery as well as superb wines. The region is full of family-owned wineries that produce small batches of excellent handcrafted wines showing off the characteristic qualities that have made Anderson Valley a famous growing … [Read more...]
#56 – Anderson Valley Museum
Intriguing Pomo Indian basketry, antique logging equipment and rich history await you at the Anderson Valley Museum. It is located in a century-old schoolhouse directly adjacent to Hwy 128 between Elk and Ukiah. Although the building is no longer used as a schoolhouse, as a museum it still teaches a great deal about the rich history of the Anderson Valley and Mendocino County. … [Read more...]
#60 – Yorkville Highlands Appellation
Nestled between the beautiful Alexander and Anderson Valleys near Yorkville, the Yorkville Highlands Appellation offers bucolic scenery and excellent wines. The area stretches nearly 16 miles on either side of Hwy 128, with over 356 acres of excellent wine grapes that range from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon to Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Merlot. Over 40 wines are … [Read more...]
#57 – Navarro River Redwoods State Park
After following Hwy 128 through the Anderson Valley, just west of Navarro motorists will find themselves suddenly entering an 11-mile-long tunnel of redwood trees that takes them all the way to the ocean. Welcome to Navarro River Redwoods State Park. Visitors to the park can enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and picnicking in and along the Navarro River. There are … [Read more...]
#61 – Hendy Woods State Park
Gaze in awe at towering 1,500-year-old redwood trees at Hendy Woods State Park. Located in the middle of the fantastic Anderson Valley Wine District, the park is noted for two breathtaking groves: the Big Hendy, which is 80 acres and includes a self-guided discovery trail, and the Little Hendy, which covers about 20 acres. The park’s Upper Loop trail, which winds through the … [Read more...]
#59 – Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Located in the tiny, unique town of Boonville, Anderson Valley Brewing Company opened the doors to its first brewpub in 1987. Since then, they’ve built a new facility and now brew their world-class ales in copper vessels salvaged from two defunct but historic German breweries. Much of the electricity they use comes from solar panels. The Anderson Valley brews include … [Read more...]
#58 – Disc Golf Courses
The discus throw was introduced at the Ancient Olympic Games in 708 B.C., and the modern game of golf dates back to the 15th century in Scotland. It was not until 1926, however, that we have any record of the two games being merged. That year schoolchildren in Canada developed “tin lid golf,” a game similar to golf played by throwing tin lids. Elsewhere and independently, other … [Read more...]
#62 – Hopland’s Wineries
When you pay a visit to the world-renowned wineries of the Hopland region, located in and around Hopland off Hwy 101, you will be treated to fantastic wines and delightful scenery. This region embodies everything that is the Mendocino wine experience. The Hopland wineries are famous for their award-winning Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux varietals, and offer elegant tasting rooms … [Read more...]
#63 – Schoolhouse Plaza, Brutocao Cellars
In 1997, Brutocao Cellars purchased the old Hopland High School from the Fetzer family and built a 7.5-acre complex dedicated to wine and food. The Schoolhouse Plaza is an unmistakable and historic (circa 1920) landmark as you pass through Hopland on Hwy 101. The complex has a tasting room, gift shop and bocce ball court on its premises. Historical photos on display in the … [Read more...]
#65 – Olives in Hopland
There are three attributes of extra virgin olive oil that are considered “positive”: fruitiness, pungency and bitterness. The last two are acquired tastes, and most people in this country prefer olive oils that are less pungent and bitter. Good producers will try to achieve a palatable balance. In addition to the olive varieties chosen at time of planting, Mother Nature’s … [Read more...]
#64 – Real Goods Solar Living Center
Specializing in Education, inspiration and environmentally-friendly products, the 12-Acre Real Goods Solar Living Center offers a great place on Hwy 101 to break up your road trip. The Center, just south of Hopland, features a picnic area, three different ponds, a children’s play area that’s fun and educational, tours and shopping. Children can burn off excess energy while … [Read more...]
#66 – Redwood Valley Wineries
Mendocino County is a wonderful grape-growing and wine-producing area. The county’s wine-growing areas can be divided into three distinct regions, one of which is the Redwood Valley. Every June on Father’s Day weekend, A Taste of Redwood Valley brings wine, food, arts and crafts, and fun to the area. The region starts just south of the city of Ukiah and extends north through … [Read more...]
#67 – SPACE
SPACE, [Laurel] Near and [Paulette] Arnold’s School of Performing Arts and Education, is a thriving center of theatre, culture and education for children, ages infant through 18, and their families. It is a place where young people learn to act, sing and dance, but more than that, it is a safe space where children can explore and grow. Mutual respect, cooperation, independent … [Read more...]
#68 – Corner Gallery/Art Center Ukiah
Corner Gallery/Art Center Ukiah opened in March 2008. Renovating a historic building just one block from the county courthouse, 24 local inland Mendocino County artists realized the dream of having a place to showcase their art. Featured theme shows, lectures and educational events for artists from childhood to the adult professional are supported by the Art Ukiah Center … [Read more...]
#69 – Ukiah Valley Conference and Visitor Center
The Ukiah Valley Conference Center is a great place for planning and hosting an upcoming event. The Center is a state-of-the-art meeting facility, offering a variety of spaces able to accommodate groups as small as five individuals or as large as 600 people. Located in beautiful downtown Ukiah, this modern center has every amenity to make your next social or professional … [Read more...]
#71 – Parducci Wine Cellars & Acoustic Café
Visit Parducci Wine Cellars and experience Mendocino County’s oldest winery. Taste the wines that wine critic Dan Berger called “...better than ever, most following the style set down decades ago by John Parducci.” Tours are available on request; lunch and picnic items are served in the tasting room and can be enjoyed on a beautiful patio overlooking the Mayacamas mountain … [Read more...]
#72 – Sundays in the Park Free Concert Series
Ukiah’s “Sundays In The Park” free concert series has been going strong since 1991. Presenting performances by artists from such diverse genres as blues, classical, country, salsa, soul, rock and swing, each of the summer’s six free concerts draws an average of over 3,000 music fans to beautiful Todd Grove Park. The concerts feature artists from around the world and just … [Read more...]
#70 – Vichy Springs Mineral Hot Springs Resort
Mendocino County boasts some of the most fantastic natural hot springs in the world. It is home to Vichy Springs Mineral Hot Springs Resort and Country Inn, a unique 160 year old historic hot springs resort only two hours north of downtown San Francisco. It has the only naturally warm and carbonated “Vichy” mineral baths in North America. Its soothing 90-degree sparkling waters … [Read more...]
#73 – Ukiah Municipal Golf Course
Since 1931 the Ukiah Valley Golf Course has provided innumerable challenging rounds of golf set amid the sloping hills and majestic terrain of Mendocino County. Ukiah is a regulation 18-hole municipal golf course with an “open to the public” policy that also offers annual memberships as well as tournaments and instruction. From the longest tees it offers 5,850 yards of golf at … [Read more...]
#74 – Low Gap Regional Park
Low Gap Regional Park is a multi-use public park covering more than 80 acres. It is situated along Orr Creek, an important tributary of the Russian River and one of three major streams that run through the city of Ukiah. Because access to all of these streams is extremely limited, access to Orr Creek is one of the most noteworthy features of this park, despite its extensive … [Read more...]
#75 – Lake Mendocino
Set amid the scenic rolling hills of Coyote Valley, Lake Mendocino was formed in 1958 by the construction of the Coyote Valley Dam on the Russian River. Groves of oak mixed with manzanita and pine trees forest the area, offering intermittent shade and premium bird and wildlife habitat. The 1,922 acre lake and its environs offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities … [Read more...]
#76 – Grace Hudson Museum
The Grace Hudson Museum features the best of the region’s art, history and anthropology. Exhibits in the museum range in subject matter from Native American culture and Northern California coast history to the works of contemporary artists. The primary focus of the museum is the magnificent work of Grace Carpenter Hudson. She painted some of the most brilliant oil paintings … [Read more...]
#77 – Ukiah Speedway
Ukiah Speedway is a 1/4 mile asphalt oval racetrack offering pulse-pounding excitement and high-velocity family fun. Come out and see bombers, modifieds, bandoleros, extreme asphalt outlaws, jammers, mini-stocks, legends and more in action. Typically a night of racing begins with a Trophy Dash, with the four to six fastest qualifiers in each division racing four to six laps … [Read more...]
#78 – Cow Mountain Recreation Area
Named for the wild longhorn cattle that once roamed there, the 52,000-acre Cow Mountain Recreation Area offers lots of recreational opportunities. The terrain is rugged, with steep, chaparral-covered slopes and scattered stands of fir, pine and oak. The elevation varies from 800 to 4,000 feet, and the area offers spectacular views of Ukiah and Clear Lake. Over 30 miles of … [Read more...]
#79 – Montgomery Woods State Reserve
Perhaps the most remote of California’s 31 redwood parks, this jewel of a natural reserve is a beautiful fern forest that is home to five separate redwood groves that have never been logged. You can access them by walking along a 2-mile loop trail that follows Montgomery Creek. The really dramatic old-growth scenery begins about one third of a mile into the … [Read more...]
#80 – Hunting in Mendocino County
The wildlife in Mendocino County is very diverse and abundant, with quail, wild turkey, bear, pig and blacktail deer, among other species. Mendocino offers sportsmen many different choices when it comes to hunting in the area. There is public land available for hunting, and most of it holds trophy-class game. There are also opportunities to hunt on private land for a fee. You … [Read more...]
#81 – Clear Lake State Park
Clear Lake State Park is on the shores of California’s largest freshwater lake. The area is popular for water recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating and water-skiing. Anglers can catch largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, Sacramento perch, blackfish, carp and channel catfish. Professional bass fishing organizations including U.S. Bass, Cal Bass and Western Bass have … [Read more...]
#82 – Historic Skunk Train, Willits Depot
If you don’t happen to have a time machine, the next best thing is a trip on the famous Skunk Train. From the restored historic rail cars to the dramatic views of majestic redwood forests, scenic upland meadows, and the pristine mountain waters of Northern California, what you will experience is largely unchanged from the way things were in the late 1800s. The Skunk Train … [Read more...]
#83 – Mendocino County Museum
The Mendocino County Museum collects, conserves and celebrates the stories, artifacts, archives and lives of the people and places of Mendocino County. Stop by for current exhibits, and enduring favorites: a “hippie” van, stagecoaches, a recreated creamery, Pomo baskets, relics from the ill-fated clipper ship the “Frolic,” Seabiscuit’s friends, and a great Museum Shop. Next … [Read more...]
#84 – Willits Frontier Days
Spend the Fourth of July in the Old West at the week-long Fourth of July celebration known as Willits Frontier Days. This event stars California’s oldest continuous rodeo. The 2014 celebration will mark the 88th year of this authentic western event. The rodeo and a full week of events draw people from all over California and the world. Willits Frontier Days was started by … [Read more...]
#85 – Home of Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit, the legendary race horse and subject of a 2003 motion picture, lived and is buried at Ridgewood Ranch along Hwy 101 in Willits. In 1936 San Francisco auto salesman Charles Howard paid $8,000 for Seabiscuit and hired trainer Tom Smith and jockey Red Pollard to race him. Together they turned a moderately successful 3-year-old, regarded by many as lazy, into a champion … [Read more...]
#86 – Willits Skate Park
The Willits Skate Park was the first skate park in Mendocino County. What began when organizers approached the Willits City Council in 2000 finally became a reality at its grand opening in June, 2005. The council initially declined to function as lead agency, so consequently the Willits Skate Park Association, an adult volunteer service group, formed. It raised money, mobilized … [Read more...]
#87 – Willits KOA Kamping Resort
Located in Northern California’s “Gateway to the Redwoods,” Willits KOA resort features an Old West theme and is laid out on a peaceful country setting with rolling hills and trees. It has something for everyone, including a swimming pool, fishing pond, petting zoo, mini golf, play tower, rental bikes, disc golf course, waterspray park and hiking trails. Their national … [Read more...]
#88 – Willits’ Family-Friendly City Parks
Recreation Grove Park, the largest park in Willits, sits at the corner of Commercial and South Lenore Streets. It includes a stage, arena, covered picnic tables, restrooms, barbecues, a food service building and a playground. Willits City Park is downtown across from City Hall. Under a canopy of trees you’ll find a playground and the Centennial Monument, the latter dedicated … [Read more...]
#89 – Roots of Motive Power
Take a trip back in time at Roots of Motive Power and learn about steam engines and the roots of the logging industry in north western California. California’s history was built on the backs of these rolling marvels, and at Roots of Motive Power the past comes alive with physical history. Standing next to these locomotives is like standing amongst huge, metal, fire-eating and … [Read more...]
#90 – Willits Community Theater
There is nothing quite like the experience of a live theatrical performance. People who appreciate the arts flock to the Willits Community Theatre from all over Mendocino County and beyond to see and hear actors live and up close, and feel the interaction between performers and the audience. Established in 1977, the WCT is proud to present an annual season of new and classic … [Read more...]
#91 – Willits Center for the Arts
The Willits Center for the Arts was created to support and showcase the local art scene in and around Willits, providing low-cost art and art-related services to the entire community. It holds publicly-sponsored and locally-grown art shows throughout the year. Work on renovating the historic 1926 Women’s Improvement Club building that would house the WCA began in 1993, and by … [Read more...]
#92 – Scenic Drive to Covelo
Ten miles north of Willits, State Route 162 runs east from Hwy 101. Known as Covelo Rd., it meanders through the Mendocino National Forest all the way to Glenn County and Willows. It is one the most beautiful back roads in California. An hour’s journey over this 41-mile road will take you back to the past and into the heart of unspoiled nature. Your odyssey will follow the … [Read more...]
#94 – Black Butte River Ranch
Just 14 miles east of Covelo, “where the pavement ends,” lies the secluded and magnificent Black Butte River Ranch. This 14-acre facility is minutes from great swimming holes on the Eel River and the wilds of the Mendocino National Forest. The ranch offers full hook-up RV sites, tent camping and rustic cabins along the Black Butte River. A County Store, a barbecue featuring … [Read more...]
#98 – Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
Here at the “gateway to the tall trees country,” weary travelers can refresh themselves with a dip in the South Fork of the Eel River, a quiet picnic, or a stroll through the beautiful redwoods. There is also great fishing here. Standish-Hickey offers three campgrounds, with over 150 campsites available on a first come, first served basis, for those who choose to stick around a … [Read more...]
#93 – The Blackberry Festival
The 33nd annual Round Valley Blackberry Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23, 2015, at the Blackberry Festival grounds in Covelo. Sponsored by Friends of the Round Valley Public Library, the festival features arts and crafts, live music, wine tasting, kid’s activities, blackberry delicacies and souvenirs, not to mention a square dance, a country … [Read more...]
#96 – Laytonville Farmers’ Market
Year-round on Monday afternoons from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. (June through October) and 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. (November through May), local farmers set up shop at Harwood Hall on Willis Rd. in Laytonville. They bring glorious offerings of the best in local fresh fruits and vegetables, artisan goat cheeses, ranch meats, eggs, garden bouquets, handcrafted clothing and much more. They … [Read more...]
#97 – Laytonville Rodeo
Cowboy up! Every year Laytonville holds the “Best Lil’ Rodeo Around.” This year, in honor of it being the 40th annual Laytonville Rodeo, they are changing things up a bit. On Saturday June 7th they will be having Quad Barrels (Cloverleaf Style), Quad Poles (California Style) and Quad Hide Racing, with competition in three different divisions. On Sunday June 8th the gates open … [Read more...]
#99 – Smithe Redwoods State Reserve
Traveling north from San Francisco along the Redwood Highway (U.S. 101), the first old-growth redwoods you’ll encounter are in Smithe Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Here you’ll find the beautiful Frank and Bess Smith Grove of redwoods, as well as Dora Creek Falls, a lovely 60-foot waterfall. Because Smithe Redwoods is a natural reserve, the park is managed to minimize human … [Read more...]
#95 – Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival
The beautiful Black Oak Ranch concert facility, 5 miles north of Laytonville and just three hours north of San Francisco on Hwy 101, provides a picturesque setting for three days of live performances, activities for kids, local food and craft booths and non-profit information. Listen to some of folk music’s greatest talents, and lend your own voice to the campfire sing-along … [Read more...]
#100 – The Peg House
On Hwy 101 north of Leggett is one of the most beloved roadside stops along the Redwood Highway. The Peg House is featured in Sunset magazine’s Top Road Food Spots in the West: “One of the 25 Absolutely Best Places to Eat Along Western Highways.” Across from Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area, the ‘Peg House’ features a gourmet deli, espresso bar, gift shop, general store … [Read more...]
#101 – Confusion Hill
One of the many roadside attractions just south of Garberville, in northern Mendocino County, is Campbell Bros. World Famous Confusion Hill. Listed as a California Point of Historical Interest, and featured on Ripley’s Believe It or Not, this is definitely a one-of-a-kind attraction. It has been the home of mystery and fun since 1949. There are several adventures here including … [Read more...]
#99 The One Log House
Domicile, habitat, home — it’s where your heart is or isn’t. In the case of the One-Log House, the heartwood of a 2,100 year old redwood was hewn out by hand to make a complete home with all the amenities. Although the timeline for this tree starts around the same time as the birth of Christ, its modern timeline starts with its cutting in 1946. The log for the One-Log House was … [Read more...]