Traveling Mendocino County

One of our favorite jobs is acting as a travel guide to our customers. After all, there are so many wonderful things to do and see while in Mendocino!

Here are a few of our favorite itineraries while in the area:

PICNIC TO HENDY WOODS

Grab a picnic at one of many local cafes or stores (from the Boonville General Store to Lemon's Market to Boont Berry Farm) and head to Hendy Woods State Park.

Do the old grove trail, but don't neglect lower Hendy (and the rare, albino Redwood!) plus the Hermit Hut and other popular hikes. 

Stop by The Philo Apple Farm for fresh apples (and more) and Gowan's Cider on the way out.

We do have a county park, Faulkner, just outside of Boonville, with a few miles of trails. Note of warning: the county has stopped maintaining the park, so it is slowly returning to its natural state. Trails are passable but uneven.

DAY IN BOONVILLE

Start with empanadas and pastries plus delicious coffee at Mosswood Market, then visit the shops in town. Walk from the Anderson Valley Brewing Company, where you can play disc golf, to Pennyroyal Farm, where you can see the goats and try their cheeses. 

After a wine tasting here at Foursight, other in-town tasting rooms include: Bee Hunter, Philo Ridge and Disco Ranch Wine Bar. 

Dinner can be at Lauren's (pub food and house-distilled libations), Offspring for top-notch Italian fare or The Boonville Hotel for a more formal setting. Prefer dinner to-go? Boont Berry Farm or The Anderson Valley Market are open late enough to grab some pre-made foods or supplies.

On select nights, The Anderson Valley Brewing Company hosts live music, and check the Fairgrounds' calendar of events.

Our Mendocino County Fair is in mid-September every year! There is also a beer festival in early May and a World Music Festival in June, along with several Charreadas (rodeos).

Plus, our Mendocino Lavender & Pollinator Garden will be open starting July 2024! We are already stocking our shelves with lavender-themed goodies, but tours start as soon as the flowers bloom.

TRIP TO THE COAST

The Mendocino Coast is 30 minutes away, through a drive surrounded by the Navarro River Redwoods State Park. Few hiking trails exist -- it's more of a preserve -- but there is a hollow giant redwood log to climb through and some picturesque spots to snap some photos.

Navarro State Beach is the closet beach to the valley floor; it's always quiet, full of driftwood for kids to climb, and dog-friendly. Some of our other favorite beaches a little farther away include: Big River Beach (just outside the town of Mendocino; there are stairs that go right into town!), Seaside Beach (north of Fort Bragg) and Greenwood State Beach (in the town of Elk, further south).

If you're game for a longer drive to get a nearly solo beach experience, try Manchester State Beach or Ingelnook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes.

The charming town of Mendocino is on everyone's itineraries, and it would be another blog post to list all the excellent restaurants in town.

Walk along the Mendocino Headlands, along the Big River Haul Road, or if you want a spectacular waterfall hike, to Russian Gulch State Park.

The Pygmy Forest at Van Damme in Little River is an interesting stop for both littles and bigs.

LIGHTHOUSES!

We have two fantastic lighthouse stops in our county: The Point Arena Lighthouse (great paired with a visit to Manchester State Beach and some bites in Point Arena) and Point Cabrillo Station, just north of Mendocino. And, bonus, you can stay at both sites too!

GO INLAND

Montgomery Redwoods is another spectacular park, heading inland this time. It's isolated, so stock up before you go! Once you're there, the trails and trees are beautiful, and we always notice the distinct lack of road (and other) noise, making it a beautifully peaceful park.

There is an adventurous, winding road that goes past Montgomery Redwoods and into the back of the town of Ukiah, called Orr Springs Road. This takes you past the Orr Hot Springs.

Downtown Ukiah offers a plethora of boutique shops and restaurants. Go to Schat's for your coffee and treats, enjoy sushi at Oco Time, or a lovely dinner at Patrona, Cultivo or Left Coast Seafood. 

You can head south to Hopland, where tasting rooms abound and great eat and shopping too! This charming town is worthy of an afternoon.

Other notable points of interest: a soak at Vichy Hot Springs and a visit to The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas for vegatarian food and an educational visit.

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This is just a small sampling of things to do in Mendocino! Contact us info@foursightwines.com for more suggestions, questions, or lodging recommendations.