A finer weekend getaway I cannot imagine ...
Written: Jan 18 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quiet, safe, charming, with wonderful restaurants
Cons: A wee bit pricey, and a longish drive
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| cbason's Full Review: Mendocino, CA |
When the pressures of work and school seemed a bit overwhelming, my girlfriend and I headed up to Mendocino, and looking back, we couldn't have picked a better spot.
Mendocino is about 3 to 4 hours north of San Francisco on the coast. The fastest way to get there is to take 101 north, and then cut over to 1 on the coast, via 128 I think. If you have some time, and enjoy the scenic route, I highly recommend taking the 1 all the way up the coast. Assume that this will take at least 4 hours though.
Mendocino is a sleepy little town with all the prerequisites for relaxation: ocean, bed and breakfasts galore, amazing food, little shops, and redwoods nearby.
Now on to some thoughts:
- Bring a windbreaker and a big sweater. It can get darn cold there with the wind blowing off the water, and you'll probably want to take a walk down the beach
- We stayed at the MacCallum House Inn. It wasn't the best B&B we've been to, but it surely wasn't the worst. We came during the week, and in the off-season, and thus were able to get a discount on the room. Be sure to ask. According to Lonely Planet, off season is November through March. The rooms there seemed a little small, but were nice and cozy. Ask for one with a fireplace. The staff was kind, but not overly attentive.
- We had lunch at a cafe or two in the area. The Mendocino Bakery and Cafe was quite good, and was very reasonable.
- Our dinner was nothing short of amazing. I cannot say enough about Cafe Beaujolais. The meal was spectacular, from the appetizers to the main course (I had duck) to dessert (to this day I will not eat another bread pudding for fear of ruining the memory). Wine selection was good, and the service was superb. You must go to this restaurant if you go to Mendocino. Be prepared to shell out the bucks for the restaurant, however. I think our meal was near $100 when all was said and done, coupled with a $50 or $60 bottle of wine. It can get up there, but I'll say it again: It's worth it.
- In chatting with some locals, we also heard that the Ukiah St. Restaurant, just next door to Cafe Beaujolais, was quite good as well. We didn't have the chance to dine there though.
- We went north one day to Fort Bragg and rode the Skunk Train, which is an old steam train that takes you on rides up into the mountains and through redwood forests. This was definitely a tourist trap, with pricey tickets (I can't remember the exact cost, but it was well over $20 a person) and lots of touristy looking people on the train, but it was fun, and the forest was quite beautiful. Put this low on your list of things to do, but if you want something (yet again) relaxing and laid back, it'll do just fine.
- On the way back south, take your time and go on the 1 if you didn't on the way up (I actually recommend taking 101 up and 1 back). There are so many interesting little communities on the coast that I never knew existed until I took that drive through them. On the way back, look for the Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve on your left about 20 miles north of Jenner (another small town that you've probably never heard of). It's an interesting little drive through the reserve. It's beautiful, and won't take too much of your time. Just south of the reserve, you'll see small little park areas on your right. These areas often have short hiking trails leading down to isolated beaches. The day we went, we stopped at three of them, got some beautiful photos, and hardly saw another soul.
That's all. Definitely consider Mendocino for that quiet weekend away!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
cbason
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Member: Clement Bason
Location: Berkeley, CA
Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 8 members
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