Our visit to Mendocino (said Mendo-SCENE-o, not Mendo-CH-ino) was happenstance and one made of necessity. We knew we needed somewhere to stop along California’s coast to break up the drive to the Redwoods. Bodega Bay was on our radar screen but ultimately we decided on Mendocino.
This meant we knew very little about the town before we arrived – but wow, our visit to Mendocino was absolutely fantastic.
Where to Stay in Mendocino, CA
After our Point Reyes adventure, we made our way to the Little River Inn, an old classic inn perched on a hillside. This was our first stay at resort/hotel this trip. We don’t typically choose places that don’t have kitchens or kitchenettes, but options in Mendocino are sparse. This beautiful town is an inspiration to artists and poets and, frankly, isn’t large. So the rental market is tight.
But we really enjoyed this family-owned inn. With over 80 years of history, it was a very fun place to stay and worked well for our family. They weren’t the most posh and modern facilities we’ve ever experienced, but they were cozy and so well-integrated into the landscape. The service was friendly but that view off our back balcony was everything.
Sitting on the big deck, watching the sunset and spotting the dozens of whales spouting water off in the distance will never be forgotten. Cuddling with my kids in an old rocking chair, our view looked out over the path of the whales’ return migration from Baja. Of course, we were too far away to really see details of these great creatures, but just witnessing so many of them on the horizon, carrying on with the business of life, was phenomenal. Definitely one of my favorite moments of the trip.
New to our Trip? Be sure to check out our kick-off article and FAQs on our trip up California’s Route 1 with the family. The full itinerary, including stops and lodging, can be found here.
Visiting the Pygmy Forest in Mendocino, CA
Since so much of our entire trip was focused on the natural and outdoor beauty of California’s coast, we were excited to see what this area held.
After a quick (but delicious!) breakfast at Good Life Cafe, we made our way to the trailhead in the Pygmy Forest. The Pygmy Forest in Mendocino had us intrigued. The forest is made of vegetation over 100-years old yet only a few feet tall. Due to the ecology in this specific spot, the trees are root-bound and despite their longevity stay very small.
These types of forests are incredibly rare. Built on a sort of ecological staircase, with wet conditions, it is a unique situation rarely duplicated.
The best way to see the Pygmy Forest is a 0.2 mile loop through Van Damme State Park. This is an elevated boardwalk and pretty easy to access.
But, truthfully, this was not our favorite hike.
While it was an intellectually appetizing opportunity to see something so different, it definitely wasn’t pretty. The vegetation is scrubby and prickly. Our kids were not impressed, the bugs were starting to get bad, and it is hard to conceive of these trees as being centuries old, particularly after being awed by the majesty of our first foray into the redwoods.
Visiting Glass Beach at Fort Bragg, CA
Since the hike was shorter than we realized, we finished earlier than planned. We decided to head up to Fort Bragg and Glass Beach. While it had been our intention to do this on our way out of town the following day, as it was north, we were glad we did it early and without rush. This was such a dazzling place.Â
The rocky beach alone, with waves crashing and spraying out of various rivets and shoreline, was worth the visit. Our kids loved watching the abalones in the tidal pools and the bright green seaweed performing its floating dance. But noticing the specks of shiny color on the beach was the reason for coming here.
Much as I felt with our visit to Alcatraz, I was amazed by the power of Mother Nature to reclaim and renew the destruction humanity inflicts.
Glass Beach is called such because it is peppered with sea glass. And yes, sea glass that was formerly glass trash and litter that went into the ocean and was smoothed and worked by the waters to be something stunning.
I thought the glass here was plentiful. But, interestingly, I ran across an Instagram post by a popular influencer who said they were disappointed in the amount of glass, that there wasn’t as much as they wanted. I was surprised by that post.
We thought the amount of glass was overwhelming – everywhere you looked you found some of various colors – and also (let’s recall the origins of this) a little sad.
Also strange to me is that the California tourism agencies ask that people not collect the glass and take it home, but leave it so it stays “Glass Beach” for future generations. Again, this is technically human trash that is decidedly not good for the environment.
So lamenting that there isn’t enough glass/trash and asking us to leave the glass/trash is hard to reconcile. Additionally, we thought this beach was perfect without the glass/trash but would we have gone without its reputation?
It’s all a bit of a paradox.
Due to its uniqueness and easy access to Fort Bragg (and due to its social media fame), Glass Beach can get crowded. The earlier you can go, the better. There are large parking lots, but they fill up.
Hiking the Coastal Trail at Mendocino, CA
The sun came out as we were finishing our time at Glass Beach and we decided to take our picnic lunch (which we put together at the Harvest Market earlier that morning) and sit outside to enjoy it.
We parked at Mendocino Headlands, part of the Southern Coastal Trail, where we ate in the sun and then walked. This was an absolute must-do. Seals sunned themselves off the shore. The path wound around Mendocino Headlands State Park, where we walked along cliff tops, staring down at sparkling water.
At one point we found a way to scurry down to the beach underneath Mendocino. This is not for someone who has mobility challenges, but we managed it. And it was just perfect. The kids didn’t want to leave. Nor did I. We fell into a hypnotic state of total relaxation there.
We didn’t log that many miles on this particular hike, but what we did do was very special.
Things to Know About Visiting Mendocino, CA:
Mendocino, California has a vibe. It is a quaint, cozy, smallish coastal town in California that brags about its art community. It can give off a somewhat elitist feeling and it is expensive. But it is also well-loved and carefully maintained. History abounds as does natural beauty. Its popularity and beauty also make it hard to find places to stay in Mendocino.
Fort Bragg up the road, where Glass Beach is located, is completely different. It is a town that caters to tourists, with large “wild west” restaurant facades and a slew of lodging options for every budget.
So pick what works for you.
We found Mendocino to be special. We are so glad we picked it and didn’t skip by. We were learning during our trip up Route 1 that California has so many pockets that are so different in personality and identity. Even within a 30-minute stretch, Fort Bragg and Mendocino offered entirely different things.
Yet discovering these idiosyncrasies was part of what made our entire road trip. We were able to unearth the personality of each place we stayed on our own. And Mendocino had a personality we loved.
