Mendocino County

A county on California's North Coast, featuring cliffside ocean views, Victorian-style towns and redwood forests.

Mendocino County lies on the North Coast of California, north of San Francisco, and is sparsely populated, with a coastline of rugged cliffs and coves. The town of Mendocino sits on a headland by the sea and preserves 19th-century New England–style architecture, while the surrounding headlands state park offers ocean views and whale watching. Near Fort Bragg are Glass Beach and the Skunk Train; inland, the Anderson Valley is a wine-producing area, and redwood forests are scattered throughout. Summer and fall are the most pleasant, while winter and spring are whale-watching season but rainy. There is no major airport; most visitors drive from the San Francisco Bay Area along Highway 1 or U.S. 101.

Destinations

• Mendocino

Itineraries

• Northern California Redwoods Coast & Volcano Loop – Head north along Highway 1 to Mendocino and the Redwoods, then turn toward Redding and Lassen Volcanic before returning…