Arcata & Redwood Coast
A hippie college town on Northern California's Humboldt Bay, with the giant trees and fern-lined canyons of Redwood National and State Parks to the north and the Avenue of the Giants to the south.
Arcata sits on the north shore of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, Northern California. Home to Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State University), the small town is known for its hippie culture, organic farmers market and environmental ethos, and it is the most convenient base for exploring the Redwood Coast. Heading north on US 101, you reach Redwood National and State Parks (a UNESCO World Heritage Site): the old-growth groves and elk meadows of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Fern Canyon (a Jurassic Park filming location) and Lady Bird Johnson Grove, and farther north the mouth of the Klamath River and Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. About 1–2 hours south lie the Avenue of the Giants and the old-growth forest of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Closer by are the fishing harbor and lighthouse at Trinidad Head, the sea cliffs of Sue-meg State Park, Eureka's Victorian Old Town and the village of Ferndale. The climate is shaped by the cold Pacific current: summers are cool and foggy (around 15–20°C / 59–68°F), June–October is the driest and best time for hiking, and winters are rainy but uncrowded. Getting there: the nearest airport is Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV), with flights to San Francisco; driving from San Francisco takes about 5 hours. Sights are spread out, so a car is essential. Plan on 3–4 days: one for the northern redwood parks and Fern Canyon, one for the Avenue of the Giants, and one for the coast and Old Town. In peak season, a parking permit for Fern Canyon must be reserved in advance.
Top sights
- Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park – The core of the Redwood National and State Parks complex, with old-growth coastal redwood forest, ferns, and Roosevelt elk meadows.
- Fern Canyon – Walls of sword ferns rise over ten meters high, and wading through the creek feels like stepping into the distant past. It was a filming lo…
- Lady Bird Johnson Grove – An old-growth redwood grove on a high ridge, with a gentle 2.4-kilometer loop. It is the easiest giant-tree trail in Redwood National Park.
- Stout Memorial Grove – A flat grove of giant trees beside the Smith River, with densely packed, towering redwoods. It is considered the most beautiful stand of tr…
- Avenue of the Giants – An old road of roughly 50 kilometers running parallel to Highway 101, lined with towering giant redwoods of Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
- Trinidad Head – A granite headland beside a small fishing harbor. The 2.3-kilometer loop offers views of sea stacks and the bay, with a lighthouse and a st…
- Tall Trees Grove – Giant tree grove at the bottom of the Redwood Creek valley, accessible only with a daily limited permit; once home to the world's tallest t…
- Gold Bluffs Beach – Wild beach stretching over ten kilometers beside Fern Canyon, where Roosevelt elk often roam the dunes and grassy areas.
- Klamath River Overlook – High cliff view over the Klamath River mouth and the Pacific, the most expansive viewpoint on the redwood coast route.
- Trees of Mystery – Long-running roadside attraction with giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox at the entrance, plus a redwood sky gondola.
- Founders Grove – The most popular stop along the Avenue of the Giants, with a flat loop trail past the fallen Dyerville Giant.
- Rockefeller Forest – The largest old-growth coastal redwood forest in the world; the flat Bull Creek trails are quiet and lined with giant trees.
- Moonstone Beach – Sandy beach where a small river mouth meets sea cliffs, good for sunsets, tide pools and surfing, only 20 minutes from Arcata.
- Sue-meg State Park – Formerly Patrick's Point State Park, with sea cliffs, an agate beach and a reconstructed Yurok village.
- Humboldt Lagoons State Park – A string of coastal lagoons separated from the sea by sandbars alongside Highway 101, good for kayaking and birdwatching.
- Arcata Plaza – Heart of the hippie university town, where the McKinley statue is surrounded by historic buildings, cafés and a Saturday farmers' market.
- Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary – Ecological showcase where wetlands purify city wastewater; the flat loop trail around the ponds is a well-known birding spot in Northern Ca…
- Arcata Community Forest – Urban second-growth redwood forest next to campus, with free trails for walking, running and mountain biking.
- Old Town Eureka – Well-preserved Victorian district on Humboldt Bay, with murals, antique shops and seafood restaurants.
- Carson Mansion – One of America's most famous Victorian Queen Anne-style wooden mansions, often called the most photographed Victorian building in the count…
- Sequoia Park Zoo – California's oldest zoo, with a redwood canopy walkway opened in 2022 for strolling among the treetops.
- Samoa Cookhouse – The last logging camp cookhouse in the West, serving hearty family-style meals at long tables, with a logging museum on site.
- Ferndale – Victorian town surrounded by pastureland, its main street lined with brightly colored 'Butterfat Palaces,' and the whole town listed as a h…
Where to eat
- Renata's Creperie – One of Arcata's most popular brunch spots, known for savory and sweet crêpes and espresso drinks, with a colorful mural…
- Los Bagels – A long-standing Arcata bagel shop that opened in the 1980s, blending Jewish bagel traditions with Mexican flavors and a…
- Cafe Phoenix – A small café focused on local organic produce, with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options and a dog-friendly gar…
- Salt Fish House – A seafood restaurant beside the plaza, where Humboldt Bay oysters, raw and charbroiled, and fish and chips are the most…
- Bencharong Thai House – A family-run Thai restaurant cooking traditional family recipes, with a well-loved coconut chicken soup and a signature…
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…