Beautiful town on the coast about 3 hours N of San Francisco; many of the houses in town are historic. Fort Bragg is the somewhat less charming town just north of Mendocino. (If driving from San Francisco, 101 leads through Sonoma County, which has some great wineries/restaurants (Dahlia & Sage in Cloverdale is a nice grocery store on the way too), and Highway 128 runs through beautiful Hendy Woods State Park, with old-growth redwood trees. You can also take the coastal highway 1 the whole way up, which is windy but beautiful.)
Walk around/hike - the town is fun for strolling (and has some interesting shops), and anywhere along the coast (including near the town of Mendocino) is beautiful
Point Cabrillo lighthouse - on the coast in between Mendocino & Fort Bragg
Hendy Woods State Park - on highway 128, some beautiful old-growth redwood trees
The Skunk Train - cool, historic logging train that takes you from Fort Bragg into the redwoods
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens - small but nice gardens
Visit local wineries & farms
north/inland of Fort Bragg in Leggett: Confusion Hill (tourist trap similar to Santa Cruz's "Mystery Spot") and Drive-Thru Tree
***Cafe Beaujolais - nice French-style place, romantic
Frankie's - quality pizza, ice cream, and more
GoodLife Cafe & Bakery - homey local spot for pastries, coffee, and breakfast/lunch dishes
Harvest Market - grocery store, pretty good stuff
?? Gnar Bar - looks interesting?
?? Fog Eater Cafe - looks interesting, California cuisine with some Southern dishes?
?MacCallum House Restaurant - somewhat fancy spot
?Mendocino Market/Deli - lunch/picnic stuff
## Harbor House Inn - famous, fancy place in Elk (S of Mendocino); has 2 Michelin stars, and apparently has amazing breakfasts if you stay overnight
Terra Mar Kitchen - in Albion, at the Albion River Inn...we went here a while ago and loved the views, but the food was a bit dated (not sure if that's still the case today)
Ledford House - French place in Albion
Boonville Hotel & Restaurant - expensive place rec'd Michelin
A former sheep farm that was turned into an eco-sensitive planned community starting in the 1960s, Sea Ranch provides a relaxing way to immerse yourself in nature along the California coast. All the properties have native plants, no fences, and architecture designed to blend in with the natural surroundings, so even when you're around a bunch of houses, you feel like you're in a nature preserve. It's about an hour south of Mendocino along highway 1, but because you spend longer on highway 1 to get to sea Ranch, it ends up being only around 30 minutes closer to SF / the Bay Area.
***Hiking! - there is a beautiful trail that runs the length of the coast, plus a few other trails up in the woods; this page has a PDF trail map and lots of information about hiking
You don't need to be staying in Sea Ranch to hike, although there are fewer places you can park...among the spots with public parking (south to north) are Black Point Beach trailhead (near the Sea Ranch Lodge, which has some of the most iconic hikes), Pebble Beach parking, Stengel Beach parking, Shell Beach parking, and Walk-On Beach parking
...theoretically the coastal Bluff Trail is only for people staying at Sea Ranch, but we've never had anyone "card" us there
Tidepool Beaches/Seal Watching - the aptly named Tide Pool Beach has some cool tidepools, although certain times of year it is closed due to mother seals bringing their pups ashore (so you can watch them from the bluffs)...nearby Shell Beach (just to the south) also has some tidepools, and a larger sandy area
***Sea Ranch Chapel - this amazing building looks like a cross between Gandalf's hat and a bird wing, with one-of-a-kind art inside and out...a nice place to meditate or just admire the handiwork
Swimming / Tennis at Rec Centers - if you are staying at a Sea Ranch property (either the lodge or a house), you will get a pass that gives you access to three different recreation centers, each with different facilities...most of them are sunken into the earth so they are protected from the wind and don't disturb sight lines:
Moonraker Rec Center - most southerly and oldest rec center, has a small pool, saunas, 3 pickleball courts
Ohlson Rec Center - near a small native plant garden, features a larger pool, saunas, 3 tennis courts, and basketball/volleyball
Del Mar Rec Center - northernmost rec center, somewhat boring architecture compared to the other two, large pool, saunas, 2 tennis/pickleball courts
Inland activities - these aren't in Sea Ranch, but <20 minute drive away in Annapolis:
Starcross Monastic Community - this non-denominational monastary has a honor-based farm stand including amazing olive oil
Annapolis Winery - we've heard this is nice but have never been
There is a single hotel, the pricey Sea Ranch Lodge (they also have the ~only level 2 EV charger in the area, on the
...but most lodging are Airbnb-style houses for rent. Generally speaking, the closer to the water ones are more expensive, but we've enjoyed ones that aren't on the water but have water views. Different houses are on different platforms, but Vacasa seems to have the most selection.
Cook for yourself - Most houses come with kitchens, so we'll typically bring food from San Francisco (or the Surf Market, see below) to cook
***Sea Ranch Lodge Dining Room is a great restaurant with beautiful views, open for lunch and dinner; somewhat expensive but not too different from a nice SF restaurant; they also have a cafe that serves breakfast and grab-and-go lunches that are OK
Shindig - the only other "restaurant" in Sea Ranch itself, uphill in a commercial district, is run by the friendly local acupuncturists...it's a cozy venue with occasional live music, but the food is pretty minimal
In Gualala (town 10-15 minutes north of Sea Ranch):
***Surf Market - well-stocked grocery store with a bunch of regional treats; also makes some pretty good sandwiches; often there are food stalls in the parking lot
Anchor Bay Thai Kitchen - looks good?
[various other restaurants, although we've never been to any]
from North to South:
Remnants from when the Russians had a colony this far south, this is now a state historic park
***Cafe Aquatica - lovely little cafe with delicious sandwiches and other food; on a nice day you can sit outside and enjoy the water...note that the only restrooms are the port-a-potty style public ones near the parking lot
Coast Kitchen at Timber Cove Resort --> up the coast from Jenner towards Fort Ross...looks nice??
Duncan's Cove - looks like a nice picnic spot on the water?
Terrapin Creek - fancy place rec'd Michelin