Mendocino, California is located just a few hours north of San Francisco on California’s stunning Pacific Coast Highway. It’s one of the best weekend trips from San Francisco, and we’ve been up to visit multiple times. Mendocino is known for it’s world-class wine and stunning coastal views, and the area is a perfect spot for a romantic getaway or girl’s trip!
The first time Jeremy and I visited Mendocino, we were actually going primarily for Glass Beach – just north of Mendocino in Fort Bragg, and one of the most popular spots in the area. And while Glass Beach was pretty rad – and we even met a pig named Ollie frolicking on the beach, which isn’t like … a regular thing, but nonetheless memorable – we fell in love with so many spots along the way leading up to Fort Bragg, like Elk, Little River, Point Arena, and Mendocino itself.
The cherry on top of our first visit was that we happened to go tidepooling the same day that some kind of Porsche Club had their annual kite outing? No, I’m serious – the beach was like, FILLED with rich old people flying kites. So for a while we had the weird impression that Mendocino was full of people who drive Porsches and fly kites. Which, in fact, it isn’t … usually. But Mendocino left such an impression that we’ve been dying to return for years! Last weekend, we finally did.
Here are our favorite things to do in Mendocino! None of them involve Porsches, kites, or frolicking pigs, sorry to dissapoint.
Table of Contents
Psst: Looking for more places to explore in our beautiful home state? Here are some of our favorite places to visit in California!
- The 10 Best Weekend Trips from San Francisco, California: A Local’s Guide
- Glamping Near San Francisco: A Romantic Weekend Getaway Itinerary
- 24 Stunning Northern California Hikes (Near San Francisco)
- 8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California’s Central Coast
The Andiron Inn in Mendocino, California is quirky, charming and adorable! We fell in love with it the minute we walked into fondue and wine by a crackling fire at Happy Hour.
Where to Stay in Mendocino
We actually discovered the adorable Andiron Seaside Inn & Cabins almost on accident. It was 2 days before our trip to Mendocino and we were frantically browsing local accommodations trying to find anywhere to stay, when we came upon this little gem. The pricing was reasonable, the location was great – just down the street from our favorite local brunch spot, Circa 62 in Little River – and we suspected the place might have that ~character~ that our favorite places to stay do. You know what I mean, right?
When we arrived, we were blown away. The Andiron Inn is totally weird and kitschy, and SO up our alley!
We arrived during Happy Hour and gratefully sat down by a crackling fire to enjoy local wine and beer, home-made fondue with apples, bread and mushrooms, and local mustard with pretzels. We chatted with the other guests and the incredibly friendly (and totally cool) owners while taking in the eclectic weird-ness of the decorations.
Also, Jeremy made some goat friends. Yep: The Andiron Inn has goats (and chickens, too!) Jeremy loves all animals indiscriminately, but I had a traumatic experience growing up on my parent’s farm in Kentucky. Long story short, we had a goat and her name was Daisy and she was SO mean to me. Wow, that sounded a lot less traumatic than it actually was. OK, there IS a longer story than that, but it’s a really long story, so I’m just gonna show you some pictures of Jeremy hanging out with these goats instead, which seemed a lot nicer (from a safe distance).
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- The adorable entrance to the Andiron Inn in Mendocino, California.
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- Meet the Andiron Inn Goats: Peanut Butter, Cocoa, and Sugar!
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- One of the highlights of our Labor Day trip to Mendocino was the adorable little inn we stayed at, which has 3 resident goats!
After stuffing our faces with fondue, we were shown to our room and given instructions for the night-time hot tub, which is located in a tucked-away spot in the forest: perfect for a late-night romantic rendezvous. Bring your bathing suits (or don’t, oh my).
Our room was named “Curious” and themed around curiosity (duh) and exploration, and it was so freakin’ weird, you guys, in the best possible way! We walked in to the sound of weird 1950’s TV, poked through weird 1950’s space ephemera, looked through the telescope, played with the archery set outside, and generally nerded out. At night we relaxed in bed as the wood burning stove filled the room with warmth. We were bummed to leave after too short a stay and we’re dying to return!
By the way, if you’re curious: this was NOT a sponsored stay, and we paid our own way fully out of pocket. We just really and truly adored this cute little inn! Check out prices and availability.
Compare Deals on the Andiron Seaside Inn & Cabins
Tips for Visiting Mendocino
Don’t make the rookie mistake of assuming that all of California is warm, or that “coastal” means “beachy.” Replace those mental images of palm trees with redwoods instead, and then cover your whole mental image in fog and drop it down about 30 degrees: that’s northern California coastal weather.
What I’m trying to say here is: Mendocino is chilly and foggy. Don’t worry – it’s not like, winter cold. We’re talking a breezy, coastal 55 degrees or so. But you’ll want to pack some warm clothing! If you’re planning on going hiking and kayaking, you’ll want to pack active clothing that’s warm, too. If your hair is anything like my hair, you might want to prep a little bit for the salty sea air and fog and bring a good leave-in conditioner – that one is fantastic for ocean recovery.
For winery hopping and town exploring, my favorite jacket that’s cute AND functional is the prAna Marabelle Jacket. It’s warm and insulated and also incredibly adorable, especially with a scarf. Oh, bring a scarf, too.
And don’t forget to pack a pair of travel jeans! Mendocino has perfect jeans weather year-round. I’m absolutely OBSESSED with my Aviator USA travel jeans. First of all, they have ENORMOUS POCKETS. Like, pockets you can fit your whole hands in, with hidden pockets that you can ALSO fit your whole hand in. You can stuff like 3 phones and a wallet in there and still have room to spare. It’s liberating! Also, the jeans are soft AF – they’re the only jeans I’ve ever worn comfortably on planes and long road trips. They’re as close to sweatpants in jean forms with giant pockets as you can get! Jeremy’s obsessed with his, too.
Finally, and crucially: leave room for some new purchases. Like we’re talking EDIBLE purchases: a few bottles of wine, a jar of chutney, 3 pounds of fudge … that kinda thing. Leave some room in your bag to take the best of Mendocino back home with you.
The drive up to Mendocino on Highway One is half the fun of visiting Mendocino! This is our favorite stop along the way: the Point Arena Lighthouse. Be sure to stop for a photo and look closely at the rocks below for napping sea lions!
How to Get to Mendocino from San Francisco
There are 2 ways to get to Mendocino from the San Francisco Bay Area: the fast route, and the scenic route! We recommend you take the scenic route one way and the fast route the other way.
The Scenic Route is Highway One, aka the Pacific Coast Highway, aka the most beautiful coastal drive in the world. Most folks think that Highway One runs along California’s Central Coast between LA and SF and then ends, not realizing that it actually continues north for even more stunning coastal vistas!
We’ve driven the entire length of the 1 many times and we’re just as in love with the North route as we are with the South section. Driving north from San Francisco to Mendocino on Highway One will take around 6 hours. To make it a little bit shorter, connect with Highway 1 north of Point Reyes. But if you’ve never taken this route, it’s really worth the extra time!
The fast route is Highway 101. You’ll be driving up through wine country, then cutting over towards the coast on Highway 128 – a windy, scenic road through rolling forested hills – and after about an hour, you’ll reach the 1 for just a few miles of coastal scenery. Driving north from San Francisco to Mendocino on Highway 101 will take around 3 hours.
Everyone knows half the fun of a good road trip is the stops along the way, so we’ve included our favorite stops along each route below!
Things to Do in Mendocino
We recommend taking Highway 1 to Mendocino, and taking Highway 101 on the way back. On the way to the 101, you’ll pass right through Philo, home of this adorable apple farm with yummy fresh apples! And apple chutney, cider syrup fresh juice, and more delicious apple goodies.
Take a Road Trip
So, we know that driving up the Pacific Coast Highway technically isn’t a thing to do IN Mendocino, but a big part of the reason we love visiting Mendocino so much is the beautiful scenery along the way. It’s one of California’s best road trip destinations! We recommend taking the scenic route on at least one leg of your journey, but we’ve got some suggestions for both routes to help make your road trip truly amazing.
Highway One: The Scenic Route
- Stop for a snack near Point Reyes at an oyster shack. One of the most unique things to do when driving along Highway One is to stop for fresh oysters! You’ll pass right by The Marshall Store and Hog Island Oyster Co, two of the most popular spots for oysters near San Francisco. We’ve got a few more of our favorites written up in this post.
- Stop in Gualala at Trinks Cafe. Order a Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookie (or some unbelievable pie). Adorable Gualala is fun to explore (and to say outloud), but those cookies are honestly worth the stop alone.
- Take a detour to see the Point Arena Lighthouse. Just off Highway One you’ll see a sign for the Point Arena Lighthouse. You’ll take a winding detour for a few minutes towards the coast, and your journey will be rewarded with one of our favorite (and most picturesque) spots along the Pacific Coast Highway: the Point Arena Lighthouse. Stop here to take photos and admire the crashing waves below – and keep an eye out on the rocks for napping sea lions! If you’ve got some time, you can also tour the lighthouse itself – and even stay overnight.
- Eat at Queenie’s in Elk and order the Blue Cheese Bourbon Burger. It’s worth the stop and it’s our favorite place to get lunch on a northern Highway One road trip!
Highway 101: The Fast Route
- Eat at Queenie’s in Elk and order the Blue Cheese Bourbon Burger. If you skipped it on your way up, be sure to stop on your way down – you’ll actually be driving on Highway 1 for a tiny bit and you’ll go right through Elk! While you’re there, be sure to pop into some of the local markets and mercantiles (there aren’t very many, Elk is teeny tiny).
- Highway 128, aka The Wine Road: The route between Highway 1 and Highway 101 is Highway 128, aka the Wine Road! This route is home to countless wineries – here’s a guide. We suggest a stop at Navarro Vineyards & Winery for wine & cheese. Whoever isn’t driving can sample delicious locally made wine (there’s no tasting fee!) and whoever is driving – or isn’t quite old enough yet for wine – can enjoy a grape juice flight. Pick up some cheese, salami and crackers and have a stunning picnic overlooking the vineyards.
- Stop at the Philo Apple Farm on Highway 128 for fresh apples & apple goodies. At the self-service Farm Stand – which runs on an honor system if no one is around – you’ll find several varieties of delicious fresh apples to choose from, plus chutneys, jams, Apple Cider Syrup (which is amazing), balsamic vinegar, and fresh pressed apple juice! Everything is grown and produced right here on the farm. Also, there are some REALLY cute dogs who live on property, which we think is important to note.
- Stop in Booneville, a charming little town right on Highway 128. This adorable little town is the perfect spot for a quick leg stretch and a snack. Browse locally made crafts and other goodies at The Farmhouse Mercantile and get some fresh organic ice cream at Paysanne.
- Eat dinner at Sol Food in San Rafael. Located off of Highway 101 just north San Francisco you’ll find the Bay Area’s favorite Puerto Rican restaurant, serving up absolutely incredible Puerto Rican food in adorable downtown San Rafael. There’s only one catch: this restaurant isn’t a hidden gem – everyone knows about it, and they all know it’s well worth the trip north, too. So expect a wait, but rest assured: it’s well worth it. If you’re unwilling to wait, the Mill Valley location is a bit out of the way but usually less crowded.
You can’t go to Mendocino and NOT go wine tasting! In case you don’t make it to an actual winery, you can stop by the Mendocino Country Store and visit their tasting room: look for the big blue building in downtown Mendocino.
Experience Mendocino Wine Tasting
Mendocino’s claim to fame is its world class wine. Whether you’re a low-key wine snob like us or you just like wine in/around/near you, Mendocino is the spot!
We haven’t actually visited most of Mendocino’s famed wineries, so we recommend checking out Visit Mendocino’s list of local wineries. Most of the wineries are located along Highway 128, aka The Wine Road, so if you’re not too picky, just head down 128 and stop at wherever catches your eye!
We’ve heard good things about Pacific Star Winery, Navarro Vineyards & Winery, and Nelson Family Vineyards. Sea Rock Inn also has an excellent guide to their top 10 favorite wineries in Mendocino.
Kayaking on the Big River Estuary in Mendocino, California! Kayaking is one of the best things to do in Mendocino.
Explore Mendocino’s Coast by Kayak
One of the best ways to see Mendocino is on the water, and there are several excellent kayaking opportunities in Mendocino. Whether you’re hoping to stay day or just want to make friends with otters and sea lions (UM YES), the best way to explore Mendocino’s coast is via kayak!
- For Cave Lovers: Mendocino’s coastline is dotted with stunning natural sea caves! Explore them on the Kayak Mendocino Sea Cave Nature Tour, led by Kayak Mendocino.
- For Daredevils: Get your adrenaline pumping on the Whitewater of the Sea Adventure Tour led by Liquid Fusion. No prior kayaking experience is necessary, but like … you need to know how to swim. Also, prepare yourself to get wet: you’ll be careening through waves, whitewater, and rock gardens. This is exactly the kind of activity that Jeremy loves and I’m terrified of!
- For Not Daredevils: Prefer to keep your kayaking experience as dry as possible? Look, me too, no judgement. The tour for you is the Noyo Meander River tour, aka the “Dry and Mild.” Ah, yes, now you’re speaking my language. You don’t even need a swimsuit: just relax and get ready to meet Mendocino’s many resident harbor seals, sea lions, river otters, and coastal birds. If you’re looking for something similiar but prefer a self-guided trip, rent a kayak at Catch a Canoe and paddle down the Big River Estuary, which is where we took the photo above.
In Mendocino you can hike on coasts and cliffs, in redwoods and pygmy forests. There’s excellent hiking for all levels of skill and difficulty!
Go Hiking
Mendocino is home to both coastal bluffs and towering redwoods – the kind of hiking scenery that you can truly only experience in Northern California! Check out this guide to Mendocino’s best hidden hikes, or explore the parks below for some of the best hiking in Mendocino.
- Van Damme State Park: The main trail through the park, the Fern Canyon Trail, is 5 miles long and winds through Fern Canyon and up to the 100-year-old Pygmy Forest. Yes, there’s a Pygmy Forest. Be aware that there are some river crossings along this hike which will be trickier during the wet/winter months. We recommend hiking in quick drying trail runners (these are Jeremy’s and these are mine) and waterproof socks – they make river crossings a breeze!
- Russian Gulch State
Park : This park is relatively small, but the highlight is the 36-foot tall waterfall which runs nearly all year long! This 6.8 mile loop is a great day-long hike, or this 5.2 mile loop is a little bit shorter but still takes you see to the waterfall. - Mendocino Headlands State Park: This park is right on the coast and features stunning coastal scenery. If you like long walks in the beach, this is right up your alley. Try the four mile Mendocino Headlands Trail or just meander along the coast for 2.5 miles.
Psst: If you’re planning to visit multiple parks this year, we recommend picking up an America is Beautiful National Parks Pass. The pass is valid at over 2,000 National Parks and 10% of the sale proceeds are donated to the National Park Foundation, helping to keep our parks beautiful! The average cost of admission to a National Park is $35, which means that the pass quickly pays for itself after just a few visits. AND you are supporting the National Park Foundation. Win/win!
You can pick up a pass online at REI or in person at any National Park
Using my eagle eyes to seek out critters down below … seriously though, there are so many otters and harbor seals in Mendocino! Not to mention starfish and crabs chillin’ in tidepools along the coast. It’s a marine dream!
Meet Marine Critters in their Tidepool Homes
Tidepooling is one of our favorite activities in any rocky coastal spot! Mendocino is home to excellent tidepooling – not to mention being near the rocks makes it more likely you’ll catch an otter or a sea lion swimming by looking for a snack. Most of the parks with hiking also have tidepooling, so pack a snack (and then pack that trash right back out with you, please) and make it a day!
IMPORTANT: Before you go tidepooling, please brush up on your Tidepool Etiquette. First and foremost: look, but do not touch! Tidepools are not there for your personal touching and squishing pleasure, and the oils on your hands could kill the very critters you’re admiring and harm their fragile ecosystems. Also, please be careful on the rocks and wear shoes with good grip – rocks may be slippery and you could fall. Walk, don’t run. Look up the tide times in advance and head out during low tide for best results; high tide not only covers up the tidepools you’re seeking, but could actually be dangerous.
- MacKerricher State Park: Just north of Fort Bragg about 20 miles up the coast from Mendocino, you’ll find one of the best spots for tidepooling on the northern California coastline. We recommend driving to the Seal Watching Station (YASSSS SEALS) to visit the tidepools at Laguna Point. There is a wheelchair accessible boardwalk here as well.
- Mendocino Headlands State Park: You’ll find tidepools on the the far western bluff, not to mention beaches and sea coves. You can combine tidepooling and hiking on the easy four mile Mendocino Headlands Trail!
- Van Damme State Park: You’ll find tidepools on the southern end of Van Damme Beach. You don’t need to hike to access the beach – it’s at the base of the hill below the Little River Inn.
Fresh seafood at Wild Fish restaurant in Mendocino, California! Arrive early or make a reservation – there are only a handful of tables.
Eat Delicious Local Food
Mendocino is home to a huge amount of delicious, locally grown, incredibly fresh food. And in a state known for excellent food (I’m biased, but like … California food is the best in the country, y’all, and we grow it ourselves, too) Mendocino is up there with the best of them! Here are two of our favorite places to eat in Mendocino.
- Circa 62: The restaurant at the adorable Inn at Schoolhouse Creek is actually the reason why we returned to Mendocino! On our last trip, we stopped here for breakfast. Not only was the food incredible, but we had a front row seat to the best show in the world: wild quails, bunnies, chipmunks, and other adorable Cinderella-esque critters all munching on seeds put out by the staff every morning just outside the windows! If freakin’ quails and bunnies aren’t enough, the restaurant is also dog friendly (they even have a special menu) so we were truly in animal lover heaven! … Also, the food is out of this world good. Good enough that we literally drove up to Mendocino pretty much just to experience it again. We recommend getting brunch here, but come early: the crowds come in around 9:30 am and you’ll have to wait a while for a table! It’s also worth it to ask for a table by the window so you can watch the little critters frolicking outside.
- Wild Fish: If the smell of salt in the air makes you crave fresh seafood, look no further than Wild Fish. You’ll be treated to a fancy, artfully prepared meal in a stunning setting overlooking the ocean. But arrive early or make a reservation! There are only a small handful of tables, and Wild Fish is popular – especially on weekends.
Sure, this isn’t a sweet treat… BUT both of the meals we ate in Mendocino were so darn beautiful I had to include them both! This was our brunch at Circa 62.
Eat Delicious Local Treats
Jeremy and I are the kind of people who will go to a restaurant JUST to order dessert. So it just happens that we have some experience finding treats in Mendocino thanks to our raging sugar addictions! Here are our favorite places to get a sweet treat in Mendocino.
- Bread Pudding: We’ve had THREE mind-blowing bread puddings in Mendocino! We can’t pick just one and neither should you. At Good Life Bakery, you can try two flavors of bread pudding custard: covered in fresh blueberry sauce, or smothered in caramel espresso sauce. I can’t tell you which is better. You just have to try both and see. We also had an excellent bread pudding at Mendocino Cafe topped with whipped cream and a rich rum sauce. Mmmmmm, I’m drooling.
- Fudge & Truffles: Mendocino is home to not just one, but TWO local chocolate shops! Both of them make delicious chocolate confections. Head to Mendocino Chocolate Company for fudge or toffee or try the white chocolate park made with fresh, whole raspberries at Papa Bear’s Chocolate Haus.
Mendocino is full of adorable shops and small businesses selling locally made crafts and gifts! On the left is the Mendocino Country Store, and right is Matson Mercantile in Elk, just south of Mendocino.
Shop for Locally Made Goodies
We usually don’t seek out “shopping” as an activity when traveling, but Mendocino is an exception. We love supporting small and locally owned businesses when we travel, and Mendocino is home to some INCREDIBLY locally made goodies! From wine and wine accessories (including wine bottle candles, which we’ve recently become obsessed with) to homemade mustards and chutneys and soaps and more, there are tons of places to support local businesses AND treat yo’self.
Wander down Main Street or peruse the shops in downtown – you can spend a pleasant afternoon just browsing with not a chain store in sight. Ahh, heaven. Here are two of our faves.
- Mendocino Jams & Preserves: MAN I love me some good old fashioned locally made jams, preserves, chutneys, marmalades jellies, nut butters, and mustards. This adorable store at the end of main street is such a gem, and not just because there are like, 298296296 free samples and no judgement. That’s a big part of it, though. We bought a giant jar of the best chutney I’ve ever tasted in my life and we’ll be back up for more once we run out!
- Mendocino Country Store: A totally Instagrammable store in the heart of town. There are tons of yummy wine bottle candles, homemade bath and beauty products, a tasting room, a wall of mustards and hot sauces, and even a tasting room. Be careful when shopping to see what’s made locally, though: a lot of the products here are actually imported from elsewhere.
Which of these marvelous things to do in Mendocino are you dying to experience? Drop us a comment below!
Psst: Looking for more places to explore in our beautiful home state? Here are some of our favorite places to visit in California!
- The 10 Best Weekend Trips from San Francisco, California: A Local’s Guide
- Glamping Near San Francisco: A Romantic Weekend Getaway Itinerary
- 24 Stunning Northern California Hikes (Near San Francisco)
- 8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California’s Central Coast
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As usual, I love the edits on your photos and your writing style. Thanks for the great read!
I’ve honestly never heard of Mendocino (I’m from Australia) but I’m getting some Australian coast vibes looking at your pics. And, you had me at Blue Cheese Bourbon Burger… plus, all your other stunning food pics that are making me hungry right now (it’s 10pm here) and there’s absolutely nothing to eat, so I’ll just stare at these photos and let my stomach eat itself.
Hahahah my stomach starts growling just looking at those pics, too. The food there is SO good. I totally get a Highway One vibe when I look at parts of the Australian Coast, so I do think there’s definitely some overlap there 😉
When I was in college, I worked at a restaurant called Mendocino Wine Bar. THe propieter was obsessed with California and this region. I always thought it was further south and that all there was to do there was eat and drink wine! Apparently wrong on both fronts there. I need to get back to Cali, I love the vibe (and of course food and wine) and all the outdoorsy stuff to do!
Noooo it’s a county in northern California! It’s full of redwoods and vineyards and coastal spots like the actual town of Mendocino and beautiful road trips and tiny adorable towns. It’s wonderful! Come visit 🙂
We’re planning a huge road trip up the California coast next year, so have saved this – it’s got everything we need to know for our stop in Mendocino! That Inn looks like it’s straight from the 70s, so cool!
Oh funnnn! Yeah it’s like quirky 70s vibe crossed with today-levels of decor. Very ~vintage chic.
Never heard of it, so thanks! Great read. You’re so right, I always have such a stereotypical picture of California, so this was a really refreshing and new take for me (I’m in Scotland and have no experience of most of the states!). We do have great fudge here though so i’ll remember this place and if I make it over I can see how it compares to ours!
So many people think of California as warm and sunny with palm trees etc, and really that’s only southern California 😛 Northern California is TOTALLY different! Come see if for yourself 😀
You are our favorite people, maybe ever. Thank you for the sweetest, perfectest, and kindest story about our Inn that we’ve ever read. It’s wild when people get our brand of weird. You totally did. AND, you have created the BEST guide to everything and everyplace else around here that we dig. We’re just gonna send people to this post from now on when they ask us what to do/see/eat.*
Love, your new best friends forever,
Mr. and Mrs. Andiron
(aka Scott and Madeline)
*Not kidding. We are!
Oh, you’re SO sweet! We love when we find a place whose weird clicks with our weird 🙂 We’ll definitely be back – and we really appreciate you sharing the post with your guests!! Thanks again for being such wonderful hosts.
Lovely article, you really capture the north coast! Next time stop by and visit us at the Ledford House Restaurant in Albion! We have endless ocean views, a petanque court, decks, locals AND bread pudding…. thank you, Lisa & Tony Geer
That sounds wonderful! Plus, you said bread pudding, so we’ll definitely be there 🙂 Thanks Lisa!
Beautiful description on the area. Love The Andiron, even if I am a little prejudice ( being Scott and Madeline’s aunt). Been going for years and want to go Kayaking next time.