Weekend Trip to Mendocino and Boonville

The Mendocino Coast is a magical place, and if you haven’t been, or it’s been awhile, it’s time to go!! Forget traveling the world, this is in your Bay Area backyard and it allows world class relaxing and sightseeing. Below is a route I love to take, in one day or three. I’m laying out this trip as a “3-Day’ve” trip because it’s a route I recently suggested to an old friend to do as more than a single day excursion. And we’re all old friends here, right? You can take this route in either direction, clockwise or counterclockwise. My favorite sections of the trip are Highway 128 through Boonville and Philo, and the entire Highway 1 section between Mendocino and Jenner.

I’ve laid this out with a stay at Timber Cove Resort (which is just North of Jenner, and was recently redone), and a stay at one of several places in Elk, Little River, or Mendocino. Weeknights are best for fewer people and easier to get rooms, some of these places might require a minimum 2 nights on some weekends. I’ve provided a summary of helpful links at the end of the post.

THE ROUTE

Starting from St Helena in this case, it’s a 6 hour round trip, 250 miles total. But you can start anywhere in the Bay Area!

Day One

St Helena to Timber Cove Resort: 2 hours, about 60 miles: Get out there in time for lunch, or have lunch in Guerneville along the way. Stroll the area and enjoy Timber Cove, or go to Salt Point State Park, eat dinner at Timber Cove and stay the night and have breakfast. Next morning, head North.

Day Two:

Timber Cove to Little River via Highway 1 North: 2 hours, about 70 miles: This is one of my favorite stretches of scenic CA highway. Stop along the way at Stump Beach and Salt Point State Park just for a view, see the Lighthouse at Point Arena, take time to see the small towns of Stewarts Point, Manchester, Gualala, and Elk. Stop at the Elk Cove Inn and the Harbor House Inn, either which is great for a stay or a meal. Maybe pull into the parking lot at Navarro Beach for an overlook of where the river meets the sea. Keep on going to Albion, and into Little River, just before Mendocino.

Stay at any of these: Little River Inn, Heritage House, or the Sea Rock Inn (Mendocino)

Eat dinner at the Little River Inn, the Heritage House, or any of the great small restaurants in Mendocino.

Day Three:

Check out early, eat some breakfast, and go to Van Damme State Park in Little River to walk the Fern Trail, a short 2.2 mile out-and-back canyon that has great trees and ferns walking along a quiet creek. You can opt for the longer hike of 7.9 miles total by taking the loop up the hill to the Pygmy Forest and back, but soon after you have passed the Environmental Campsites (about 1.7 miles in) and as you are about to head up the hill, you can turn back and it’s just 2.2 miles back to the parking lot. Check out the Van Damme State Park Website for current conditions and more info. Springtime is best for Ferns, but it’s good year round.

Finish your walk by lunchtime and head home via the beautiful redwood drive on Highway 128 to Philo and Boonville. Stop for a late lunch at The Boonville Hotel or The Boonville Distillery. After lunch, continue East on Highway 128 to Cloverdale and back to St Helena or Highway 101 south to wherever home may be!