No time to read the whole post? Here’s some quick tips.
- The Botanical Gardens are a must!
- Dinner at Fog Eater Cafe is highly recommended (if you are into vegan/vegetarian food).
- Don’t skip on the Skunk Train to the Glen Blair Bar. It is dog-friendly and a great experience.
Getting There
We drove from LA to Mendocino. It takes about 8 hours – we stopped in Berkeley and had lunch at The Butcher’s Son Vegan Bakery. There are some wineries along the route between San Francisco and Mendocino, which looked delightful, though we did not stop.
Hotel
We spent one night at SCP Mendocino Inn and Farm (there are two SCP hotels in that area, so make sure you know which one you are selecting). They have chickens, llamas and a peak of an ocean view from some rooms. We stayed in the main hotel, 2nd floor, the room at the end on the left-side of the hall. Great view and spacious. The breakfast they bring you is amazing; they ask about your food preferences and deliver to your room in a cute basket.
View from our room at SCP Mendocino Inn and Farm
The rest of our trip was spent at The Little River Inn. We stayed at Rosie’s Cottage which was dog friendly. If you do not have a dog, I would recommend staying at a different cabin. While Rosie’s Cottage was big and clean, it was sparse in decoration and located a very short distance from the main hotel.
Activities/Food
Do not miss going to the Mendocino Botanical Gardens. The views are stunning and the gardens are one of a kind, plus it is dog-friendly. You will also want to visit the Headlands State Park– walk along the Big River Trail, go to Pudding Creek Beach, and walk around the town of Mendocino. Of course you will want to do the dog-friendly Skunk Train to the Glen Blair Bar. It is a unique experience, and when you get to the bar you can grab a cocktail, and hang by the firepits or take a stroll on the cute, quiet trail that winds through the forest offering you views of the bar from above. You can book the time you want to head to the bar, and decide how long you want to hang at the bar as there is a train back every hour.
We found plenty of choices for food in Mendocino. We loved Mendocino Cafe, Fog Eater Cafe and Luna Trattoria for dinner. Lunch was fantastic at Princess Seafood (in Fort Bragg) and Trillium Cafe. We ordered room service for breakfast at The Little River Inn; it was decent, and I would say worth it to not have to leave the cottage. If you are in the mood for a low maintenance atmosphere, you cannot miss Dick’s Place. The bartender is absolutely amazing with great stories about growing up in Mendocino, the drinks are inexpensive (cash only), the people are super friendly, and you have a view of the ocean. It is the best dive bar I have ever been to!
Mendocino is a wonderful town and a must stay if you are visiting the Northern California area.