Mendocino Coast and Ft. Bragg

Ft. Bragg and more specifically Glass Beach have been on my list of places I wanted to see since before I even left Florida.  Bryan and I decided to make a weekend of it and drive along Highway 1 north of San Francisco and up to Ft. Bragg hugging the Mendocino coast line along the way.  The coastal drive is full of beautiful vistas and many pull offs along the road where you can stop to enjoy the view. 

Our first planned stop is known as Bowling Ball Beach.  If you don't know what you are looking for then you will definitely miss it.  There are no markings on the side of the road but I had read to be on the lookout around mile marker 11.5 and there it was.  Take the north trail and it will save you some time if you decide to go there.  Getting there was a little adventure of it's own.  There are no steps down to the beach so we traversed a few logs that were rather high up (I kept thinking about the movie Troop Beverly Hills when walking across it) and made it to the beach then turned north and walked towards the giant rocks.  They were very impressive but probably would have been more impressive if we had gotten there closer to low tide.  Still, it was a fun adventure and awesome sight.

We stopped at two lighthouses along the way as well including the Point Arena Lighthouse and the Point Cabrillo Light Station.  We didn't actually go in either of the lighthouses (although you could for a fee) but instead walked along the grounds and the shoreline overlooking the lighthouses and watched the waves crash against the cliffs the lighthouse was sitting on.  My favorite was the Point Cabrillo Light Station.  Not only is the lighthouse beautiful but we sat on the cliff overlooking the water and watched whale spouts and fins breaking the surface and even a few whale tails flipping up before a deep dive.  We sat there for a good hour watching the waves and the whales and it was magical.

Point Arena Lighthouse

Point Cabrillo Light Satation

Whale spouts and backs coming out of the water

Whale tail

Our final destination was Ft. Bragg. We stayed at the North Cliff Hotel which had a fantastic view of the sunset from our balcony.  There is no air conditioning in the hotel but at the time of year we were there it wasn't a problem.  There was a nice seating area and even a fireplace in our room.  Fancy.

Sunset from our balcony at the North Cliff Hotel

As beautiful as our Saturday was, we woke up to a cold and rainy Sunday.  Breakfast at the hotel was delicious and a great way to fuel for the day.  We headed straight for Glass Beach in the morning. 
The sea glass has accumulated after years of dumping trash along the coast creating sea glass of a variety of shapes and colors that have washed up onto the beach.  Dumping has not been allowed in the area since the 60s but the glass continues to wash up on the beach.  I had read that there was not much glass there anymore but I thought there was a lot and that it was very impressive.  We went at low tide and that probably helped with seeing more glass.  Most of it was clear but there were all different colors scattered throughout and it was really pretty to see.  It did not disappoint which I was grateful for after the trek to get there and my high expectations while trying to get there.

It was another fun weekend exploring California.  There is so much to see and do here!

The Lost Coast and Redwoods

Planning a last minute get out of town getaway is always fun and this time the destination was up to the Lost Coast of California in Shelter Cove where Bryan grew up going to visit as a kid and then driving up to see Redwoods National Park and Fern Canyon.

Lighthouse on the Lost Coast

I could not have asked for a better weekend or better company.  We drove up Friday after work and arrived after dark but woke up to a beautiful view of the ocean and hearing the waves crashing far below.  It took a couple of hours to drive up to Redwoods National Park especially stopping along the way to explore sweeping vistas.  I had previously visited Muir Woods and had my first taste of some of the giant redwood trees but the ones in the national park are on a whole different level.  These amazing giants of trees that are hundreds are years old are so awe inspiring.  If you want to feel truly tiny in this world then stand next to one of these trees. 

Elk at the Redwoods Park

Feeling tiny

Fern Canyon was a place I had read about and had put on my list to see when I came out to California.  At this time of year, the dirt road is well worn and quite bumpy to get there (I am told they fill the potholes in the summer time) but worth the effort.  It takes some wading through cold water to get through the canyon and see the views so bring some waterproof shoes or at least a pair that you can get wet.  I wore old tennis shoes and every time I stepped back into the water the cold felt like ice and took my breath away but the view was awesome and worth the momentary discomfort.

On our way home the next day we drove through the Avenue of the Giants.  It is a 31 mile drive over winding roads through giant, ancient redwood trees. With every turn of the road I felt dwarfed by these magnificent trees.  We pulled to the side of the road on occasion to be able to get out of the car and look up.  There were a lot of "wows" that slipped from my lips when we came around a bend in the road. The road winds through small towns with places to eat along the way if you want to.  Definitely worth the detour if you are in the area.

Shelter Cove is a small town, far off the beaten path on the coast and requires a bit of effort to get there.  It is a quiet, peaceful place with sweeping views that has very little development.  It's a plan ahead kind of a place as there are not really restaurants or a normal grocery store in the area but if you like serene and peaceful then this is the place for you.