California Road Trips Guide - 2024 - 28

ITINERARY FOR THE EXPLORER
Goldeneye Winery
Mendocino Coast
Botanical Gardens
A few miles south, wander the tidy streets of
Crescent City
N
Eureka
Avenue
of the
GIants
Leggett
AREA
OF
DETAIL
Willits
Mendocino, where 1800s cottages are fronted
by rose-entwined picket fences, and shops
beckon with coastal art, one-of-a-kind gifts,
and steaming lattes. The town has dozens of
delightful inns, but for a
uniquely seaworthy stay,
reserve the lighthouse keeper's
cottages at Point Cabrillo
Light Station.
South of Albion, turn
Clearlake
inland on Highway 128 and
steer through dozens of curves
to the hamlet of Philo. Take
a break to walk among the
redwoods at Hendy Woods
State Park, then roll past the
Anderson Valley vineyards
overflowing with leafy vines.
Stop at tasting rooms that
strike your fancy, perhaps
Goldeneye for Pinot Noir,
or Roederer Estate for
sparkling wines.
When you reach sunny Boonville, poke
around the Anderson Valley Historical Museum
and its centerpiece one-room schoolhouse.
Drop by Disco Ranch and see what owner
Wendy Lamer is pouring-her favorites are
usually local producers that aren't big enough
to have their own tasting rooms. Hungry? Kick
back with a burger at Lauren's at the Buckhorn.
South of Boonville, leave the highway behind
and turn east on Boonville Road, which carves
a circuitous route through the hills to U.S. 101.
Spend the night in the bucolic town of Ukiah,
where you can wander the meditative grounds
of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas-and dine
at its vegetarian restaurant Jyun Kang-or visit
the Grace Hudson Museum to survey the artist's
early 20th-century paintings of native Pomo
people. If you have time to spare, take a drive
out to Vichy Hot Springs and bliss out with a
soak in naturally carbonated mineral water.
The next morning, linger over lavender lattes
and breakfast burritos at Black Oak Coffee
Roasters, then drive a clockwise loop around
Lake County's vineyards. First-timers in this
off-the-radar wine country will be impressed:
In Clearlake Oaks, sip Cabernet Sauvignon
at Brassfield Estate. In Kelseyville, browse the
Shannon Mercantile for wines from Buck Shack,
Ovis, and Clay Shannon. Stop at Chacewater
for Syrah and freshly milled olive oil, and Fults
Family Vineyards for sparkling wines.
Upon your return to U.S. 101, Brutocao
Cellars will lure you for one more stop. Sip,
swirl, and play a game of bocce ball, then check
into the stylish Thatcher Hotel for a solid night's
sleep. Tomorrow's drive is a 250-mile trip back
to Crescent City. You could do it in less than
five hours, but why rush? This is your chance to
stop at the big trees and small towns you didn't
see on your southward route.
WHAT TO WEAR THE NORTH COAST REQUIRES STRATEGIC LAYERING: PACK A WINDPROOF, WATERRESISTANT
OUTER LAYER AND AN EXTRA FLEECE. AS YOU HEAD INLAND, YOU'LL NEED T-SHIRTS AND SHORTS.
SNACKS FOOD STOPS ARE LIMITED ON U.S. 101, SO STOCK UP AT WILD RIVERS MARKET IN CRESCENT CITY.
28 | VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
FROM LEFT: COURTESY GOLDENEYE; COURTESY MENDOCINO COAST BOTANICAL GARDEN

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California Road Trips Guide - 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of California Road Trips Guide - 2024