beltwayandbeyondLooking for rest, relaxation, and a chance to be outdoors, Northern California checked all the boxes. Rolling hills? Check. Rugged coast? Check. Beautiful weather? Check. Wine? Check. We made a 325 mile loop from San Francisco, through Napa Valley, up to Mendocino Country, and back to San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway.
“Whatever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, the evening TV?” If, like us, you grew up watching Full House, plan to visit San Francisco’s Painted Ladies. The iconic Victorian houses are located on Steiner Street on the edge of Alamo State Park. Although you’re unlikely to run into the Tanners, the park offers wonderful views of these historic houses and the city skyline.
A sunrise trip up to Battery Spencer was well worth the 4:45am wakeup call. At 500 feet above the bay, this vantage point provides one of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Although it’s rumored to get quite busy on weekends and at sunset, we practically had the place to ourselves at daybreak.
You can’t visit Northern California without visiting a winery (or 4!). With more than 1,700 wineries in the area, deciding where to go can be overwhelming. We stayed in Calistoga and explored wineries in the Green Valley, Anderson Valley, and Napa. We highly recommend venturing off the beaten Napa path and visiting a few different areas.
With more than 800 wineries in Napa and Sonoma, deciding where to go can be overwhelming. We chose our wineries based on location, views, and design, visiting Artesa, Ashes and Diamonds, Silver Oak, and Iron Horse. We sipped wine immersed in modern art, with breathtaking views of rolling vineyards, and in a LEED Platinum Certified architectural gem insulated with recycled blue jeans.
Sandwiched in between the rolling hills of the Anderson Valley and the coastal headlands is the Navarro River Redwoods State Park. Like driving through a fairytale, you are suddenly navigating through an 11 mile tunnel of redwood trees. Be prepared to feel very small.
Standing on the coastal headlands, you will feel like you’ve been transported to a faraway land. There are miles of trails, dramatic bluffs, hidden coves, deserted beaches, and state parks galore.You can also spot harbor seals in the coves and whales migrating up the coast.
The Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park is worth a visit. The lighthouse was built in 1909, and although no longer manned, is now open to the public. A pleasant half mile trail leads visitors to the lighthouse and outbuildings. If you’re there in the spring or summer, look for seal pups in the nearby cove!
Pacific Star Winery is a hidden gem in an area overflowing with wineries. Perched on a bluff in Mendocino County (Fort Bragg), the winery offers a laid back atmosphere with unbeatable coastal views. Grab a sandwich from the Mendocino Market and settle in for an afternoon of wine sipping and whale watching.
The Northern California coast is lined with small, secluded beaches. Van Damme State Park beach was less than a half mile from our bed and breakfast, and we enjoyed afternoon walks on the beach and evening sunsets. Like many places on the coast, the vibe was welcoming and relaxed.
Sea Ranch was hands down our favorite stop. A planned community built in the 1960s, Sea Ranch integrates modernist architecture with rugged coastlines and forests to create a truly unique living environment. We stayed in a 1968 Binker Barn, the only single family house in Sea Ranch listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
No trip to the Northern California coast would be complete without taking in a spectacular sunset. While clouds and fog prevented us from getting the most out every sunset, we were treated with several beauties. Insider tip: dinner at Sea Ranch Lodge provides the perfect sunset backdrop.
Driving the northern portion of Highway 1 is a special (and sometimes hair-raising) experience. The highway hugs the western coast of the state and offers dramatic views of the rugged coastline, rolling farmland, and the occasional redwood tunnel. Driving south (from Mendocino to San Francisco) allows you to take advantage of the many pull-offs and photo ops. It is not, however, for the faint of heart. Take your time, drive carefully, and wind your way up (or in our case, down) the coast.
Unexpected bonus: wildflowers! A May visit to California meant we were often walking or driving along fields of wildflowers. Seaside daisies, California buttercups, California poppies, and lupines provide stunning pops of purples, yellows, oranges, and red everywhere you look.
