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Old 12-09-2015, 02:54 PM
 
Location: Eureka CA
9,519 posts, read 14,741,992 times
Reputation: 15068

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Disagree about skipping Eureka. There's an awesome harbor cruise, special interest cruises and tours ranging from oyster farms to tree climbing ('way UP there) excellent restaurants, lovely B&B's and I could go on. Check the Humboldt Bay Visitors' Center in Old Town. Eureka gets no respect because a lot of the people who post on this board are so cheap they stay in the worst places in town, then they want to complain. Travel Info for the Redwood Forests of California, Eureka and Humboldt County For lunch on the way north I would stop at either the Peg House in Leggett *(VERY rustic, great burgers) or stop for lunch at the Benbow Inn, a great old fashioned inn. You will love it
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Old 12-09-2015, 06:26 PM
 
Location: Arizona/California
123 posts, read 175,420 times
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I've stayed in a great hotel on the beach in Fort Bragg, it was called the Beachcomber. Wonderful little place, every room faces the Ocean. I wouldn't miss Fort Bragg. Its a real neat little coastal town surrounded by redwoods.
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Old 12-09-2015, 10:57 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
18,813 posts, read 32,491,098 times
Reputation: 38575
It's such a bummer that crab season is closed this year, or you could be eating fresh crab sandwiches while you were here. I miss my fresh crab this year! I feel so bad for the fishermen.

EDIT: Woops, I see you'll be coming next year and before crab season usually starts in November. Never mind LOL.

I still want a crab sandwich.
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Old 12-10-2015, 03:28 AM
 
3,886 posts, read 4,539,685 times
Reputation: 5159
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaisedinSac View Post
Thanks everybody! We're looking at only 5 days, and I don't want to just stop, look and drive again.

Of course, everything is still open right now except for SF and driving her over the Golden Gate. That MUST happen, lol.
Only 5 day huh? Hmmm... well, the good news is you'll be going in Sept/Oct before the clocks get set back. You'll have daylight until at least 7pm ish.

My husband and I LOVE the Eureka, Ca. to Brookings, Ore. area! Gorgeous sea stacks plus easy access to some amazing Redwoods.

Eureka can be a little gritty, so be careful at night, but you can hang out at Lost Coast brewery
During the day the little shops and artsy stores are some of the most unique I've seen. Really whimsical local stuff. We didn't go in any of the mansions, but they were neat to look at.

We also found a good budget hotel right in town that was convenient, clean and comfortable without breaking the bank.

Town House Motel (Eureka, CA) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor

Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a blast! We brought some cheap rubber boots from Walmart to walk though the canyon with out getting our feet soaked It's where they filmed parts of the "Lost World: Jurassic Park"!

Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods SP, Trinidad/McKinleyville/Orick, Humboldt County, California

The coast off Brookings Oregon is just beautiful! We splurged and stayed at a B&B, but there are all kinds of lodging around there even if it's not a large town. It kind of caters to a lot of retirees, but you go for the natural beauty Even if it's foggy or rainy I think it's beautiful! (I love rain though)

Oh and go here! Casual, fun and delicious little pizza place. So good!

Zola's Pizzeria, Brookings - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - TripAdvisor

Anyway, that's my 2 cents for what it's worth on the upper end of the coast.. north of SF like Bodego Bay up to Fort Bragg, is nice too, we're just partial to the north end. I would say only having 5 days you really should aim to do one or the other because the cut off between the coast in Fort Bragg and Leggit is long and windy and tedious, and you'd really be rushing to try to do the whole coast.
So you can take the 101 to Eureka and it will take a 5 hour (pleasant) drive, but then it's only 2 1/2 hours to Brookings (it's just north of the Ca/Ore border) and there's lots to explore in between including Fern Canyon as I've mention and the Avenue of the Giants parallels the 101 on part of the drive.

If you want to stay closer to San Francisco, of course there's John Muir woods, and I've been to Armstrong wood in the Russian River area... then go to Bodega etc.

Have fun, I'm jealous, I love that whole area up there.
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Old 12-10-2015, 01:18 PM
 
16 posts, read 51,453 times
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Thanks to all of you! These are all great ideas. I'm actually printing them out so I can sit down with a map and plot it out. Yeah, I'm kinda OCD like that. She also wants to see Glass Beach, so I think we'll hit SF, Fort Bragg, Eureka and Healdsburg/Santa Rosa for overnight stays. Hopefully that will give us time to enjoy some things along the way.
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Old 12-10-2015, 03:43 PM
 
Location: Sacramento
1,231 posts, read 1,661,389 times
Reputation: 1821
Check out the Lost Coast Brewing Company in Eureka. That's my to go place whenever I'm there. The Samoa Cookhouse across the bay can be interesting.
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Old 12-10-2015, 04:09 PM
 
37 posts, read 95,879 times
Reputation: 37
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaisedinSac View Post
Thanks to all of you! These are all great ideas. I'm actually printing them out so I can sit down with a map and plot it out. Yeah, I'm kinda OCD like that. She also wants to see Glass Beach, so I think we'll hit SF, Fort Bragg, Eureka and Healdsburg/Santa Rosa for overnight stays. Hopefully that will give us time to enjoy some things along the way.
Glass Beach is incredibly disappointing - hardly any "glass" left (we were there in July). Not much to see. But still, Fort Bragg is a nice town! We liked Point Cabrillo Lighthouse in nearby Mendocino - really nice looking lighthouse.
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Old 12-10-2015, 05:14 PM
 
Location: The High Seas
7,372 posts, read 16,012,366 times
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Point Arena lighthouse is a worthwhile stop as well. You can climb to the top and walk outside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwNF8JlNW54
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Old 12-10-2015, 05:35 PM
 
Location: Sherman Oaks, CA
6,588 posts, read 17,548,321 times
Reputation: 9463
I disagree that there's nothing in Shelter Cove. You can go to Black Sands Beach (not really black sand, but black rocks!). It's beautiful, and it's never crowded.

I second the suggestion of visiting Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. They have some beautiful trails off Newton P. Drury Scenic Parkway featuring lush greenery, and you might see herds of elk!

Please don't stay in Garberville! Bedraggled homeless people line the main street; I didn't feel safe there at all.
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Old 12-10-2015, 09:03 PM
 
Location: McKinleyville, California
6,414 posts, read 10,490,590 times
Reputation: 4305
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaisedinSac View Post
Thanks everybody! After talking with her yesterday, we're going to first head to San Francisco (that's a must see for her) then head north thru Healdsburg for wine tasting and up to Myers Flat to see some redwoods. I'm thinking of then heading to Ferndale and doing the Lost Coast drive (and maybe hitting that brewery, jjpop!), then back down along the coast. We're looking at only 5 days, and I don't want to just stop, look and drive again. We may do one night in San Francisco, one night in Healdsburg area, and another up near Ferndale. The rest is still TBD. Do you folks think that is too ambitious?



Of course, everything is still open right now except for SF and driving her over the Golden Gate. That MUST happen, lol.
If you are going to do the lost coast, keep in mind that not all of it is asphalt paved from the Mattole to Ferndale, it is mixed hard packed gravel and asphalt, very narrow. It is worth the drive though, very beautiful, it is easier to do the lost coast leaving from Redway towards Briceland and north to Ferndale and back to 101 south up the Eel river back to the Bay Area then take 20 along Clear Lake for a view of Mount Konocti, a volcano, then on to Williams where you can see Sutters Buttes, another ancient volcano. At that point you are on you way back to Sacramento.
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