Recomendations for Mendocino hotel/restaurants? (Sacramento, Stanford: hotels, homes, school)

[Alicia64]

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I are taking our twin six year old boys and one black Lab (mellow at 9 yrs.) to Mendocino for four days in August.

We're driving from Sacramento. We're staying two nights at the Stanford Inn and one night at the Beachcomber.

Any other hotels/Inns along the way to Mendocino or in Mendo that you can recommend for kids/dog? (Parks, stops, food along the way?)

I'd LOVE restaurant recommendations along the way and in Mendo that kids could tolerate/like.

Any activities that you'd recommend?

Thanks!!

Alley

[cncsmomndad]

If you drive up through Clear Lake on 20 there is a Foster's Freeze you can stop at. Not great food, but good ice cream and it is across the street from the lake and a small park. Good place to get out and stretch your legs.

The Homestyle Cafe in Ft Bragg has good breakfasts. They are in a gray A-frame building right off 1 north of the bridge.

North Coast Brewing in Ft Bragg has been good everytime we've eaten there.

Albion River Inn is a wonderful place for dinner. South of Mendo about 15 minutes.

If you want to go bowling, Noyo Bowl is an interesting place to go. Definitely old school bowling there!

The Mendocino Chocolate Company has the BEST homemade vanilla caramel.

Cap'n Flints at Noyo Harbor in Bragg is okay if you like fried foods. The other restaurants have gone downhill the last few years though.

[micchio1]

Mendocino Headlands SP is great and it's right in Mendocino. Mekerricher SP (north of Fort Bragg) is bigger, but much more crowded. It's hard to even find parking on a weekend, although I guess you could hike there from the Beachcomber. The Mendocino Botanical Garden is an amazing place to spend a few hours.

I've gone up through the wine country and through the redwood state parks on 128, and then back on 20 past Clear Lake (The Blue Wing Saloon on the main drag in Upper Lake is great though pricey), and 16 along Cache Creek. Lots of twists and tunrs either way, so plan for the trip out-n-back to take a long time, like 3-4 hours.

If your 6 year olds are anything like my 6 year old was a few years back, you have to take the Skunk Train. 6 year olds are still into Thomas the Tank Engine and all that, right?