buckminster

I'm planing a trip to California in mid-July with my husband, 17 yr old son, and 20 and 23 yr old daughters.
We plan to fly into San Fran on a Saturday and return home the following Saturday. I would like to spend the first Saturday and Sunday in San Fran, and then on Monday drive north towards Mendocino.

I was thinking of renting a house at Sea Ranch near Gualala for 4 nights. We all like walking along the beach and light hiking, and this seems like a good central location. I was thinking we could do a day trip to Mendocino and another day head east maybe towards Healdsburg. (We would like to see a bit of the wine country, but won't be touring there since we'll be with our kids.)

Another option would be staying at Sea Ranch just two nights and then staying in Mendocino for two nights, leaving Friday to drive back to SF before our Saturday flight home. Not sure where to stay in Mendocino since we are a large group and prefer two bedrooms. Not sure if B & B is right for us.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

jtrandolph

I think Sea Ranch would be perfect for you, for the reasons you mentioned. A day trip to Healdsburg would be a long one, but if you go back to San Francisco by taking 128 to 101 (just south of Mendocino) you go right through Healdsburg. There are wineries (or at least a winery) at Annapolis, a very small place very close to Sea Ranch, up on the ridge.

There are a lot of walking and hiking trails on the Sea Ranch property and there is a County park at its north end, just across the river from Gualala. Gualala has some small art galleries and an actual arts center where local artists work and exhibit and give classes. There are riding stables and a golf course, but I don't know the rules for the use of these facilities by non-owners.

A popular restaurant is St. Orres, just north of Gualala, which is not inexpensive but the food is good and the Russian architecture interesting. There is also a restaurant at the Sea Ranch Lodge, and an interesting gift shop. My favorite gift shop in Gualala is The Velveteen Rabbit. She has interesting jewelry, ceramics, books, watercolors of the local scenery.

We have rented at Sea Ranch several times with friends. And, my BIL has built a house there, so we are quite familiar with the area. In fact we are going there for four days this weekend.

A well known realtor who deals in Sea Ranch rentals is Don Berard Associates. there are houses on the bluffs, some with ocean views and some in meadows and others on the hillsides. You will have more luck renting a house if you rent it for four days rather than two.

Mendocino is an easy drive for a day trip.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

buckminster

Thanks, I had seen Don Berard's website and the homes look great. I don't think they required more than 2-night stays, but I didn't look into much yet.

I'm glad to hear Mendocino could be done as a day trip, although I'm still considering staying there a couple days. We like to eat dinner out, preferably walking distance or short/easy drive home, and that might be difficult from Sea Ranch, other than the restaurant on the property?

Also, I don't want the kids to be bored, although coming from the Midwest, the ocean and shoreline is always fascinating to us. The girls do like to shop, though, so Mendocino would have its attractions as well!

suz12

Mendocino is a great place to get a room or two at a small inn in or just on the edge of town. You can walk to a nice dinner and walk home (make reservations before you go - ask on chowhound.com for more recommendations if needed). Good breakfast spots, too. walking around towards the headland is nice and easy and lovely. Perhaps you and your husband or you and your daughters (or just you!) could call ahead (before you go) to Sweetwater and reserve a hot tub or sauna for an hour. You can also schedule a massage. Aaaaahhh.

buckminster

I read that it can be very foggy in July and August. If you head inland, you can avoid the fog, right? Would Mendocino and Sea Ranch area both have interesting places to visit inland? And would the fog make the drive from Sea Ranch to Mendocino too difficult? (When we visited the Monterey area in early April a few years ago, it was too foggy to make the drive down to Big Sur on the day we had planned, although we were able to do it another day.)

DRJ

We spent an enjoyable week at Sea Ranch last December. Mendocino is an easy trip but Healdsburg, although not too far as the crow flies, is on what is locally called a "mountain road" and is one lane in places (although not dangerous during the day). That trip takes nearly two hours as I recall. But Healdsburg is certainly worth it and there are many wineries nearby.

bobludlow

Mendocino and Healdsburg are both about 50 very scenic miles from Sea Ranch, but the drive along the coast to Mendo is a straight shot on a good highway road, while the drive to and from Healdsburg would make Michael Schumacher car sick. It's nothing but switchbacks. Take your time on it.

Every family has its own rules, but I wouldn't blink if a 17yo and a 20yo joined their family in some winery tours. Wine-making can be fascinating, and the emphasis on pairing wine with meals is a lot healthier than how most high school kids learn about alcohol.

buckminster

Regarding the winery tours, I agree and would like to visit at least one. I just don't want to make it the focus of this trip.

Maybe we'll stay our first two nights in San Fran as planned, then Monday and Tues. nights at Sea Ranch if we can rent for such a short time, then Wednesday and Thursday nights in Mendocino. On Friday, we could spend the whole day driving from Mendocino back to San Francisco, stopping in Healdsburg for lunch. Then depending on our flight time home on Saturday, we might just stay Friday night near the airport in San Fran.

That would mean packing up and moving 4 times in one week, however....

buckminster

If we take 101 south out of Mendocino rather than the scenic route, about how many hours drive from Healdsburg is that? And then how long from Healdsburg to SF? Although going to a winery and then driving to SF would not be a good idea...

Maybe we could spend the last night in Healdsburg and then drive to SFO to catch our plane home Saturday (we don't have plane reservations yet).

jtrandolph

Mendocino is not on 101, so you need to get over there either by 20 or 128. On 128 it is about 60 miles to Cloverdale, then maybe another 15 to Healdsburg. I woudln't take 20 to Willits, because, though it is shorter, is is a very curvy road and not as good. 128 is marked as scenic, it goes through the Alexander Valley, as I remember, but it is a much better road than 20.

Healdsburg is only a little over an hour to the Golden Gate Bridge, without traffic, but you can't count on that. There is interminable road work on 101 through Santa Rosa, which causes frustrating delays.