47 Best Sights in The North Coast, California

Lofty valley views and deftly crafted wines, the latter often sipped under a cork oak, are among this 160-acre boutique winery's lures. The vineyard team uses "regenerative" techniques such as no-till farming, which increases the soil's organic matter, to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Winemaker Martin Bernal-Hafner taps Sonoma County sources for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Reservations are a must.

Some of Earth's tallest trees tower over this magnificent 32-mile stretch of two-lane blacktop, also known as Highway 254, that follows the south fork of the Eel River through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The highway runs more or less parallel to U.S. 101 from Phillipsville in the south to the town of Pepperwood in the north. A brochure available at either end of the highway or the visitor center, 2 miles south of Weott, contains a self-guided tour, with short and long hikes through various groves.

A trail at Founders Grove passes by several impressive trees, among them the fallen 362-foot-long Dyerville Giant, whose root base points skyward 35 feet. The tree can be reached via a short trail that begins 4 miles north of the visitor center. About 6 miles north of the center lies the 10,000-acre Rockefeller Forest, containing the world's largest concentration of old-growth coastal redwoods.

Guides helming vintage Land Rovers conduct spellbinding tours of this sanctuary for zebras, giraffes, antelopes, and other endangered African hoof stock. The self-guided tour in your own car costs less, but the guided one, slightly more expensive, is recommended for the personal touch and closer-up access and timing to giraffe-feeding time.  Reservations are a must for visits to the preserve, which maintains three cottages for overnight stays.

Its lead artisan's star turn on the cable-TV series The Craftsman has brought welcome attention to this woodshop specializing in Victorian-era architecture. The craftspeople here use antique tools—printing presses and lathes among them—to create gingerbread trim, fence pickets, and other Victorian embellishments. Visitors on guided and self-guided tours can watch the workers in action.

Gently made wines from Italian and Rhône varietals grown in Mendocino County organic, biodynamic, and sustainable vineyards are Campovida's focus. The historic 56-acre estate—previous owners include a local railroad magnate and the Fetzer wine-making clan—opens to the public on weekends, with the downtown tasting room ( Stock Farm, 13441 S. U.S. 101) an option four days a week.

Four generations of the Charles family have farmed the land that produces this winery's vegan-friendly, all-estate lineup of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (aka rosé), and Pinot Noir. With the Pinots, winemaker Joe Webb employs various techniques to produce four very different wines, from the light Zero, aged solely in used oak barrels, to the "richer, riper" Paraboll, its flavors heightened by new French oak. After a tasting, you can picnic outside the casual wood-frame tasting room, enjoying a glass or bottle.

Vintner Douglas Stewart takes pride in his contrarian views about farming and winemaking. Bucking accepted California wisdom, he planted his vines tightly together, mimicking French practices, and with his sparkling wine—of Pinot Gris rather than Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir—he selects only the high-quality middle portion of the initial press. Stewart earned raves from influential critics and a loyal following for his initial Pinot Gris and later for two sparklers, a rosé, and several Pinot Noirs.

Fun, relaxing, and pet-friendly Lula is among the Anderson Valley wineries closest to the coast. Lula produces Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, rosé of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and a red blend, but the several Pinot Noirs, each flavorful and with its own personality, are the highlights.

Something beautiful is always abloom in these marvelous gardens. Along 4 miles of trails, including pathways with ocean views and observation points for whale-watching, lie a profusion of flowers. The rhododendrons are at their peak from April through June; the dahlias begin their spectacular show in July and last through September. In winter, the heather and camellias add more than a splash of color. The main trails are wheelchair accessible.

A 3-mile, easy-to-walk trail leads across the spectacular seaside cliffs bordering Mendocino. The restored Ford House, built in 1854, serves as the visitor center for the park and the town. The house has a scale model of Mendocino as it looked in 1890, when it had 34 water towers and a 12-seat public outhouse.

At this ranch with a contemporary-barn tasting room and vineyard-view patio, you can sample Sauvignon Blanc, velvety Pinot Noirs, and other wines paired with award-winning artisanal cheeses made on the premises from goat and sheep milk. Engaging farmstead tours pass through the barn and by the creamery; the adorable animals win most guests' hearts. Reservations are required for the tour and suggested for tastings, though walk-ins for the latter are accepted when possible.

For an outstanding view of the ocean and, in winter, migrating whales, take the marked road off Highway 1 to this 115-foot lighthouse completed in 1908. On tours (last one at 3 pm), the 145-step climb rewards participants with a 360-degree panorama. The ground-level museum displays the original Fresnel lens and other maritime artifacts. Six cottages with full kitchens can be booked for overnight stays.

Stroll 100 feet above the forest floor on California's oldest zoo's aerial walkway through old-growth and newer redwoods. Favorite wildlife viewing areas back on the ground include a walk-in aviary. A bear and coyote exhibit was set to open during 2023.

Guests at this boutique winery's contemporary, stone-and-glass hospitality center enjoy views of landscaped outdoor picnic and tasting areas and the olive grove and vineyards beyond. The excellent Lolonis Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc's organic grapes come from California's oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines, planted in 1942. Standout reds include Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and the Soul of Mendocino blend. Hosts conduct combination cave and vineyard tours on Friday and weekends. 

The park's gorgeous sandy coves stretch for 17 miles from Bodega Head to 4 miles north of Jenner. Bodega Head is a popular whale-watching perch in winter and spring, and Rock Point, Duncan's Landing, and Wright's Beach, at about the halfway mark, have good picnic areas. Rogue waves have swept people off the rocks at Duncan's Landing Overlook, so don't stray past signs warning you away. About 2 miles north, calmer Shell Beach is known for beachcombing, tide-pooling, and fishing. Walk part of the bluff-top Kortum Trail or drive about 2½ miles north of Shell Beach to Blind Beach. Near the mouth of the Russian River just north of here at Goat Rock Beach, you'll find harbor seals; pupping season is from March through August. Bring binoculars and walk north from the parking lot to view the seals. Lifeguards are on duty at some beaches during summer, but strong rip currents and heavy surf keep most visitors onshore. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

Brewery tours, tastings, and cornhole, boccie, and disc golf provide an entertaining, diversified, and mainly outdoor experience at the home of Boont Amber Ale, double and triple Belgian-style ales, and other brews. Local winemakers clear their palates with the Bourbon Barrel Stout, aged in Tennessee whiskey barrels.

Curved support beams swoop upward to a central peak at this winery, whose tasting space is as dramatic as the hospitality is down-home. The room sits amid a vineyard containing organically grown Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and several other grapes. The founding family's deep Mendocino roots and early adoption of sustainable practices are among the topics discussed at indoor and outdoor tastings.

Winemaker Andy DuVigneaud of Bee Hunter prefers vineyards close to the ocean because the cool climate requires grapes to stay longer on the vine, preventing them from ripening before their flavors fully develop. His delicious output, poured with enthusiasm in a former car repair shop, includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, dry Riesling, rosé of Pinot Noir, several Pinot Noirs, and a few other reds.

Lean yet flavorful Humboldt County Pinot Noirs are the specialty of this winery set amid the trees. In good weather, the low-key tastings take place in front of the weathered original winery building. Guests sip Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or other whites before sampling Pinots and perhaps Syrah or Zinfandel. Briceland hosts tastings on summer weekend afternoons and by appointment at other times.

Family-owned Brutocao produces Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon along with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Some of these wines, plus ones from Italian varietals like Sangiovese and Primitivo, are poured in Hopland's 1925 former high school building, whose outdoor areas have picnic tables and regulation boccie courts.

The Native American wing of this museum contains a beautiful collection of northwestern California basketry. Artifacts from Eureka's Victorian, logging, and maritime eras fill the rest of the space.

Dick Taylor specializes in small-batch dark chocolates made with beans from Africa and Central America. His factory store's on-site café serves dense European-style "drinking chocolates," along with hot chocolates, addictive fudge pops, and other delights. Book a tour (with tasting) through the company's website.

The town of Ferndale, best known for its colorful Victorian architecture, much of it Stick-Eastlake style, is worth the 20-mile drive south from Eureka or north from the Avenue of the Giants. Many Main Street shops carry a self-guided tour map highlighting the most interesting historic buildings. Gift shops and ice-cream stores comprise a fair share of the businesses here, but Ferndale remains a fully functioning small town, and descendants of the Portuguese and Scandinavian dairy farmers who settled here continue to raise dairy cows in the surrounding pastures. If it's open, pop into the two storefronts of the Blacksmith Shop ( 455 and 491 Main St.  707/786–4216  www.ferndaleblacksmith.com), which celebrates the survival of the traditional blacksmithing arts in the area.

A multiuse path, much of it flat and steps from the rocky and highly photogenic shoreline, stretches the length of Fort Bragg. An enjoyable section lined with benches created by local artists follows the coast north about 2 miles between Noyo Headlands Park in southern Fort Bragg and Glass Beach. You can continue into MacKerricher State Park from the beach.

With its reconstructed Russian Orthodox chapel, stockade, and officials' quarters, Fort Ross looks much the way it did after the Russians made it their major California coastal outpost in 1812. Russian settlers established the fort on land they leased from the Kashia people. The Russians hoped to gain a foothold in the Pacific coast's warmer regions and to produce crops and other supplies for their Alaskan fur-trading operations. In 1841, with the local marine mammal population depleted and farming having proven unproductive, the Russians sold their holdings to John Sutter, later of gold-rush fame. The land, privately ranched for decades, became a state park in 1909. One original Russian-era structure remains, as does a cemetery. The rest of the compound has been reconstructed to look much as it did during Russian times. An excellent small museum documents the history of the fort, the Kashia people, and the ranch and state-park eras. No dogs are allowed past the parking lot and picnic area.

The Russian River and Highway 116 snake west from Guerneville through redwood groves to the coast, where Highway 1 twists north past rocky cliffs to this windswept ridgetop winery. Many experts deemed the weather this far west too chilly even for cool-climate varietals, but Fort Ross Vineyard and other Fort Ross–Seaview AVA wineries proved that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir could thrive above the fog line. The sea air and rocky soils here produce wines generally less fruit-forward than their Russian River Valley counterparts but equally sophisticated and no less vibrant. With its barnlike tasting room and outdoor patio overlooking the Pacific, Fort Ross provides an appealing introduction to its region's wines. Tastings include small bites (vegetarian options possible). Appointments are required; for same-day visits, call before 11 am.

Established in 1996 by the founders of what's now The Duckhorn Portfolio, Goldeneye makes Pinot Noirs from estate grapes, along with a Brut Rosé sparkling wine, Gewürztraminer, and a blush Vin Gris of Pinot Noir. Leisurely tastings, some by appointment only, take place in a restored farmhouse or on a patio with vineyard views.

Gregory Graziano creates wines for four separate labels, one devoted to Burgundian grapes like Pinot Noir; two to Italian varietals; and the last to Zinfandel, Rhône, and a few other types. Gregory's grandfather planted the winery's oldest Mendocino County vineyard just before Prohibition. The lineup poured in the downtown Hopland tasting space might include Pinot Gris and Arneis whites and Dolcetto and Nebbiolo reds.

The easiest access to the sandy shore below Elk's cliff-top lodgings is at this state beach, whose parking lot sits across Highway 1 from the town's general store. A trail leads from the lot down to the shore, where the waves crashing against the huge offshore rocks are the perfect backdrop. Amenities: parking (no fee). Good for: sunset; walking.

International folk art collected by founding winemaker the late Milla Handley adorns the tasting room at this Anderson Valley pioneer, whose lightly oaked Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs earn high praise from wine critics. The winery, which has an arbored outdoor patio picnic area, also makes Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Zinfandel, sparklers, and several others.