CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP GUIDE
The quaint town of Mendocino is a popular stop on California's scenic Highway 1 drive. It is known for its cliffside trails, ocean views, Victorian village, wineries, boutiques and beaches. It may be small, but this bustling seaside town has plenty to see and do.
QUICK LINKS
MAIN STREET
Most of the top things to do are located along Main Street. One side of the street is lined with buildings, shops, restaurants, and cafes, while the other is open grassland and a cliffside walking trail.
The Ford House Visitor Centre & Museum is a good place to start if you want more information on Mendocino before you start exploring. The centre has pamphlets, museum exhibitions and a gift shop.
Be sure to check out the very cute Mendocino Jams & Preserves shop, the Gallery Bookshop and Mendocino Chocolate. There are also some beautiful buildings to see, including the Out of This World store and the Mendocino Hotel.
While Main Street has a lot to see and do, don't miss exploring the adjacent streets, too. Here, you will find great stores like Mendocino Vino, Village Sock Shop, and My Chic Farmhouse, and interesting buildings like the Temple of Kwan Tai, the Volunteer Fire Department, and the Savings Bank of Mendocino County.
MENDOCINO HEADLANDS STATE PARK
The town of Mendocino is surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean. The Headlands State Park offers cliffside trails along this coastline, with incredible views out to sea and back up to the picturesque Victorian buildings and coastal cottages in town. Along the trail, discover caves and blow holes, climb down to Portuguese Beach and find a good seat watch for whales, seals and birds.
WHERE TO EAT
Patterson’s Pub came highly recommended, and it did not disappoint. This Irish pub serves all your favourites for lunch, dinner, and brunch on the weekend. They offer an extensive list of beer on tap, bottled drinks, and local wines. The outside courtyard offers a lovely, laid-back setting, and the service is amazing.
Patterson’s is very popular and fills up fast. We had an early lunch at 11 am to beat the crowds and were seated without a wait. By the time we left, there were no free tables, and a few hours later, a line of people were waiting outside.
Mendocino Market is a great option if you want something to grab and enjoy down by the headland. They have a good selection of sandwiches, freshly made to order. They also have drinks and snacks.
PLANNING A CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP
For more destinations and attractions along the West Coast, check out our guide for Top Things To Do on a California Road Trip. This guide includes other places in Mendocino County like Fort Bragg, Russian Gulch State Park, Anderson Valley, Point Arena and Bowling Ball Beach.
OUR GOOGLE MAPS
When planning our travel destinations, we pin our bucket list of sites to see and recommended places to eat and drink on Google Maps. We are then never lost for ideas while travelling, and can easily share these lists for our friends and family to use too.
Click here to see our Google Maps for Things To Do in Mendocino.
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