Valley to the Ocean ... via the Redwoods // Day 2
I had some minor plans for the day that pretty much amounted to driving by the ocean and gawking at nature. Having lived by the ocean by entire life – and taken every opportunity possible to see the ocean … I was taken back by how amazing the view was everywhere.
The ocean was just so big. I’m not quite sure why – but it just seemed never ending. The waves were always huge but not in a Nor ‘easter sort of way. We get big waves in New England but this was just completely different.
Napa & On the Way
I picked the hotel last night pretty much based on price. I knew it came with breakfast but honestly, I didn’t care. Downtown Calistoga seems to have about 8 highly unique coffee shops so I figured I would be fine. But breakfast was fundamentally amazing and everything was homemade except maybe the orange juice?
There was an amazing quiche. Some sort of maple almond scone. Fruit salad. Delicious granola and yogurt. I was appropriately full when I left… and ready to bid farewell to the 12 other people I ate with.
Since the drive was about 2 hours, I stopped at Philo Apple Farm on the way to Mendocino . It was a great little place to stretch my legs and walk around their farm. They grow 80 types of apples, have very inquisitive goats… and provided a great little pamphlet to give yourself a guided tour.
Lastly, there was a stretch of the road that went through a Redwood Forest. It had this slightly magical feeling. Despite being filled with very tall trees, it was oddly very light.
.jpg)
Mendocino & Fort Bragg & Mendocino
On the flight over, I read a review of Mendocino describing it as feeling like New England – and it kind of does. It has a really relaxed feel . I love it’s plethora of street parking, old water towers, trails along the cliffs and sourdough BLTs.
Less cool? Fort Bragg and Glass Beach. I didn’t think I had high expectations of this but I was really let down. I mean, I should have known based on the hotels that were available in the area (e.g. Motel 6) but it was not a great area. And Glass Beach was kind of dirty – which was truly the biggest bummer. I didn’t even have the heart to take a single piece of sea glass with me.
Originally, I had planned to make a few other stops in the afternoon but I kept it to just one other -- The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse. I did have to walk like a half mile to get to it but it was really worth it, not quite enough to pay to walk inside… but I’m completely content with the view I got from the outside.
The hotel in Mendocino is pretty decent. It is worth exactly what I am paying for it – but I do wish I had Wifi. It is a historical landmark – which explains why it smells super musty. Oddly enough, I had these flashbacks to when I had to sleep on the Queen Mary in LA.
Tomorrow? Originally I had plans to drive North more and see a lot of Redwoods, but I’ve decided that I just do not feel like driving 2 hours each way for that. So, I’m going to drive towards San Francisco and maybe stay in Napa or Sausalito. Do people stay there? I’m not sure.
No comments
Post a Comment