Page 22 - 2019 Travel Guide to California

CITIES
BY DAVID ARMSTRONG
Surprising Cities
Big fun in smaller towns
MENDOCINO
The combination of Victorian and
New England-style wood frame
homes and the setting on the bluffs
at the mouth of the Big River is
what put the town of Mendocino,
above, on the National Register of
Historic Places. Stroll its lanes and
breathe the sea air and you won’t
want to leave.
California’s golden cities—Los Angeles,
San Francisco, San Diego—are celebrated
around the world, and rightly so. But the
Golden State boasts an engaging range of
things to see and do in less-well-known
locales, as well. In cities ranging in size
from 900 inhabitants to nearly 65,000, a
surprising, eclectic menu of food and
drink, art and architecture, history and
sports is available to visitors.
MENDOCINO: Victorian Wonderland
Claiming pride of place in hopelessly beau-
tiful Mendocino County, the town of
Mendocino is one of the best-loved destina-
tions on California’s North Coast. The village
of 900 people 130 miles north of San Fran-
cisco is stocked with historic B&Bs, heritage
hotels, clothing shops, art galleries and
deeply delicious, locally owned restaurants.
Settled in the mid-19th century by westward-
ho New Englanders, Portuguese fishers and
Chinese immigrants, Mendocino boomed as
a lumber town. It revived with mid-20th cen-
tury back-to-the-landers and visiting
travelers. Most of the town of Victorian cot-
tages and restored wood-frame houses is
listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. The village is situated on the bluffs of
the Mendocino Headlands with splendid
views of the Pacific Ocean and a network of
public trails. The Mendocino Music Festival
is held in July, while the Mendocino Mush-
room, Wine and Beer Festival takes place in
November. A pleasant drive north on Cali-
fornia Route 1 takes visitors to the teeming
tide pools, hiking and camping of Russian
Gulch State Park.
MENDOCHINO CVB. OPPOSITE: NEVADA CITY CHAMBER PHOTOS; SANTA CRUZ CVB; MARINA DEL REY CVB
20 2019 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA