The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Mendocino, California (CA)

June 12, 2021 Matilde Konrad

Shop, eat, and enjoy the feeling of going back in time to a simpler era as you groove to the vibes of downtown Mendocino’s hippy past and quaint New England style architecture. Find a secluded bluff, and listen to seals splashing and barking. Visit the Mendocino Art Center, started by San Francisco artists in the 1950s. Enjoy a Mendocino Theater Company performance. Stop in historic Ford House, which doubles as city museum and Mendocino Headlands State Park visitors center. Mendocino Headlands State Park winds around Mendocino Bay, and is a wildlife corridor linking coast and inland areas. Savor the spring wildflowers. In July the Headlands and city are home to the Mendocino Music Festival. Groove to the ocean views, blowholes, wave tunnels, sea arches, grottos, and tide pools as you hike the beaches and cliff trails. Along the Mendocino Headlands Trail, watch for old cross-ties from the oxen-powered railway that dumped lumber to ships below the bluff. Drive 2 miles north of Mendocino to Russian Gulch State Park for rock fishing, swimming, skin diving, tide pools, bicycling, a 36-foot high waterfall, and a Devil's Punch Bowl of churning water. Savor spring rhododendron blooms at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Take the family on the half-day Skunk Train roundtrip from Fort Bragg to inland Northspur. Bird watch at Cleone Lake, a tidal lagoon in MacKerricher State Park, 3 miles north of Fort Bragg. Enjoy MacKerricher’s wheelchair accessible nature trail, Ten Mile beach, fishing, hiking, jogging, horseback riding, and bicycling. Take the kids to Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park. Tee off at the 5,458-yard, 9-hole coastal golf course at Little River Inn, which also offers llama treks. Take the family to Little River State Park and Van Damme Beach State Park, which are near Little River Airport (KLLR). Kids love the recently renovated Point Arena Lighthouse, because they can climb to the top.
Restaurants in Mendocino

Main Kasten Streets, Mendocino, CA 7079372665 http://www.gallerybookshop.com
Excellent
80%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 70 reviews

Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books

This bookstore caters to adults and children.

Reviewed By 394kayen

This is the type of bookstore where I could spend hours browsing, but they kindly asked patrons to limit their time to 20 minutes. I quickly found the one book I was looking for and also discovered another that I had to read. They limit the number of people in the store during the pandemic and marked spots for the checkout line. This was my first time in a bookstore during the pandemic, and their precautions helped me feel like it was a safe experience. I appreciated the sign on the window requiring masks, along with one for Black Lives Matter.

2. Mendocino Coast

Mendocino, CA 95460 +1 707-961-6300 [email protected] http://www.mendocinocoast.com/
Excellent
90%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 756 reviews

Mendocino Coast

A scenic drive along California's Pacific coastline offering beaches, historic lighthouses and old-time fishing villages.

Reviewed By Martysfo - San Rafael, United States

Great cliffs, fog and quiet mark this coast. It is cold and chilly, even in August. Yet it is a must see so one can step back in time to how California used to be. A bonus is the trip up through the Anderson Valley Wine Region on the way to the coast from the Bay Area.

3. Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too

Excellent
90%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 88 reviews

Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too

The Stanford Inn's Catch a Canoe & Bicycles Too is open year round to both Inn guests and the general public. Established in 1972, Catch a Canoe offers kayak, outrigger and canoe rentals on Big River Estuary. Locally made redwood outriggers are extra stable, efficient and easy to control with a foot operated rudder. Perfect for couples, families and pets. Mountain bikes are also available for rentals or for sale. Open daily from 9 to 5.

4. Russian Gulch State Park

Mendocino, CA 95430 +1 707-937-5804 http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=432
Excellent
71%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 291 reviews

Russian Gulch State Park

This park's view of the Mendocino headlands is enhanced by a spectacular array of wildflowers.

Reviewed By barfiemermaid - Costa Mesa, United States

Main trail to the falls is closed so we had to take the north trail which adds a few more miles. We did almost 11 miles with altitude. It was a beatiful hike almost completely shaded. The cliffs on the north side was gorgeous as well as the sink hole!

5. Jughandle State Reserve

Hwy 1, Mendocino, CA 95430 +1 707-937-5804 http://www.parks.ca.gov/
Excellent
69%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 131 reviews

Jughandle State Reserve

This reserve is famous for its Staircase Trail

Reviewed By okayaway - Benicia, United States

great views on the ocean and hills. easy to find off of highway 1 and a few great easy hikes out to the ocean cliffs.

6. Van Damme State Park

Hwy 1, Mendocino, CA 95430 +1 707-937-5804 http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=433
Excellent
67%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 233 reviews

Van Damme State Park

Picturesque spot known for its Pygmy Forest of small trees and Fern Canyon.

Reviewed By paulmU4660DC - Walnut Creek, United States

Hike beside the Fern Canyon Creek from the Van Damme Visitor Center to the Pygmy Forest Natural Preserve. The trail, originally constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, crosses over the creek on 10 bridges. The trail follows the Creek up to the Pygmy Forest, but it's not a strenuous climb. The Pygmy Forest has a guided boardwalk explaining why the forest trees species are different from the flora and fauna in the Canyon.

7. Big River

Mendocino, CA http://www.mendocinolandtrust.org/trails/central-coastal-trails/big-river-trail
Excellent
73%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 98 reviews

Big River

A beautiful estuary in which to observe nature.

Reviewed By KarinaL101

We walked down to this area where the river meets the ocean. People were surfing, paddle boarding and boating in kayaks. The beach area was immense.

8. Mendocino Headlands State Park

Hwy 1, Mendocino, CA 95460 +1 707-937-5804 http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=442
Excellent
79%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 500 reviews

Mendocino Headlands State Park

A scenic and appealing rugged promontory along the California coast.

Reviewed By Abacus3 - California, United States

Beautiful views and a lovely walk. It's also a great whale watching spot. Take your binoculars and a picnic, you'll want to stick around.

9. Mendocino Art Center

45200 Little Lake St, Mendocino, CA 95460 +1 707-937-5818 [email protected] http://www.mendocinoartcenter.org/
Excellent
54%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
4%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 121 reviews

Mendocino Art Center

10. Kelley House Museum

45007 Albion St, Mendocino, CA 95460 +1 707-937-5791 http://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/
Excellent
69%
Good
21%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 70 reviews

Kelley House Museum

Reviewed By ConnieLongBeach

My husband and I took the town walking tour through the museum earlier this month and it was really great. Jane was our guide and you could tell she just loves this town. She knew her history and told is in an interesting and funny way...full of fun details and facts. I highly recommend the tour. Good to book ahead if possible.

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