Vacation advice needed, Northern Coast.

Fort Bragg, Mendicino...

good ocean access, decent food, nice places to stay, GREAT driving roads for the F-car

Mendicino is a little touristy, but that also means nice places to stay and eat.

Be sure to check the calendar for the sunday pancake breakfasts that happen all over the area (alternating between different fund-raising venues on different sundays of the month... i.e. The Grange on the 1st Sunday, VFW hall the 2nd sunday... dont know that those dates are true, you'll need to research for yerself).

Fort Bragg has a great place to get breakfast if the pancake breakfast doesnt sound like yer speed. EggHeads (I think is the name) right on the main drag in the main part of downtown. TINY place, painted yellow outside and done up with lots of wizard of oz stuff inside. Good food.

Funny, I dont really know exactly where they places or dates are.. .but I've had a vacation place in Fort Bragg for 15 years... huh, I just kinda go there and just know where/when to show up.

 

From the foothills...

take I5 north to Woodland. Take 16 up past Cache Creek Casino and hook up with Hwy 20. turn left towards Clear lake. Take the ride around Clear Lake (traffic, but nice views). Hook up with 101 north until Willits. Take 20 out of Willits to Fort Bragg.

take a different route home.

Hwy 1 south to Hwy 128. take 128 through the Anderson Valley (stop for wine tasting/lunch). 128 hooks back up with 101 above Healdsburg. Take yer choice of ways home from there... down 101 to 37to80 for the freeway blast home, or take 128 through the valleys up over the hills and into the backside of Davis.

 

http://www.viamagazine.com/weekenders/fort_bragg02.asp

Headlands Coffee-house in FB is great. nice deserts, decent wines, and live music on occasion (we cuaght the high school chamber music group there one night, it was nice).

 

Mendocino Bed and Breakfast, perhaps Elk Cove depending on your budget.
Here's a good map:
http://www.elkcoveinn.com/mendocino-getting-here.htm

Depending on your priorities of emphasizing driving or scenery, I select 101 to 128 for driving (R&T's top 10 driver's roads).
If you wanted scenery then either 12 to Bodega bay and Jenner or the Russian River Valley wine country to Jenner. The latter because you skirt several wineries without any sidetrips necessary.

Hope this helps.

 

I can recommend Cambria, a few miles south of San Simeon (Hearst Castle) on Hwy 1. Just did that a few weeks ago and had a great time.

Cambria has a number of B&B's on Moonstone Beach Drive, which fronts the ocean. We stayed at the Pelican Cove Inn and ate at Bramble's (in town). Both good.

From Norcal, you can head down Hwy 1, the stretch from Carmel to San Simeon is a twisty 2-lane coastal range road and can be a lot of fun if it's not backed up (time of day and week) and it's always scenic. I think we made it from the South Bay in under 3 hours on the weekend. Alternatively, you can head down 101 and cross over to the coast once you get to Paso Robles (Hwy 46).

 

Take 128W from 101 at cloverdale to Mendocino. Go see John. One of the best roads in the country, and Mendocino will fit your bill perfectly.

--Dan

 

If you stay here - she'll keep you for a while
http://brewerygulchinn.com/review.html

 

Bobafett is right pm John ( Riverflyer ) he owns the Sweetwater Inn, they have private homes with great views!! plus the Dining is pretty good.

 

One of my wifes favourites and a view to die for, you will feel like your in a different world. You can then drive south to Cambria from there.

www.postranchinn.com/

 

How about a trip south on HW 1 to Hearst Castle, http://www.hearstcastle.com
Maybe something new to you. It is a great road along the coast and lots of nice places to stay along the way.

 

thanks Dan and Robert.
Jay, check out our site and drop me an email and we can see what we can cook up for you. I am, by the end of the month, going to be able to offer garage space at one of our cottage units. Private hot tub, king bed, fireplace, kitchen, nice stereo, flat screen lcd tv/dvd, nicely appointed and very private/quiet, yet just a few minutes from restaurants etc.. Check out Mendocino View or Redwood cottage units.
www.sweetwaterspa.com
we just sold the Band B part so if thats she wants I can reccommend something for you.
John
[email protected]

 

I have some freinds who have a place in Gualala & it is directly accross the street from St. Ores which has a 4 or 5 star restaurant. It is a cool house with a garage(no door but covered) and a hot tub. It is on the west side of HWY 1 with great views and very reasonable. If you are interested let me know & I will put you in touch. If not have a great time wherever you end up.

 

hike at pt reyes.
drive up the coast, ohlema inn or hog island for oyesters.
stay at http://www.mankas.com/mankas/intro.html
great dinner and breakfast.
get one of their special rooms. my had a tub in the middle of a giant deck amongst trees.
drive up to pt reyes next day, picnic or hike.
the road from mankas to pt reyes is nice and i haven't seen any cop up there fore a long time.

 

I think its time to bite the bullet. Check into the Post Ranch in Big Sur. Plenty of Ferrari road for you, plenty of spa for her. Get a suite with the ocean view and she will do things you never imagined possible. It worked for me!

 

What did I say.............its all true!

 

Absolutely agree - beautiful, very private setting, great hikes, Sierra Mar the inn's restaurant has killer views and terrific food. Post Ranch is 10x better than the also highly acclaimed Ventana Inn across the street.

Nice drive down Rt 1 to Cambria/ Morro Bay where you can eat at Hoppe's Bistro.

http://hoppesbistro.com/

 

Absolutlely without question see Riverflyer. Been there twice, and now its an annual must-do! The Ferrari driving is awesome (Hiways 1/101/36), the views are incredible, the pad is the best in town. John can definately set you up. Its his backyard.

 

Jay,
any decisions yet?

 

Timber cove inn BTDT, would do it again in a heart beat. Try it you will like it.

 

~2 weeks until John's place, can't wait!!

 

How was it?