Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Northern California's redwood forests and fishing villages sprawl along the
coast on Hwy 1 north of San Francisco and all the way up to Oregon on Hwy
101. Political radicals, artists, pot farmers and nature-loving hippies all
gravitate here.
4 DAYS
Get a primer on NorCal's left-leaning beatnik scene starting in
San Francisco
, a mul-
ticultural mosaic of neighborhoods. Explore top-notch museums and wide-open
spaces in Golden Gate Park, then gather your friends around a sunset bonfire at
Ocean Beach
.
Jaunting north, outdoorsy
Marin County
has gorgeous beaches and grassy head-
lands for exploring. Across the Golden Gate Bridge you'll find the houseboat village
of
Sausalito
, or go tramping around Muir Woods and Mt Tamalpais.
After more hiking and wildlife spotting at
Point Reyes
, devour fresh oysters at
roadside stands alongside Hwy 1. Made infamous by Hitchcock's thriller
The Birds
,
Bodega Bay
is the gateway to the windswept Sonoma Coast. At
Jenner
, where the
Russian River meets the sea, it's tempting to make a quick detour inland to wine
country.
Keep going north after climbing Point Arena's lighthouse to the Victorian village
of
Mendocino
sitting atop rocky headlands. Beyond the windy fishing port of
Fort
Bragg
, Hwy 1 snakes inland to join Hwy 101 at Leggett, where the Redwood Empire
begins. Trundle north to the
Avenue of the Giants
.
To really get away from it all, detour west to
Shelter Cove
and the remote
Lost
Coast
. When you crave civilization again, head north to the farm town of
Ferndale
;
the salty sea-dogs' lair of
Eureka
; the trippy, hippie-dippy university town of
Ar-
cata
; and postcard-perfect bayside
Trinidad
.
Onward to the reason you've driven all this way: California's redwoods, the tallest
trees on earth. In
Redwood National and State Parks
, take time out for Tall Trees
Grove, Fern Canyon, Gold Bluffs Beach and the winding Newton B Drury Scenic
Parkway before rolling into
Crescent City
, with its 19th-century lighthouse.
