Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Howard Creek Ranch, sitting on 60 stunning acres of forest and farmland abutting the wil-
derness, has accommodations in an 1880s farmhouse or a few cabins including a carriage
barn, whose way-cool redwood rooms have been expertly handcrafted by the owner. Rates
include full breakfast. Bring hiking boots, not high heels.
ALONG HIGHWAY 101
To get into the most remote and wild parts of the North Coast on the quick, eschew wind-
ing Hwy 1 for inland Hwy 101, which runs north from San Francisco as a freeway, then as
a two- or four-lane highway north of Sonoma County, occasionally pausing under the
traffic lights of small towns.
Know that escaping the Bay Area at rush hour (weekdays between 4pm and 7pm) ain't
easy. You might sit bumper-to-bumper through Santa Rosa or Willits, where trucks bound
for the coast turn onto Hwy 20.
Although Hwy 101 may not look as enticing as the coastal route, it's faster and less
winding, leaving you time along the way to detour into Sonoma and Mendocino counties'
wine regions (Mendocino claims to be the greenest wine region in the country), explore
pastoral Anderson Valley, splash about Clear Lake or soak at hot-springs resorts outside
Ukiah - time well spent indeed!
Hopland
Cute Hopland is the gateway to Mendocino County's wine country and flaunts its eco-
minded, green-living ways at every turn. Hops were first grown here in 1866, but Prohibi-
tion brought the industry temporarily to a halt. Today, booze drives the local economy
again with wine tasting as the primary draw.
Sights
For an excellent weekend trip, use Hopland as a base for exploring the regional wineries.
More information about the constantly growing roster of wineries is available at
www.destinationhopland.com
. Find a map to the wine region at
www.visitmendocino.com
.
