A Beautiful Retreat on the Northern California Coast!

The Perfect California Coast Retreat!

As the summer draws near, you can expect many of the most popular getaway destinations in California to grow increasingly crowded.  That's not so when you visit the Mendocino Coast, though, home to the popular Fort Bragg Glass Beach and the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden. 

The Mendocino Coast is fondly referred to as Mendoland by locals, and it's an area filled with verdant valley, dramatic coastal headlands, and breathtaking scenery. With more than 90 miles of coastline, this area is home to some of the most majestic beaches in the world, and plenty of space for everyone to spread out and enjoy them. 

Aside from combing the Fort Bragg Glass Beach for new treasures, or marveling at the collection of plants at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden, visitors to Fort Bragg will enjoy plenty of opportunities to sip local beer and wine, great trails to hike, and plenty of local art to admire. 

Whatever you do in Fort Bragg, you'll feel a welcome sense of quiet remoteness and welcoming hospitality. It won't take you long to see why everyone who comes here returns time and time again - and we hope you will, too! 

Trips to the Mendocino Coast are special on their own, but they are truly magnificent when you choose to stay with our Select Registry property in the area. It offers an unparalleled taste of the California Coast with the hospitality you expect from a Select Registry property. This summer, it's time to discover what coastal getaways are all about.  Book your room at our California Bed and Breakfast today! 

Visit the Fort Bragg Glass Beach

Though there are plenty of great ways to enjoy an afternoon on the Mendocino Coast, no visit to this area is complete without beachcombing at the Fort Bragg Glass Beach. The Fort Bragg Glass Beach is actually the southern beach of MacKerricher State Park, itself a wonderful place to spend a day. The park offers visitors a diverse representation of coastal California's habitats, as it has a variety of beaches, bluffs, headlands, dunes, forests, and wetlands to explore. 

There are wonderful Tidal Pools and great birdwatching at MacKerricher State Park, and it's even a great place for land-based whale watching. However, the most popular attraction in the park is Fort Bragg Glass Beach. 

Fort Bragg Glass Beach is nearly almost entirely covered in smooth glass fragments - so much so that the shoreline sparkles under the California sun. Though it's a beautiful place to enjoy some beachcombing today, the Fort Bragg Glass Beach actually has a somewhat dirtier history. Fort Bragg's Glass Beach used to be a garbage dump and was largely used to get rid of debris from the fabled 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Accordingly, so much of the beautiful, ocean-smoothed glass that you find on the beach today is actually from broken down bottles from local garbage. 

As beautiful and fun as it is to comb for treasures on the Fort Bragg Glass Beach, it's actually illegal to remove any of these beautiful stones. Instead of squirreling away pieces of glass for later, spend the afternoon admiring the beautiful colors and shapes, and taking unique pictures of the beach, all while enjoying the magnificent coastal ambiance. 

Fort Bragg Glass Beach isn't marked with any signs, but there's a wide path that leads from the parking area - located on Glass Beach Drive nonetheless - down to the beach. If you're looking for even more sparkling, glassy beaches, there are trails that lead south from here and out of the park to other beaches littered with these sparkling gems. 

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens

Though we could spend a number of days admiring the majestic beauty of the Fort Bragg Glass Beach and its surrounding headlands, there are so many more great things to do in Fort Bragg.  Another one of the most popular attractions in the area is the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. 

The Mendicino Coast Botanical Gardens, charmingly referred to as the "gardens by the sea," offers 47 stunning acres of garden situated on the Pacific Ocean.  As stunning as the surrounding scenery of the Mendicino Coast Botanical Gardens is, the real star of the show here are the gardens. It's a beautiful representation of Northern California's coastal ecosystem. 

Every season is a delight at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, and you can always see what's blooming before you visit.  Their garden collections are vast and feature things like Camelia's, Magnolia's, Rhododenrons, a closed-cone pine forest, a coastal bluff and marine zone, a dahlia garden, a heritage rose garden, a succulent and Mediterranean garden, and so much more. It's truly a beautiful place to explore!

The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens are open daily during the summer, from 10 am - 5 pm, and the advanced purchase of tickets is required to visit. 

The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens also hosts their annual Art in the Gardens celebration. The event takes place in August and includes a variety of creative exhibits, workshops, gorgeous gardens, music, food, and drinks. 

As you can see, a visit to the stunning Mendocino Coast this summer promises to be nothing short of spectacular. From exploring the colorful Fort Bragg Glass Beach to admiring the collections at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better way to enjoy the Northern California Coast. Elevate your experience by staying at our Select Registry California Bed and Breakfast in Fort Bragg. Book your getaway today!

Best Place to Stay in Fort Bragg, CA
 

Noyo Harbor Inn

Built in 1854 and carefully restored and replenished over 6 years, Noyo Harbor Inn sits majestically above the riverbank, set against a sweeping view of the endless forests, flowing river, and active harbor… A place where the daily activity of this historic harbor continues and our guests enjoy the elegance that history adds to every aspect of their stay.

With over 12 miles of Northern California’s Mendocino Coast, our beaches offer more things to do: rugged coastlines, hidden coves, interesting rocks and birds, clear water, and solitude. The Noyo Harbor Inn Spa offers a range of exceptional, professional massage treatments to help relieve tension and ensure your stay is restful and rejuvenating.

Learn More