Vacation Northern California Coast
Vacation Ideas

A highlight of the bay is Bodega Head. This is a small peninsula of land along the bay with two excellent ocean view walking trails. This is also a premier whale watching spot.

The shore along here consists of miles of small beaches and secluded coves, separated by the rocky cliffs and headlands Northern California is famous for. The beaches and the scenery are all accessible along Highway 1.

There are a few nice places to stay if you vacation in Bodega Bay. You can rent a very nice vacation home or cottage through Bodega Bay and Beyond Vacation Home Rentals. Another is Bodega Bay Lodge which features excellent amenities, great water views and is the perfect spot for a romantic vacation.

This is also a popular spot for vacationers to enjoy the outdoors. Biking and hiking are big as well as canoeing and kayaking on the Russian River. Check out SOAR Inflatables, Getaway Adventures / Wine Country Bike Tours or Burke's Canoe Trips. The Russian River is also the place to go for superb steelhead, shad, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, and Carp fishing. If you like hot air ballooning this is a great place because of the beautiful countryside.

Above the Wine Country Balloon Tours in nearby Sebastopol can get you in the air. One of the very best places to stay when vacationing in Healdsburg is The Honor Mansion. This is a beautiful and luxurious home with 13 rooms. If you are looking for romantic vacation ideas you can’t go wrong with Honor Mansion.

Gualala is one of the many great spots to vacation here and you should consider staying at the Sea Cliff on the Bluff. As the name implies, Sea Cliff is located high on a bluff above the Pacific Ocean and the Gualala River. Here you can relax on your own private deck overlooking the ocean. There’s shopping, boutiques and art galleries in Gualala.

Nearby is golfing at an 18-hole Scottish Links course, Sea Ranch. Head down to the Gualala River for swimming, canoeing and kayaking. Take a guided tour of the historical Point Arena Lighthouse. Take a day fishing trip with one of the boats at Point Arena Wharf.

A nice place to stay is the bed & breakfast Gingerbread Mansion Inn in Ferndale. Built in 1899 and featuring 11 rooms, the beauty and splendor of this home has made it a popular subject of photographers. In Eureka, the Hotel Carter is a restored Victorian home that has been transformed into a luxury accommodation with a view of Humboldt Bay.

In the area you can visit the Humboldt Bay Wildlife Refuge and the Humboldt Botanical Garden. If you are visiting in August, check out the Humboldt County Fair & Horse Races at the Humboldt Fairgrounds.

Directly on the coast, in the Lost Coast area, are the King Range National Conservation Area and the Sinkyone Widerness State Park. Here you can hike the 25-mile Lost Coast Trail or hike to one of the beaches where you can camp, swim and surf.

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