Here Are the Best Places to Visit North of San Francisco
Gorgeous shorelines, breathtaking forests, delicious wines, and so much more fill the Northern California coast. When making the trip to Mendocino, California, we highly recommend taking a scenic road trip! Below, we take you on a journey to see some of the best places to visit north of San Francisco. But, before you arrive, make sure to plan out your vacation so that you don’t miss out on anything. To ensure you hit all the best attractions in Mendocino, we’ve created a free Itinerary with all of our favorite places to dine, hike, shop, or watch a sunset!
Make a Stop at the Best Places to Visit North of San Francisco
Driving Highway 101 to Highway 128
There are two routes that most people typically take to get to Mendocino. Highway 101 to Highway 128 typically takes at least 3.5 hours. This route takes you along incredible wineries and apple orchards, perfect for all the wine lovers out there!
Napa Valley
Drive through or stop by Napa Valley, California, also known as wine country! This beautiful area is known for its wide variety of fantastic wineries. It’s a paradise for all wine lovers, and there are numerous vineyards and wineries to visit. Many of them are located right along the highway for easy access! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to taste the best wines in the country!
Navarro River Redwoods State Park
Our area is known for it’s stunning and towering redwood trees. Drive through Navarro River Redwoods State Park, or make a stop, and go for a hike on one of its gorgeous hiking trails. You’ll be in awe at the sight of these towering beauties.
Driving Highway 1 North of San Francisco
Highway 1 is the longer route, but it’s worth it! This road takes you to see gorgeous scenery and fascinating landmarks. Here are some of the standouts:
Muir Woods National Monument
Just north of San Francisco, you can find Muir Woods. This stunning, fairytale-like forest is a fantastic place to stretch your legs before a long car ride. You can take a half-hour hike, a one-hour hike, or a 1.5-hour hike on several looped trails that lead into Mount Tamalpais State Park.
These hikes take you through some of the tallest redwoods in the world! If you plan to add this stop to your road trip itinerary, do keep in mind that the park is not pet-friendly or bicycle-friendly.
Point Reyes Shipwreck
Another stop to add to your road trip bucket list is the Point Reyes Shipwreck in Inverness, just before you reach Sonoma County. This abandoned boat is washed up on the shore, and is an excellent spot to take some photos!
Previous landowners had plans to fix the vessel, or remove it, but the wreck was saved by a photographer who saw beauty in the run-down fishing boat!
If you stop at Point Reyes Shipwreck, look for it behind the Inverness Store, and park along Tomales Bay.
Arrive in Mendocino and Relax in a Cozy Cottage
Get ready for a vacation full of outdoor adventures and memories in Mendocino, but first, you need to stretch your legs and relax. You can rest and recharge in our cozy accommodations at Cottages at Little River Cove. We make sure you have a comfortable place to stay, not only for you and your human family but also for the furry members as well! All of our cottages are pet-friendly so that no one gets left behind this vacation.
Check our availability, and hit the road to Mendocino soon!