Mendocino, the perfect getaway to relax, enjoy nature and drink wine!

Do you ever feel like you live so close to so many great places but you never seem to have the time to visit? That’s how I felt about Mendocino and finally a few weeks ago, I made the time and spent three relaxing days there.  

Driving to Mendocino was quite relaxing on its own. With little to no reception, you are forced to unplug from your phone and take in nature. Driving through the redwood trees and seeing the beautiful Mendocino Coast, completely puts your mind at ease and you forget about everything. 

Headlands State Park, Mendocino

Our first night in Mendocino, we had dinner at Little River Inn Restaurant. We started off with a bottle of Syrah from a local winery which was exquisite. Alan ordered a scallop dish on a bed of noodles which was full of delicious spicy flavors. I ordered the “Bouillabaisse” which is a seafood stew in a light saffron vegetable broth served with garlic croutons. It reminded me of Cioppino and it was one of the best seafood stews I’ve had. For dessert, we had a raspberry sorbet which was so fresh and soft, it quickly melted in your mouth. The service, food, and wine were the perfect start to our weekend in Mendocino. 

The next day, we went to Glass Beach, which unfortunately doesn’t have much glass left because people seem to have taken the pieces of glass over the years. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our stroll along the beach while we enjoyed a local coffee from Zappas. After walking for about two hours, we realized we were further away from our car and we needed to call a cab. Small towns like Fort Bragg however, don’t have a taxi or an Uber you can call. I will spare you the details but Alan and I hitched a ride back to our car. 

Sea Pal Cove Restaurant, Fort Bragg

After the embarrassing but now funny memory, we were on our way to grab lunch. Alan found this local spot called Sea Pal Cove where I had the best Fish and Chips I can remember. When you first walk up there is a small shed where you place your order and then you sit on the deck overlooking the water. While we were there, there was a fisherman catching fish and skinning the fish right in front of us. It was truly an experience to remember. Great tasting lunch with a charming local feel, definitely worth our visit. 

 Pacific Star Winery, Fort Bragg

After lunch, we made our way to Pacific Star Winery. The tasting room had so many items for purchase. They had cute hats, shirts, lotions, a mini gift shop if you ask me and I enjoyed looking at everything they had to offer while we shared a tasting. After we picked our favorite bottle and some local chocolates, we sat and enjoyed the water view. 

We were so at ease at the winery we could have stayed all day, but we finally left once the fog started to come in. On our drive back to town, we stopped for a quick dinner at North Coast Brewery. We love wine but we also enjoy tasting beer, especially sour beers for me.

Mendocino Botanical Gardens

The next morning, we visited the Mendocino Botanical Gardens. Every area was breathtaking from the sights of the coast to the flower gardens and the vast vegetables they grow. Alan and I both agreed, the Botanical Gardens was definitely our favorite part of our trip. 

Our visit to Mendocino flew by and we ended our trip with a picnic at Russian Gulch State Park where we enjoyed pizza and red wine on the beach. The sand in my toes and the warm rays of sunshine were the perfect ending to our weekend gateway. Mendocino is a great place to visit when you are ready to enjoy a quiet weekend surrounded by nature, great food, people and wine.

Russian Gulch State Park, Mendocino