Frommer'sFrommer's
    27 Activities

    Explore the Glories of California's North Coast from San Francisco

    Explore the Glories of California's North Coast from San Francisco
    Starts from

    San Francisco

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Activities

    27

    Duration

    4 days

    Length

    559 mi

    Guide details

    Starts from

    San Francisco

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Duration

    4 days

    Length

    559 mi

    • Unusual Locations
    • Family-Friendly
    • Active Leisure
    Map preview
    Christina Mueller

    Christina Mueller

    Travel Expert

    • Savor Anderson Valley cheese and wine at a local farm.
    • Stroll a beautiful botanical garden.
    • Devour some of the freshest uni and abalone you will find anywhere.
    A fantastic journey through Sonoma's wine country and the coastal redwoods of Mendocino before a final stop in Eureka to see stunning examples of Queen Anne architecture (a.k.a Victorians). The scenery is stunning, the food is epic and let's not forget the incredible wines that come from this expansive corner of California. Eat, drink, hike, and take a ton of pictures in a journey for the ages along California's wildest coast.

    Categories

    • Unusual Locations
    • Family-Friendly
    • Active Leisure
    A fantastic journey through Sonoma's wine country and the coastal redwoods of Mendocino before a final stop in Eureka to see stunning examples of Queen Anne architecture (a.k.a Victorians). The scenery is stunning, the food is epic and let's not forget the incredible wines that come from this expansive corner of California. Eat, drink, hike, and take a ton of pictures in a journey for the ages along California's wildest coast.
    Christina Mueller

    Christina Mueller

    Travel Expert

    • Savor Anderson Valley cheese and wine at a local farm.
    • Stroll a beautiful botanical garden.
    • Devour some of the freshest uni and abalone you will find anywhere.

    Travel itinerary

    San Francisco to Healdsburg and the Anderson Valley
    7 Activities

    Day 1

    108 mi0.1 mi

    San Francisco to Healdsburg and the Anderson Valley

    On Day One of the journey, explore the town of Healdsburg and its lovely downtown plaza, sip wine and enjoy a guided tasting at Jordan Winery, and chill out at the chicest hotel and restaurant in the Anderson Valley.
    Meander through the Anderson Valley to Mendocino
    7 Activities

    Day 2

    44 mi0.4 mi

    Meander through the Anderson Valley to Mendocino

    The Anderson Valley is often overlooked by tourists who buzz along Highway 128 from Sonoma to Mendocino. But you are not one of those tourists who would skip the delights of a quieter part of California's wine country. They might not have the marketing budget of Napa, but the Anderson Valley is worth savoring – its excellent cheese and wine are just the beginning. We finish the day in Mendocino, a charming town perched on the edge of the Pacific.
    Fort Bragg Highlights, Drive through a Tree, and Overnight in Eureka
    8 Activities

    Day 3

    161 mi

    Fort Bragg Highlights, Drive through a Tree, and Overnight in Eureka

    California's North Coast is where most of the state's coastal redwoods have been preserved in State Parks and other open spaces, and walking among them (and driving through one) is a beautiful way to spend a day. Tonight, we overnight in Eureka where the Victorian mansions are abundant and the seafood is bar none.
    Return to San Francisco via Avenue of the Giants and Santa Rosa
    5 Activities

    Day 4

    246 mi

    Return to San Francisco via Avenue of the Giants and Santa Rosa

    A more natural way to see coast redwoods, Avenue of the Giants is a chance to see the truly ginormous trees on a paved road that does not require you to get out of the car. Do, though, if only to snap a few pictures of the graceful trees and to admire the ingenuity of local craftspeople. Enjoy the leisurely drive before sampling regeneratively farmed wines in Hopland and dinner in Santa Rosa before heading back to San Francisco.
    Map preview
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