On the northwest end of Bass Lake is the trailhead for Willow Creek Trail. The trail follows the meandering creek 2.7 miles north. There are two waterfalls along the way, neither of which we actually hiked to. Instead we took an hour after the 5.5 hour drive from Oceanside to Oakhurst to walk a portion …
Alcatraz Island is one of many iconic places to visit in San Fransisco; the perfect place to wrap up our California winter roadtrip. The once-military-prison-converted-federal-prison sits on a small island just a little over a mile from San Fransisco’s Embarcadero. In 1934 it opened its doors to the most notorious criminals in the prison system (Al Capone …
The neoclassical California State Capitol building was completed in 1874 by one of San Francisco’s oldest architectural firms. It is registered as a California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Registrar of Historic Places. Luckily it was restored in the 1970s instead of being condemned (it was voted upon by the Legislature). It cost $65,000,000 …
As we close the loop back to Oceanside we stopped again at the California State Railroad Museum, ran by California State Park employees. This 27,000 square feet is complete with trains, tracks, trestles, all the train memorabilia that you can think of, and more comprehensive train knowledge in one place than you have ever encountered. …
If you like historic towns bursting with Victorian architecture then Ferndale is the place for you. The entire town of Ferndale is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Established in 1852, Ferndale is now known as the northern gateway to California’s Lost Coast. It’s our second visit here but I feel like we …
Wrapping up our Humboldt trip I wanted to see some really big trees so we headed to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, a mecca for old-growth coastal redwood trees. Within the 14,000 acre park visitors can find some of the oldest trees just a short walk from the parking area. Big Tree, for example, is …
California’s Redwood Coast offers countless options for being amongst redwoods while listening to the ocean crash against the shore. Sue-Meg State Park is a 640 acre State Park that hugs the coast and is filled with firs, spruces, pines and redwoods. We started on Rim Trail Loop, a trail used by the Yurok tribe well before the …
Whosever idea it was to put a walkway in the canopy of the world’s tallest trees is a genius. It wouldn’t be a trip to Humboldt County without stopping by Sequioa Park Zoo for a stroll 100 feet above the redwoods’ fallen needles. It really is an incredible experience. The $4,000,000 eco-adventure project was built by a …
Hammond Trail is named after a major local lumber company, acknowledgment of Redwood Coast’s timber industry. The trail crosses over a trestle that was relocated from Washington state in 1941 and reassembled over the Mad River. It is a beautiful, historic bridge in a beautifully remote town.
In Arcata, just beyond Cal Poly Humboldt, is a community forest made of 790 acres of redwoods. Under the canopy of the tallest trees in the world hikers remain fairly dry under the natural umbrella. Just enough moisture falls to the soil in order to propagate a mushroom menagerie.
Living in Oceanside we are used to seeing the coast, but the Redwood Coast is a different world, or at least it feels like a different state. The Redwood Coast is made of 175 miles of rugged coastline dotted with historic coastal towns. Mad River Beach County Park is a narrow stretch of land, sitting right in …
The Golden Gate Bridge is probably the most iconic symbol of San Francisco. In 1937 it set the world record for the greatest distance between two supports, the tallest towers, and the longest bridge. Taking it north means that we are 1,280 meters closer to the redwoods.
Heading up to our rental house in Mckinleyville we stopped in Fortuna for some homemade staples. Humboldt Distillery recently opened up a tasting room after a decade of business (creating the best selling organic vodka in California). For $5 you can taste all of their spirits or apply that money towards a purchase. We went home …
Fisherman’s Wharf has been popular since the Gold Rush. With limited time before continuing north it seemed like the perfect place to spend a rushed evening in San Francisco. We took advantage of the BART, street cars and cable cars so the girls didn’t have to be confined to a car seat. Taking public transportation …
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe is a mouthful, when saying the restaurant name or eating one of their burgers. This tiny restaurant one mile off the freeway is right along the path from Las Vegas to Oceanside. It is the perfect place to stop for an amazing meal at a good price. Not only has …