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Graduated from the University of Texas, Austin’ 2018 Bachelors in computer science and bachelors in mathematics. Currently living in beautiful sunny San Francisco, CA, where the skies are clear and the grass is greener! Outside of work, I like to hike, explore new restaurants, go boxing, spend quality time with friends, and travel the world!
TRAVEL – Exploring Mendocino in Two Days- a.k.a. how to do a weekend getaways

TRAVEL – Exploring Mendocino in Two Days- a.k.a. how to do a weekend getaways

A Primer

Hi all,

Today, I’ll detour on a different topic from the Amtrak trip journeys. Instead, I’m focusing on planning a two-day weekend getaway plan. Under discussion is Mendocino, California – a historical beach town located along the state’s Pacific Northwestern coast. Mendocino boasts an enumerable number of beautiful beaches, fascinating geographical features, and quaint small American towns. I was motivated to go here after hearing about the place from a few friends.

The drive to Mendocino entailed 4-5 hours in between San Francisco and the small cities of Fort Bragg and Mendocino. I drove by myself and incorporated breaks to subdivide the trip : 15-30 minutes of hiking , 30-minutes for lunch, and 15-minutes to refill on gasoline and supplies. If I planned better, I would have left earlier from my home around 8:00 a.m. PST, but I was somewhat delayed and ended up leaving closer to 10:00 a.m. PST ( loosing a few hours of sunlight in the process ).

Breakdown of the days

On low-traffic days, it takes about 3.5-4 hours to drive in between San Francisco, CA and Mendocino, CA ( assuming no breaks for fuel or food )
Between Bodega Bay and Mendocino lies the trip’s real meat – for 2.5 hours, you’ll drive along the precipitous drop of California’s coastal ranges plunging into to the Pacific.

Day #1 : Friday, July 12th, 2024 – Gualala ( the town unknown ) and Fort Bragg

I pride myself on my forward-thinking abilities, and I scope down sights of interest before hitting the road. I list about 5-6 sites but never hold myself to the absolutely unrealistic expectation that I’ll hit every listing ( sites may be closed due to natural disasters or human intervention). Hitting up three to four locations counts as a solid trip ( to me ! ).

  1. Glass Beach
  2. Coastal Trails and cliff sides
  3. Coves with steam releases
  4. Point Cabrillo Lighthouse
  5. Lighthouse museum and Lighthouse museum state park
  6. Black Sand Beach
The pacific ocean’s crashing waves cutting through the jagged rocks of coastal Mendocino.

And sometimes, I change the plan upon discovering better locations or pit stops that I didn’t know prior. I seem to learn more only when I get going on the trip!. I landed in Gualala, California – a beautiful mid-point stop that offers the biggest views into northwest California’s pacific ocean.

Expansive views of California’s coastal Mediterranean chapparal – taken from Gualala, California
Sourced from the beautiful beach town of Gualala, California – I didn’t know about it at the time, but I highly recommend stopping your vehicle here to take in the stunning ocean beach views
The small beach houses of Gualala, California. I spent a break here to fill up on fuel and gather my senses.

Day #2 : Saturday, July 13th, 2024 – Actual Mendocino

Fortune had it that the small Californian beach towns of Fort Bragg and Mendocino lie only fife-teen minutes apart . On the second day’s visit, I quickly drove north from Mendocino to Fort Bragg. I set my sites to three locations of major interest : Pomo Bluff Park, Glass Beach, and Compass Ross. With the assistance of travel accouterments – lightweight aluminum poles and R.E.I all-terrain hiking boots – I descended down the rocky outcrops to the sandy beaches, where the lucid, clear waters bathed and cleansed my shoes. I then invoked the spirit of my inner child and thankfully-not-lost-to-the-world-yet sense of child-like awe. I picked up, played, and passed beach pebbles back into the Pacific’s sun-scintillated crystal-clear waters. I was having the time of my life here: a goddamn blast!

Day one entailed an overnight stay in Mendocino; day two involved a brief visit to Fort Bragg.
Glass Beach – notice broken glass strands scattered across the brown, sandy beach. The chipped pieces are remnants of a historical dumping ground which beautify and add character.
Pomo Bluff Park – the ocean’s fury constantly chisels rocky outcrops, ensuring the replenishment of the beach’s sand.
Sapphire-colored water cutting into a cove. Discovered somewhere on the Pacific Coast Highway ( PCH ) – a.k.a. the California 1. I walked atop the rocky outcrops, marveling at the state’s geography and geology.
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