Village By the Sea

Living in Northern California, you can’t help but feel like one of the lucky ones. Within a few scenic hours’ drive, you can go from vineyards to redwood forests to the Pacific Coast and end up in a peaceful coastal village that feels suspended in time.

Usually a summer escape from the inland heat, Mendocino in winter means more affordable rates, fewer crowds and a chance to cozy up by the fire as dramatic winter waves crash below. For food and wine lovers, it’s a wonderful time to explore when everything feels a bit more intimate and local.

“Winter’s a perfect time for mushroom-foraging classes and whale watching out of Noyo Harbor,” said Saya Abernethy-Hansen, general manager at the MacCallum House Inn & Restaurant - a historic luxury bed and breakfast dating back to 1882 - located in the heart of Mendocino. “There are so many great hiking spots along with kayaking too.”

Highway 128 is a journey unto itself. The 75-mile stretch is studded with family-run wineries, quaint towns like Boonville, a charming pit stop with a general store and organic ice cream shop, and towering redwoods.

Before reaching the coast, Anderson Valley tempts wine lovers with small-lot producers like Lula Cellars, the last tasting room before you arrive in Mendocino. Sip Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under an open-air tent surrounded by vineyards for a reasonable $15 tasting fee that is waived with purchase. Dogs are welcome and picnics are encouraged.

“What surprises people most about Mendocino wines is the diversity of varietals, blends and styles we can produce across such a small region,” said Matt Parish, winemaker at Lula Cellars. “The proximity to the Pacific creates all these unique microclimates, from the cool coastal fog of Anderson Valley to the warmer mountain slopes. It means we can showcase everything from Pinot Noir to Chardonnay, old-vine Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon.”

Focusing on Lula’s signature varietal, Parish adds, “There are few places in the world where the grape reveals such delicate elegance and restrained power as it does in Anderson Valley. Pinot really mirrors its environment – the fog, the soil, the hands that guide it – so each harvest feels deeply personal.”

The final stretch to the coast, a serpentine drive through old-growth forest, opens to the salty air of the Pacific just south of Navarro Beach, where the river meets the sea.

Perched on the cliffs above the ocean, Mendocino is one of California’s most photogenic coastal towns. Between the village edge and the Pacific lies Mendocino Headlands State Park, with winding pathways leading to secluded beaches perfect for spotting breaching whales or barking sea lions.

Once a booming 19th-century logging town, Mendocino was all but abandoned by the 1940s. The 1960s and 1970s sparked a creative revival, following the opening of the Mendocino Art Center in 1959, that still defines the community today. Artists, farmers, environmentalists and coastal lovers have transformed the town into a haven for the arts, with festivals celebrating film, music, wine, whales, even mushrooms.

At the heart of town, the MacCallum House Inn & Restaurant blends Victorian charm with modern amenities. Guests can stay in one-of-a-kind rooms, like a three-story water tower with bay views or a restored barn cottage with a private hot tub, and wake to complimentary breakfasts featuring local ingredients (think cornmeal pancakes with huckleberry syrup and Mac benedict with chive hollandaise).

For executive chef Alan Kantor, Mendocino’s abundance defines the menu.

“We try to keep it as local as possible and use things that grow on the coast,” he said. He works with foragers for mushrooms, blackberries and huckleberries, and makes everything in-house from the bread to the pasta, even churning the restaurant’s own butter.

“Everything you need for a menu is right here in Northern California, from wine and beer to fish, cheese and duck,” Kantor adds. This season, he’s especially excited about the Liberty Farm duck breast with local huckleberries, apples and Pennyroyal Farms cheese, “which pairs beautifully with Pinot Noirs from Anderson Valley.”

Begin your meal with handcrafted cocktails, like the Manhattan Noir or the gin-forward Once Bitten, made with housemade bitters, and cozy up by the fire.

Stroll through Gallery Bookshop, home to a resident cat and a beloved independent bookstore. Visit the Ford House Museum and the Kelley House Museum, just across the street from MacCallum, to step back into the town’s historic past, or embark on a “Murder, She Wrote” walking tour – many episodes of the series were filmed here.

For nature lovers, Big River Beach is ideal for kayaking and bonfires, while Russian Gulch State Park features a 36- foot waterfall hidden among ferns and redwoods. At Van Damme State Park, kayak into sea caves or hike the Fern Canyon Trail to the curious pygmy forest.

If you venture north to Fort Bragg, you’ll find the historic Skunk Train, seven acres of redwood-lined trails at Otis Johnson Wilderness Park in the heart of downtown and the welcoming Noyo Harbor Inn, perched above the harbor. Sit outside on the heated deck for dinner of sirloin and shrimp skewers or gnocchi with pesto and pancetta, and watch the boats roll in and sea lions bark as the sun dips below the horizon.

Guests of the inn can kayak along the Noyo River, set out on crabbing excursions departing from Noyo Harbor, explore the marine life exhibits at the Noyo Center for Marine Science, or stroll the harbor’s scenic walking trails before stopping at Princess Seafood Market for the catch of the day. Just steps away, the dog-friendly Noyo Harbor Beach makes it easy to bring four-legged family members along for the adventure.

The author was provided meals and accommodations by Chalkboard Communications as part of the research for this story.