San Francisco to Fort Bragg – Some of California’s hidden jewels and hideaways!

 

San Francisco to Fort Bragg; some of California’s hidden jewels and hideaways!

My photographer and I on assignment, decided to travel to the Northern California area to see what a family could find on a budget, to include; dining, activities, and lodging. We found several high-rated lodgings and instead zeroed in on one that was being upgraded, was clean, safe and affordable but within reach of San Francisco.

The Econo Lodge Inn & Suites – Novato, Ca. located in Marin County, had a very clean, affordable and spacious room, 2 queen size beds, with a kitchenette, like an Extended Stay Suite. Room rates are affordable depending on the time of year. A great deal for the money. Just off of 1-580. Only a 30 minute drive to Fisherman’s Wharf , Golden Gate bridge and Sausalito. Pacheco Ranch Winery, the oldest land grant property in California, is nearby with wine tasting. The lodge is close to the charming downtown of Novato with wonderful shopping. Sonoma and Napa Valley are within a short driving distance for those seeking some of the best wineries in California. Definitely a great location! For more information, go to: www.econolodge.com (Novato, Ca)

The next day, we went to downtown San Francisco. We rented bikes through Blazing Saddles Bike Rental and Tours, San Francisco, Ca. on Hyde St. The owner’s are wonderful, Jeff and Elena. They have other locations in Monterey and New York.  In San Francisco we chose to start from their main shop. Their selection was fantastic, from intermediate to pro-bikes. This was the most exhilarating bike experience my photographer and I have had! We took the famous ‘Best Ride in the World’ and rode from the bike shop down to the Embarcadero and west along the waters edge until we got to the Gold Gate Bridge, then rode over the famous ‘Golden Gate Bridge’. By the way, even though it was sunny, you’ll need a thick jacket and warm clothing, including gloves and then peel them if you need to and strap them to your bike rack. The rest of the ride was pretty much downhill into Sausalito. We rode past Fort Baker which has now been converted to a very nice resort by the water.  We continued on through the town of Sausalito rushing to catch the 3:20p.m. ferry back to the Embarcadero with our bikes. The ferry ride back to the Embarcadero was a real treat in itself. Helmets, packs and bells are provided. Their brochure is very detailed with maps, types of bikes to rent, guided tours, etc. Great for families! We loved our Deluxe comfort mountain bike. We rode 8 miles one way. You can stop in Sausalito for dining, or ride further to Tiburon. All together we were out for about 3 hours. I will go back again on my next trip to San Francisco. It was that fabulous! For more information, go to: www.blazingsaddles.com  Information on the ferry:www.goldengateferry.org/schedules/Sausalito.

Rushing back from the Embarcadero to get ready for our dinner reservations at the famous Fog Harbor Fish House at Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco. Fresh sustainable seafood is served alongside some of the most spectacular views in the city. A lot of history with this restaurant. We were greeted and warmly received by Ryan Simmons, Manager.  Warren Simmons, Ryan’s grandfather, developed Pier 39 many years ago and proceeded to tell us many fascinating stories about the area and about the fresh fish brought daily to his restaurant by the local fisherman. There is an extensive dinner and dessert menu. Also, some of the finest wine selections available. The prices are reasonable as compared to other restaurants overlooking the water. For starters, the ‘red chili garlic shrimp’ was primo!  A little spicy, and so delicious! Try their ‘seafood cioppino’. I highly recommend  the ‘swordfish’. Try a glass of ‘Sempre Vive from Napa Valley’. This was the best cabernet sauvignon I’ve experienced. When you walk into the restaurant, there’s an outdoor sitting area with an ambiance like the islands!! Fresh flowers and beauty. What makes this restaurant so special, is the friendliness of the staff; from the Manager to the waiter’s, who are the best in customer service! We will be back!  (* Reservations are recommended). For more information, go to: www.fogharbor.com.

On the road to Fort Bragg, Ca. , we took Hwy 128 towards Mendocino. A good stop along the way is to visit Navarro Vineyards. A beautiful winery. I tasted their 2012 Rose of Pinot Noir which was delightful. Their wines can be experienced in restaurants in Fort Bragg, San Francisco as well as those in Orange County, Ca. and of course, San Francisco. A must see winery along the way up the coast! For more information, go to: www.Navarrovineyards.com

Finally we came to our first lodging stop; Surf Motel and Gardens in Fort Bragg, Ca. It’s located at the intersection of Hwy. 20 and PCH (Hwy 1). We noticed it had been rated very high on trip advisor and wanted to know what the buzz was about this quaint and cozy motel.  This motel is very affordable with rooms starting around $70. The rooms are quite spacious, clean, have a microwave, refrigerator and coffee pot. The owner Mr. Reddy and the manager Karen are very nice. They have a lovely gazebo with gardens where you can sit and have your coffee in the morning. Also, this is a pet friendly motel. It has an exercise area for your pets. If you get bored, it even has a horseshoe area and barbeque. April is a very big fishing month in Fort Bragg. Divers from all over come for abalone. This motel is in a really good location, close to shopping and Mendocino. If you’re coming from Orange County, which we were, you take the 101 frwy to Hwy. 20, which puts you right at this motel. Also, they offer packages with the ‘Skunk Train’, another popular destination. I have experienced this before and it is a MUST DO! This train takes you through the redwood forest !! The train is within minutes of this motel. For more information, go to:  www.surfmotelfortbragg.com. For more information on the Skunk Train, go to: www.skunktrain.com.

Riding bikes is a great way to get around any city or town. Once again, we decided to rent bikes in Fort Bragg. We went to the Fort Bragg Cyclery, a full service bicycle shop. It’s located downtown in the historic Company Store building. The owners are really neat, Mark and Tina. They have been in the area since the 1970’s. This is the ONLY bike shop in town. If you want to rent bikes, this is where you go! They carry ‘Specialized’ bikes, which we found to be very comfortable. Their bikes include helmets and bike lock. Tina gave us a map and traced out a course for us to see sights along the ocean. They are very accommodating and affordable. We would not hesitate to recommend them. We rode 3 miles to MacKerricher State Park along a flat and easy rode and saw seals, whales and diver’s all along the way with breathtaking coastal views.For more information, go to:  www.fortbraggcyclery.com

That night, after asking several locals on the towns dining, we were directed to Mendo Bistro in Fort Bragg. This is located upstairs in the historic Company Store building. If you’re from the city whether it be the bay area, LA, San Diego or Orange County, this is a MUST stop! The restaurant was started 14 years ago. The owner is also the Executive chef, Nicholas Petti. The food is exquisite! Nicholas prepares everything from scratch. Whatever you choose; appetizers, choice of menu item (* your choice of fish, chicken or steak with whatever sauce- marsala hot pepper, Dijon tarragon cream, lemon-garlic, bistro steak sauce, and among my favorites, the pasta’s). I had ‘crestas pasta’ made with marinara, smoked chicken, sautéed shallots, baked with parmesan and panko bread crumbs. Need I say more! All the items on the menu have their own blend of amazing tastes that please your food palette. Even the desserts are homemade and are to die for!!! The portions are generous and prepared with care. An absolute culinary delight.  Jaimi Parsons, General Manager and Nicholas are wonderful hosts as well! We give it a thumbs up and will be back. Fore more information, go to: www.MendoBistro.com    (* Reservations are recommended).

For you breakfast and lunch lovers, I recommend, Eggheads restaurant in Fort Bragg. Get there early, it’s quite popular! Even though it’s a small place, it’s comfortable. The best eggs benedict and omelettes you’ll ever taste. Have you ever had a ‘pumpkin Belgian waffle? They have it here and I couldn’t stop eating it. Everything reasonable in price. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Plus they have an awesome lunch menu. Tried their reuben sandwich – one of the best I’ve ever had as well. For more information, go to: www.eggheadrestaurant.com

After walking the town and looking at all of the quaint shops and café’s, it was afternoon and time to head up the coast to a local winery called Pacific Star winery; the only coastal winery in Mendocino county. Sally the owner is delightful. With a glass of wine in hand, we toured the property with Sally. Had a nice visit and got caught up on the history of the town and all the changes it has been through. She’s been in the wine business for 40 years. Her family has been in Mendocino county since 1861. One of her best wines is ‘Dad’s Daily Red’. The property sits right on the Pacific ocean and is a wonderful venue for weddings. Great place to stop on your way up the coast! Fore more information, go to: www.pacificstarwinery.com

One of the most historical places in Fort Bragg is the Weller House Inn. The Inn was built in 1886. It’s on the National Register of Historic places. It is 10,000 sq ft. I stayed in one of the 7 rooms in the house. They’ve all been renovated. There’s a water tower on the property that has the highest view in the town and has 2 separate rooms to stay in the tower itself. Also, inside the Inn, at the very top, is a large dance floor, which Vivian LaMothe, the owner, has rented to world class dancers of social Argentine tango. She herself is an avid tango dancer. She is starting to expand her business for weddings. This is a wonderful venue as the rooms hold up to 28 people. The food is all organic. A lovely bed and breakfast. For more information, go to: www.wellerhouseinn.com

That morning, leaving the Weller House, bed and breakfast, our destination was the nearby Drive-Thru Tree Park
and Avenue of the Giants. This took us about an hour one way to drive to. Be sure to give yourself a good full day to do this and get back to Fort Bragg. One of the Drive-Thru trees, the Chandelier tree is approx. 2400 years old and fits a small car if you’d like to experience driving through the tree. Sometimes the owner comes down to take pictures for you as you drive through! For more information, go to: www.drivethrutree.com

One of our MUST SEE destinations, was the Avenue of the Giants!! We drove the famous scenic drive a 31-mile portion of old Highway 101, which parallels Freeway 101 with its 51,222 acres of redwood groves. It is by far the most outstanding display of these giant trees in the entire 500 mile redwood belt and is accessible to all with convenient services provided along the way. The Avenue of the Giants is surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park which has the largest remaining stand of virgin redwoods in the world. Take time to picnic, camp, hike, swim, fish, raft or bike ride in the cool hush of these ancient redwood forests. Our goal was to see the TALLEST TREE, which stands 370ft high. We got a picture in front of it!!! After that we walked the many trails through the redwood forest, feeling like we were on the set of Lord of the Rings or Jurassic Park. It felt like the trees were going to start walking and talking to you. It was very enchanting! Awesome. For more information, go to:  www.avenueofthegiants.net.

The jewel by the ocean is the Ocean View Lodging in Fort Bragg. This has all the ambiance of a 5 star hotel but doesn’t have the costly rates!!! All rooms have a 180 degree view of the ocean. There are no obstructions in the windows looking out from your room. My favorite room is the King size bed with the whirlpool and fireplace on the 2nd floor. Very romantic given the right circumstances! Has a balcony to sit and gaze at the amazing ocean. You sit in the whirlpool and have a view of the sunset. They are non-smoking rooms, no pets. So ,very clean. So clean we were told it takes the maids one hour to clean each room. They are the largest rooms in the area, 500sqft. There are rooms on the 1st floor with sitting areas, no fireplaces or whirlpools. Also, rooms with a wall dividing the room for families with kids or additional couples, etc. The rooms are elegant. We had a wonderful conversation about the lodge with the manager Jack, who has been in the area for many years. He was very helpful and had lots of brochures of surrounding things to do in the area. He gave us detailed maps of the area restaurants and sights to see.  I will be back to stay at this upscale motel. I am giving it 5 stars; it was just that good!! For more information, go to: www.oceanviewlodging.com.

A wonderful activity nearby is the Kayak Sea Cave Nature Tours located at Van Damme State Park in Little River. This is a must do. No experience necessary, and all ages welcome. Tours are $50/person. Fore more information, go to: www.kayakmendocinocom

One of the best, fine dining restaurant’s in town and a favorite is the Cliff House restaurant. With sunset views of the ocean and Noyo Harbor; by the way the movie, ‘Overboard’ was filmed in the harbor with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. It is a romantic place to bring your loved one. They are now open for lunch at 11am. Christine, the manager, started us off with 2 amazing appetizers: Our favorite is the ‘mini filet mignon
trio’.. I ‘liked’ this on facebook and ‘tempura brie and berries’ — you could almost make a full meal of this. I will say, there wasn’t one item, that I didn’t rate 5 star . If you want to really treat yourself and spend a little more money, you MUST try the ‘Potato Crusted Halibut’…You will never forget it! My favorite. They are also known for their ‘oysters’. Everything is also freshly made here. What a great experience at the Cliff House! I will be back to try their new lunch menu too. We watched the sunset from this restaurant and it’s the last scene I have in my mind of Fort Bragg before returning home to Orange County, Ca. Visit their website at:

After my trip, I’ll sum it up saying this. “California has a lot of hidden jewels all over our wonderful state. Our coastline from San Diego to the Oregon border is one of many great trips, one must take in his lifetime. San Francisco, Sausalito and Fort Bragg, are 3 of my favorite towns and I’m giving them all a ‘thumbs up’ for restaurant, entertainment and lodging whether you’re on a budget or want to stay at a 5 star resort. Take my advice and follow my footsteps on this trip. You will not be disappointed.

We plan on returning to do an exclusive on Mendocino and some of the inland treasures hidden there.

IPA MAGAZINE

Joseph Chandler, Journalist

Linda Lee, Photographer