Founded in the 1850s to mill redwood, Mendocino was built by settlers from New England, and it still looks like it. Water towers rise above picket fences and Victorian houses, which have stood in for New England in film and television.
If Fort Bragg is the working town, Mendocino is the pretty one: smaller, more expensive and full of galleries and inns. They make natural partners, just 10 miles apart.
What to see at Mendocino Village
Walk Mendocino Headlands State Park
Trails circle the village on the bluffs, past sea arches and blowholes. The Ford House on Main Street serves as a visitor center.
Browse Main Street
Galleries, bookshops and bakeries fill the old wooden buildings. The Kelley House Museum covers local history.
Paddle at Van Damme
A few miles south, guided kayak tours explore the sea caves near Van Damme State Beach when conditions allow.
Walk the Fern Canyon at Russian Gulch
Just north of the village, a trail leads to a waterfall, and the Devil’s Punchbowl is a collapsed sea cave on the headland.
Getting to Mendocino Village
- By car: about 20 minutes south of Fort Bragg on Highway 1.
- By bus: Mendocino Transit Authority runs local coastal buses; check current times.
Tips before you go
- Parking is usually free on the street but fills on summer weekends.
- Many shops close early and some close midweek in winter.
- Rooms cost more here than in Fort Bragg. See where to stay.
Tours to pair with Mendocino Village
GetYourGuide has few products here. These pair well with a visit to Mendocino Village:
Train and bar from $55 From Fort Bragg: Redwoods Train Ride and Nightclub Ticket
A train from the depot takes you about 3.5 miles into the redwoods to a bar at Glen Blair Junction that can only be reached by rail. Check the listing for age limits and what the ticket includes.
- Train through redwood groves
- A bar in the forest reached only by train
- An evening out, not a sightseeing ride
Railbike tour from $495 per group Mendocino County: Railbiking Tour Along the Noyo River
The most ambitious option here: half a day on the rails along the Noyo River, starting with a walk down through the redwoods. The listing mentions a lunch stop. Route details differ within the listing, so read it closely before you book.
- The longer railbike route
- Riverside rails deep in the redwoods
- A hike down through the forest to the river
