USA Travel: Mendocino & Fort Bragg, California in Two Days, One Night – Activity Recommendations

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This is a list of activity recommendations for two days, one night in Mendocino, California, USA. It includes time in Fort Bragg.

If you are already visiting San Francisco, you may consider adding a couple of extra days to your plans so you can cover coastal California, including Mendocino.

Logistics

Mendocino, California
Travel to Mendocino from San Francisco, California, a 3 hour drive.
We recommend connecting this itinerary to our San Francisco in an afternoon activity recommendations.
Mendocino is a coastal town well-known for its cliffside views. If you are pressed for time, it is possible to drive to Mendocino and back to San Francisco in the same day. We caution that it will be a long day.

Map of Locations

Day 1: Arrive to Mendocino

After a gorgeous drive from San Francisco that brings you alongside the coast and through old growth redwood tree forests, find yourself in Mendocino. Many of the popular hotels downtown or the surrounds are situated right on cliffs, giving you breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Take in the salty air as you settle in to your accommodation.

Mendocino is a reprieve from modern life’s complications. Between its one block downtown and natural sights and sounds, this cliffside town and broader county requires one to slow down to take in its inherent beauty.

The town reminds us of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s poem, A callarse from Full Woman, Fleshy Apple, Hot Moon. Below is an English translation by Stephen Mitchell.

A callarse (Keeping Quiet)

Now we will all count to twelve
and we will all keep still.

This one time upon the earth,
let’s not speak any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

It would be a delicious moment,
without hurry, without locomotives,
all of us would be together
in a sudden uneasiness.

The fisherman in the cold sea
would do no harm to the whales
and the peasant gathering salt
would look at his torn hands.

Those who prepare green wars,
wars of gas, wars of fire,
victories without survivors,
would put on clean clothing
and would walk alongside their brothers
in the shade, without doing a thing.

What I want shouldn’t be confused
with final inactivity:
life alone is what matters,
I want nothing to do with death.

If we weren’t unanimous
about keeping our lives so much in motion,
if we could perhaps do nothing for once,
perhaps a great silence would interrupt this sadness,
this never understanding ourselves
and threatening ourselves with death,
perhaps the earth is teaching us
when everything seems to be dead
and everything is alive.

Now I will count to twelve
and you keep quiet and I’ll go.

Once in downtown Mendocino, enjoy the slowed down atmosphere, tasty eats and the welcoming locals.

Pick up any needed libations, snacks or other provisions at the natural food store, Corners of the Mouth, before tucking in for the night.

Day 2: Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens & Fort Bragg

Enjoy a mid-morning breakfast in Mendocino. Travel by private car to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.

The gardens cover 47 acres alongside the Pacific Ocean.

Visitor information: https://www.gardenbythesea.org/visit/

Prior to departing, visit the the vegetable garden for inspiration for your own home horticulture effort.

Following your visit to the gardens, head north by five minutes to Fort Bragg. Catch a late lunch and stop through the small downtown.

Map of Locations

Depart south to San Francisco (a 3 hour, 15 minute drive) or east towards wine country. Mendocino itself offers many wineries, and we plan to cover our recommendations in a separate post.

Map of Locations

Connect this itinerary:

North America Travel: An Afternoon in San Francisco, California, USA

6 COMMENTS

PedroL
4 years ago

Thank you so much for sharing these tips, I will save this post for a future trip to California 🙂 stay safe and greetings from Portugal, PedroL

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- sophia
  4 years ago AUTHOR
  
  Thank you, Pedro! Please do reach out if you do find your way to California — I have lots of recommendations to share. Hope you and your loved ones are safe during this time…Saludos, Sophia
  
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  - PedroL
    4 years ago
    
    Thanks Sophia, that’s truly kind 🙂 regards, PedroL
    
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  - PedroL
    4 years ago
    
    That’s amazing and truly nice Sophia, thank you so much 🙂 have a great day, PedroL
    
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Passport Overused
4 years ago

Great post 😁

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USA Travel: Mendocino & Fort Bragg, California in Two Days, One Night – Activity Recommendations

This is a list of activity recommendations for two days, one night in Mendocino, California, USA. It includes time in Fort Bragg.

If you are already visiting San Francisco, you may consider adding a couple of extra days to your plans so you can cover coastal California, including Mendocino.

Logistics

Map of Locations

Day 1: Arrive to Mendocino

Mendocino is a reprieve from modern life’s complications. Between its one block downtown and natural sights and sounds, this cliffside town and broader county requires one to slow down to take in its inherent beauty.

The town reminds us of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s poem, A callarse from Full Woman, Fleshy Apple, Hot Moon. Below is an English translation by Stephen Mitchell.

A callarse (Keeping Quiet)

Now we will all count to twelve
and we will all keep still.

This one time upon the earth,
let’s not speak any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

It would be a delicious moment,
without hurry, without locomotives,
all of us would be together
in a sudden uneasiness.

The fisherman in the cold sea
would do no harm to the whales
and the peasant gathering salt
would look at his torn hands.

Those who prepare green wars,
wars of gas, wars of fire,
victories without survivors,
would put on clean clothing
and would walk alongside their brothers
in the shade, without doing a thing.

What I want shouldn’t be confused
with final inactivity:
life alone is what matters,
I want nothing to do with death.

Now I will count to twelve
and you keep quiet and I’ll go.

Once in downtown Mendocino, enjoy the slowed down atmosphere, tasty eats and the welcoming locals.

Pick up any needed libations, snacks or other provisions at the natural food store, Corners of the Mouth, before tucking in for the night.

Day 2: Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens & Fort Bragg

Enjoy a mid-morning breakfast in Mendocino. Travel by private car to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.

The gardens cover 47 acres alongside the Pacific Ocean.

Visitor information: https://www.gardenbythesea.org/visit/

Prior to departing, visit the the vegetable garden for inspiration for your own home horticulture effort.

Following your visit to the gardens, head north by five minutes to Fort Bragg. Catch a late lunch and stop through the small downtown.

Map of Locations

Depart south to San Francisco (a 3 hour, 15 minute drive) or east towards wine country. Mendocino itself offers many wineries, and we plan to cover our recommendations in a separate post.

Map of Locations

Connect this itinerary:

Like this:

6 COMMENTS

PedroL

sophia

PedroL

PedroL

Passport Overused

Leave a Reply to PedroLCancel reply

This is a list of activity recommendations for two days, one night in Mendocino, California, USA. It includes time in Fort Bragg.

If you are already visiting San Francisco, you may consider adding a couple of extra days to your plans so you can cover coastal California, including Mendocino.

Logistics

Day 1: Arrive to Mendocino

Mendocino is a reprieve from modern life’s complications. Between its one block downtown and natural sights and sounds, this cliffside town and broader county requires one to slow down to take in its inherent beauty.

The town reminds us of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s poem, A callarse from Full Woman, Fleshy Apple, Hot Moon. Below is an English translation by Stephen Mitchell.

A callarse (Keeping Quiet)

Now we will all count to twelveand we will all keep still.

This one time upon the earth,let’s not speak any language,let’s stop for one second,and not move our arms so much.

It would be a delicious moment,without hurry, without locomotives,all of us would be togetherin a sudden uneasiness.

The fisherman in the cold seawould do no harm to the whalesand the peasant gathering saltwould look at his torn hands.

Those who prepare green wars,wars of gas, wars of fire,victories without survivors,would put on clean clothingand would walk alongside their brothersin the shade, without doing a thing.

What I want shouldn’t be confusedwith final inactivity:life alone is what matters,I want nothing to do with death.

Now I will count to twelveand you keep quiet and I’ll go.

Once you’ve enjoyed some quiet moments, we recommend a walk along the cliffs to downtown.

Once in downtown Mendocino, enjoy the slowed down atmosphere, tasty eats and the welcoming locals.

Pick up any needed libations, snacks or other provisions at the natural food store, Corners of the Mouth, before tucking in for the night.

Day 2: Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens & Fort Bragg

Enjoy a mid-morning breakfast in Mendocino. Travel by private car to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.

The gardens cover 47 acres alongside the Pacific Ocean.

Visitor information: https://www.gardenbythesea.org/visit/

Prior to departing, visit the the vegetable garden for inspiration for your own home horticulture effort.

Following your visit to the gardens, head north by five minutes to Fort Bragg. Catch a late lunch and stop through the small downtown.

Depart south to San Francisco (a 3 hour, 15 minute drive) or east towards wine country. Mendocino itself offers many wineries, and we plan to cover our recommendations in a separate post.

Connect this itinerary:

Like this:

6 COMMENTS

Leave a Reply to PedroLCancel reply

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Now we will all count to twelve
and we will all keep still.

This one time upon the earth,
let’s not speak any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

It would be a delicious moment,
without hurry, without locomotives,
all of us would be together
in a sudden uneasiness.

The fisherman in the cold sea
would do no harm to the whales
and the peasant gathering salt
would look at his torn hands.

Those who prepare green wars,
wars of gas, wars of fire,
victories without survivors,
would put on clean clothing
and would walk alongside their brothers
in the shade, without doing a thing.

What I want shouldn’t be confused
with final inactivity:
life alone is what matters,
I want nothing to do with death.

Now I will count to twelve
and you keep quiet and I’ll go.