California peeps

[Gilda]

Planning a trip to N CA...what should we see or avoid ? Going over to the coast for sure....Mt Shasta looks beautiful and of course the Redwoods ! Thoughts ?

 

[gonewild]

What is your southern limit? California is really big so define your access area.
If you are wanting to see beauty avoid I-5, except to move north or south fast.

 

[NYEric]

I thought this thread was about a bad tasting marshmallow candy...

 

[gonewild]

I thought this thread was about a bad tasting marshmallow candy...

I've heard many descriptions for California and that one is getting pretty close now.

 

[Gilda]

What is your southern limit? California is really big so define your access area.
If you are wanting to see beauty avoid I-5, except to move north or south fast.

Lance, we've seen San Francisco south to San Diego ...PCH route, Sequoia NP..etc.
Going for scenery , not a city gal, do not like shopping unless it's for orchids
So, trip will be SF north to Oregon border. Through center to see mountains ??? Have 9 days approx.

 

[gonewild]

Lance, we've seen San Francisco south to San Diego ...PCH route, Sequoia NP..etc.
Going for scenery , not a city gal, do not like shopping unless it's for orchids
So, trip will be SF north to Oregon border. Through center to see mountains ??? Have 9 days approx.

The entire Hwy1 is worth seeing. There are only a few side roads but any that go to the coast (not far) are worth the time. There is forest of dwarf trees worth seeing.

The road from the coast along the Trinity River is a good fast route inland towards Mt Shasta and Mt Lassen. Or even better follow the Klamath River slower but really nice.

 

[mormodes]

The greater Humbolt/Arcata area is well-known for its craft beer. As you travel google 'craft beer' and the town or area and see what you can find. Along Hwy 1 in Ft Bragg is a nice botanic garden, a decent spot to get out of the car and walk around.
Ditto just getting in the car and going up Hwy 1. or cutting over from Hwy 101 at River Road just past Santa Rosa or hwy 128 at Cloverdale. The Dry Creek wine region west of St Helena is nice. Google good restaurants in St Helena (some can be pricey)
There's a weird art installation on some guy's ranch.. argh, my mind's a blank, close-ish to Dry creek. And in Santa Rosa has teh Charles M Schultz museum. There's the Weill Hall at Sonoma State U for music as well as the Luther Burbank Center (He also has a museum center). Small town bars have live music too (like Cotati or Mill Valley). Google them. Art/ music/wine/beer/botany what more could you ask? All will cost bucks. But that's what credit cards are for. Or just drive up the coast and get out of the car when you feel like it. I can't remember if the whales are migrating now or not.

 

[mormodes]

California Orchids is in Bolinas - Mary Nesbitt. She boards orchids but she might give you a tour if you contact her in advance. Marni Turkel, species grower, is near Sta Rosa. These ladies are the best growers I know. (Mary Nesbitt rents space to some great growers too.) You'll have to google their web pages. By appointment only!! There used to be an Audobon area near Bolinas, too in case you watch birds. Olema is no longer the epicenter of the '06 quake but the San Andreas fault tilt is best seen there.

 

[mormodes]

If you get out of the car look for native orchids, some will be blooming along seeps and road cuts. Things like Goodyeara, Epipactis and Corallorhiza...

 

[Gilda]

Thanks for all the great info ! Love birds, botanic gardens, slower scenic roads...everything that has been mentioned. Any coastal towns better than the the other? Crescent city looks good...horseback ride on the beach? Lighthouses?

 

[mormodes]

Avoid The Silverado Trail wine area in Napa like the plague.

There's Burnie Falls nearish to Lassen or along the way to Lassen. And a 'new' waterfall that was discovered about 10-15 yrs ago that might be accessible by now (you'd have to google it). People ride their motorcycles to Burnie on weekend trips. Do not be afraid of them, they are all cops/firemen/insurance salesmen livin the dream. Lassen has hot mud pots that are worth it.

In My Humble Opinion. Your Mileage May Vary.

 

[mormodes]

Thanks for all the great info ! Love birds, botanic gardens, slower scenic roads...everything that has been mentioned. Any coastal towns better than the the other? Crescent city looks good...horseback ride on the beach? Lighthouses?

I've never been as far north as Crescent City. Brew pubs abound there. I'm not sure there's much beach to ride on... but like I say I've never been. The area right at the Oregon border is known for its temperate climate, there might be a light house there, but we tend to have simple metal structures that sound horns for ship guidance. The nicer lighthouses are at San Francisco Bay/ Golden Gate Recreational Area. You have to remember the Ca coastline is very craggy in N Calif. If there's a coastline it would be where a river comes to the ocean and builds a sand bar. - like Jenner, Arcata.

I didn't mention Mendocino because you say you aren't into shopping, but just walking around the town is nice for a few hours. It was the backdrop/location to 'Murder She Wrote'.

 

[mormodes]

The area around Crescent City etc is sometimes known as 'the lost coast' simply because its hard to get there. You might get good info by tossing that term into a google search. Or 'The Republic of Jefferson' or 'Jefferson Republic'. (They once tried to secede from Calif as a publicity/tourism stunt - unfortunately I think Pearl Harbor was attacked on the day they staged their big walk-out - so they were kinda over shadowed...)

 

[gonewild]

At Garberville take the road to the coast that goes to Shelter Cove. You'll be glad you did. I've not been there in a looooooooooog time and I think it has been developed and has a resort or hotel now.

 

[adiaphane]

I recommend everyone who comes visit to go to Jedediah State Park. The last person I recommended this place to said they liked it so much better than Yosemite (personally, I love Yosemite). The whole of Redwoods National Park is just amazing, but Jedediah is incredible. "The Wild Trees" is a really fun read about the redwoods, and focuses on Dr. Sillett and the botanists at Humboldt and their work with the trees. There's some amazing description of Jededish State Park in there. I would highly recommend this book to read if you're going to visit the redwoods.

 

[Gilda]

I'm making notes guys ! I read Crescent City had a tsunami in the 60's from the Alaska earthquake..., didn't read about the "Jefferson Republic) but didn't go into the history ,interesting though .
Getting off track..Brookings ,Oregon coast only ten miles North of Crescent city looks stunning !
Mendacinno is on my list ...as is the glass beach at Ft Bragg ( since I'm a rock hound ,too) although ocean tumbled trash doesn't fall into the "rock" territory, but agates can be found around Crescent city I read.

 

[gonewild]

Along the Klamath River in the area of Happy Camp = Happy Camp Jade and other rockhoundables like Rhodonite and petrified wood.

 

[Lanmark]

Have fun on your trip! My brother-in-law lives in Arcata. It's a beautiful area!

 

[abax]

Definitely follow the Klamath River. It's beautiful and not
so densely populated. Don't fish in the river...the local
tribes don't like that. There used to be some fine rock
shops near the Oregon border. I've forgotten the names
of the towns however.

 

[NYEric]

If I was going to California I would make OZ a stop...