Redwood Magic: A Northern California Road Trip

Day one will most likely be a travel day, depending on when you arrive in San Francisco. If you do have a little time to explore, I would suggest heading to Golden Gate Bridge Park or grabbing some dim sum in Chinatown, before picking up your rental car and checking into your hotel.

After having an early breakfast at your hotel, hit the road and drive 1.5 hours up to Point Reyes. There are many points of interest here in Point Reyes and would make a great weekend getaway from San Francisco. We particularly recommend Point Reyes Lighthouse, Muir Beach Overlook, Cypress Tree Tunnel and if you are game to stretch your legs, then I recommend the Chimney Rock Hike. A tip for visiting the Lighthouse, be sure to check ahead of your visit to see if there are any closures due to wind. It can also be very foggy, so it's best to come prepared with layers for wind, rain or cooler temperatures.

If you have time to stop, the area is known for its fresh oysters as well as cheeses. The Marshall Store, Bovine Bakery, and Nick’s Cove are worth a try!

Today is a little bit of a trek, but there are plenty of stops along the way to break up the drive. I recommend stopping at Point Arena Lighthouse, Sea Ranch Chapel and Pebble Beach. The Sea Ranch Chapel is an unassuming place of tranquility with beautiful stained-glass windows and intricate architecture. Also, Gualala Point loop is an easy 1.5-mile loop hike that boasts scenic cliff views and vistas.

Spend the night in Mendocino and have dinner at one of the many wonderful restaurants in this quaint small town. We loved Cafe Beaujolais and Trillium Cafe.

Get an early start and head over to Jug State Natural Reserve to hike the Ecological Staircase trail. This 5-mile out-and-back trail is one of the most interesting geological areas in the Northern Hemisphere and ends in a rare Pygmy Forest.

After a morning of hiking, take it a little easier by heading over to the Skunk Train, where you can board a historic Skunk Train, or if you are up for more of an adventure, ride one of their 2-person rail bikes through old-growth redwoods. The train is a great option for those with young children, but the rail bikes were a really unique experience and I highly recommend doing! Note that while you do have to pedal the bikes, you do have an electric assist to help. Also, if you are doing the rail bike option, make sure to do the quick hike at Blair Junction. Our guide was a wealth of knowledge.

If the Skunk Train isn’t your thing, then I would recommend doing the Mendocino Headlands Trail that winds all along the coast of Mendocino and has fantastic views. Or if it is warm enough, you can hang out at Big River Beach.

Say goodbye to Mendocino and begin your trek up to your home base for exploring Redwood State Park. We made a quick stop at Glass Beach, before heading North. Like the name suggests, the beach is covered in smooth glass. In the 1900s, this was once a dumpsite, and the ocean overtime broke down the glass until the smooth pebbles that exist today. From here it's about a 2-hour drive until you reach the offshoot of Highway 101 called the Avenue of Giants. This 31-mile road that runs parallel to 101, has been called the finest forest drive in the world. It is a wonderful introduction to redwoods and has some of the most impressive displays and hikes. I would recommend Boiling Grove, Williams Grove and Founder’s Grove for quick hikes. There are many stops along the way as you are surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park. This was one of our favorite parts of the trip, so be sure to budget enough time!

Redwood National Park is actually made up of several parks each boasting their own unique sights. Here are our recommendations for each park, but the national parks website also has wonderful itineraries based on the amount of time you have to explore.

Redwood State Park:

• Trillium Falls

• Lady Bird Johnson Trail

• Prairie Creek State Park

• Fern Canyon Trail (does require a reservation)

• Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway

• Big Tree Loop

• Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

• Stout Memorial Grove Trail

• Grove of Titans

Before starting our drive back south, we did a quick stop at the Redwood Skywalk. Located in Sequoia Park Zoo, this was a fun way to see redwoods from a different perspective. The drive to Healdsburg is about 3 hours, so this was a nice stop to start the day before a long drive.

Once you have made it to wine country, there are a multitude of things to do. If winery tours aren’t your thing, then here are some alternatives to explore:

• Safari West Tour

• Rose Garden Tour

• Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays

• Healdsburg Plaza for boutique shopping

I spent the morning doing some shopping and walking around downtown Healdsburg. I highly recommend stopping at Black Oak Coffee for caffeine and Quail and Condor for baked goods.

Then made my way back to San Francisco before flying back home.