November 2006 Travel Article                                         Click here to ruturn to "Travel Archive"

Mendocino county, in northern California may not have international, or even national, name recognition, but people the world over are familiar with the rugged rocky coastline of the "Cape Cod of the West."

For years, television and movie production companies have been using the Mendocino Coast to stand in for New England in such movies as East of Eden, Summer of '42, Same Time Next Year, and Dying Young. Television fans know the Mendocino coast as the home of Jessica Fletcher, Angela Lansbury's character on Murder She Wrote.

But Mendocino is not in New England; it is about a 3-hour drive from San Francisco, California so it makes a perfect short getaway for Bay Area or Sacramento residents.

In the mid to late 1800's, the area was a major logging stronghold with the town of Mendocino boasting a population of over 20,000 citizens, compared to the 1000 residents who call it home today. Gone are the treacherous logging practices of yesteryear, the constant influx of ships being tossed on a churning sea while being loaded down with Pacific lumber. A quick stop by the Ford House at the Mendocino Headlands State Park on Main Street in Mendocino will give visitors a fascinating pictorial overview of the colorful history of the coast.

Tourism and wine are the principle attractions these days with the numerous wineries dotting the area producing some of California's best varietals. With good wine comes good food, and for an area with such a small native population, there are a disproportionate number of talented chefs, restauranteurs and innkeepers in Mendocino County.

Local ingredients include an abundance of exotic and wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, morels and candy caps that populate the forest floors of the area, and Dungeness crabs freshly trapped from the cold Pacific waters.

Food Festivals
Any time of year you decide to visit, you'll be treated to famous views of the rocky California coast, which are met in Mendocino County by towering redwoods. There are always an abundance of wonderful romantic inns and B&Bs and first class restaurants to greet visitors. But at certain times of year, during the coast's two annual food festivals, the culinary scale is elevated beyond its everyday level of excellence.

The year 2006 marks the 7th anniversary of Mendocino's Crab & Wine Days, a countywide celebration of these indigenous culinary offerings. Throughout the county, restaurants and inns are creating special wine maker dinners, luncheons and happy hours to showcase local wines paired with innovative crab dishes. Visitors will have the chance to board a crab boat and observe the fishing firsthand, as well as take part in cooking classes and demonstrations with world class chefs.

Plan to visit during the fall too for the annual Wine & Mushroom Festival. The event is a cooperative effort of 27 inns, 18 wineries, 2 breweries and 26 restaurants throughout the county, and that's a lot of cooperation!

Mushrooms experts led guests on guided foraging walks, chefs demonstrated cooking techniques at special classes and winemakers paired their best offerings to offset the wide variety of exotic mushroom dishes that made up the special menus.

Those serious about mushrooms can attend the day long Mushroom Symposium held during the festival. After boarding the Skunk Train, the California Western Railways' passenger train, symposium registrants are taken to a rustic camp in the middle of the woods for a day of classes with mushrooms experts, mushroom hunting and of course, first class gourmet dining featuring the exotic local fungi.

The Skunk train also runs year round and is a must for steam and diesel train enthusiasts, or anyone who needs the calming experience of chugging along amid towering trees 1000s of years old, through mountain tunnels and over 30 bridges and trestles along the scenic tracks between Willets and Fort Bragg.

Whale Watching
If you decide to visit the Mendocino coast anytime between late November and late April you'll be likely to spot grey whales on their annual migration between the Bering Sea and Baja California. Early spring brings the whale festival with a host of county -wide whale related events. For general whale watching information, stop by the Ford House in Mendocino. Several commercial boats also offer whale-watching tours.

Practical Information

Getting There
From Santa Rosa take highway 101 to Cloverdale, turn west on Highway 128 which meanders through the beautiful Anderson Valley. When you get to Highway 1, go north 10 miles to the town of Mendocino.

Mendocino Tourism
For more information on the Mendocino Coast and any of its many festivals, as well as tourism information, call the Mendocino County Alliance toll free at 866-466-3636 or visit their website at www.gomendo.com.