California - North Coast

Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg. This is a sprawling town that, when compared to the quaintness of Mendocino, has little to offer architecturally except for an extremely colorful fishing harbor. At 18220 N. Hwy One you find the 47 acres of the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. The mild, rainy winters and cool summers provide ideal growing conditions for the flowers, trees and shrubs, including 4,000 spring-blooming rhododendrons, fuchsias, Japanese maples, roses and more. The gardens are open daily between 9 am and 5 pm. Admission is $6. (707-964-4352, www.gardenbythesea.org) Much of Fort Bragg's history can be viewed at the Guest House Museum, located on the corner of Main (Highway 1) and Laurel streets. Built for the Fort Bragg Redwood company in the 19th century, the building later became the Union Lumber Company guest house and now houses artifacts, photos and exhibits from the town’s early days. Just behind the museum you find the Skunk Railroad, which runs between Fort Bragg and Willits (www.skunktrain.com). During the summer months you can take either the all-day trip, which makes the complete round trip to Willits, or a half-day trip leaving in the morning or the afternoon. The train follows the old logging route through the redwood forests. The outing is especially fun for children. (800-866-1690.)

Located along this Karen Brown Itinerary:

North from San Francisco to Almost Oregon

Traveler Reviews:
(show / hide)

Nearby Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts:
Listed Alphabetically, Not By Distance.

• Agate Cove Inn
• Albion River Inn
• Brewery Gulch Inn
• Glendeven
• Griffin House
• Joshua Grindle Inn
• Sea Rock Inn
• Stanford Inn by the Sea & Spa
• Whitegate Inn