Safe Mendocino
The best things to do in Mendocino for a safe and socially-distanced visit
The herb garden at the inn declares it’s “thyme” to come and safely enjoy the loveliness of Mendocino!
As the world starts to slowly come out of Sheltering in Place, we have received many, many calls and emails from guests who are anxious to get out of the house and breathe some fresh air. The two most common questions are, “Are you open yet?” and “What else is open in the area?” Answer #1: Yes! Woohoo! From June 19th through the end of the month, we have entered a “soft open” stage, during which we will only be welcoming guests to the inn who already had reservations on the books. During this soft open, we are getting used to all the heightened protocols we have put in place to safeguard everyone’s health, making sure that we are ready to welcome more guests. AND we are accepting new reservations for stays beginning July 1 or later!
The answer to the second question keeps getting longer and longer as more places in the area are putting their safety measures in place and being allowed to reopen. So we thought we’d put together some of our current recommendations for you all, a sort of a list of suggestions that can help as you plan your next escape to Mendocino…
Restaurants
Most of the restaurants in the Mendocino area have been doing take-out this whole time, and some are starting to open back up for limited dining in, while others have great outdoor seating areas available. Although things are constantly changing, here are a few of our current favorites:
The gardens outside Cafe Beaujolais’ Brickery are a lovely place to enjoy a meal. Photo courtesy of Cafe Beaujolais.
Café Beaujolais. We seem to find ourselves talking about these guys a lot, but it’s just that they’re so darn good at what they do. Right now they are still only doing food to go from their take-out window (plus pizza from their Brickery out back!), but they have started to allow patrons to enjoy their meals in the fantastic garden area adjacent to the Brickery. With handmade picnic tables tucked in between all sorts of interesting and beautiful plants, this is a great place to savor great food both for lunch and dinner.
Trillium Café. This restaurant remained fully closed during most of the stricter days of the SIP so that they could focus on reimagining their dining experience. They developed the most delightful seating out in their gardens, with each table tucked a little back into the plants so that you almost feel as though you are sharing the experience with the beautiful summer flowers. It’s absolutely amazing on a sunny afternoon. And inside they have rearranged their tables so that indoor diners can feel safe too. Oh! And if you love their food yet feel like practicing even stricter social distancing, you can order one of their sweet picnic boxes to go and enjoy your lunch from one of the many scenic areas surrounding town.
Trillium is doing some darling picnic boxes for elegant dining in peaceful solitude. Photo courtesy of Trillium Cafe
The Ledford House. While not yet open for dine-in, our favorite spot in Albion is still steadily serving up their delicious French country-style food to go, and they are now allowing guests to take advantage of the lovely outdoor seating on their deck overlooking the sea and out by their petanque court.
Noyo Harbor Inn. We have always loved getting to indulge in a sunny lunch on this restaurant’s back deck that looks up Noyo River. The views are lovely and the food great. Now that they’ve reopened for outdoor and limited indoor seating, we are seriously contemplating going back for a cocktail and some nibbles out on their terraced deck soon…
Noyo River Grill. If you’re in the mood for something a little more casual, this little spot right at the mouth of Noyo Harbor has some outdoor picnic tables with a prime view of the boats coming in and going out. Our favorite things to order here? Prawns & Chips, Ahi Tartare, and the Ceviche, for sure!
A lovely evening view from the deck at the Noyo River Grill
Wine Tasting
Luckily, most of the wineries in the Anderson Valley have enough space to be able to safely accommodate tastings, even with all the restrictions. Here are a few of our favorites with great outdoor spaces that are perfect for some optimal social distancing that actually enhances the wine tasting experience!
Goldeneye has the perfect outdoor seating for your personal tasting. Photo courtesy of Goldeneye
Roederer Estate. This classic crafter of sparkling wine has long been a favorite with Guy for picnics because of the views from their seating space outside. They are now offering tastings indoors by reservation only, and the outdoor area is available for bottle service. What better place to sip on some delicious sparkling?
Goldeneye. This beautifully situated winery seems to have been made for the present moment with their tables scattered around the garden in the back. Reserve your spot to delight in their award-winning Pinots as you look out over their rolling vineyards.
Phillips Hill. Situated in a historic apple barn in the heart of the Anderson Valley, these guys are getting ready to reopen for reservations both inside and out on their picnic tables soon! You’ll definitely want to check out their lovely wines on your next visit.
Activities
One of the best things about Mendocino in this current moment is that there is so much to do outdoors, and we’re generally such a quiet area that it’s pretty easy when you’re out and about to stay away from most other people. Some of our favorite activities right now have been:
The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens - perfect for some peaceful wandering.
The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. These lovely gardens have only just reopened, and we are loving it, even if we have to reserve our tickets ahead of time now. It’s been a great place to get away from the world and just enjoy the flowers.
The Skunk Train’s Rail Bikes. Up for something a little more out of the ordinary? This is definitely an experience you want to book as soon as you can. It’s just such a unique way to see and learn about the human and natural history of Fort Bragg, and the nature of the two-person bikes pretty much ensures that you’ll be well-separated from all but your own travel buddy.
Catch a Canoe. Rent one of their outrigger canoes and head up Big River for a couple of hours of solitude. They also have kayaks and stand-up paddleboards available if that’s more your style. Just make sure to reserve your rental beforehand.
Hiking
Oh my. There is SO MUCH hiking available around here! More popular trails like Russian Gulch, the Mendocino Headlands, and the Coastal Trail in Fort Bragg may be a bit busier, especially in the afternoon, but there are quite a few more secluded trails you can explore as well…
It’ll basically just be you and the trees out in Montgomery Woods
Forest History Trail & Montgomery Woods. Both the first trail and the second require a good bit of driving over rough-ish road, so you probably don’t want to drive a low-slung sports car to either of them, but they are so fantastically quiet and serene.
Hendy Woods State Park. Near Philo on Highway 128, we love stopping at this stand of majestic old growth redwoods in the middle of a day of wine tasting. Sometimes we get carried away and spend several peaceful hours meandering through the stately trees.
Jackson Demonstration State Forest. Ok, so this forest is actually huge, with a ton a mountain biking trails weaving in and out and all over, as well as a few more established walking trails like this one, which we actually recently discovered connects with the Mendocino Woodlands. Pick up a trail guide in our gift shop for maps to even more spots tucked away into this monster of a forest.
Try a quiet stroll through the Mendocino Woodlands.
There is so much you can do out here and still be safe! And as you pack for your getaway, remember to tuck in your mask for whenever you do have to be around other people. It may not be super often, but it’s always good to be prepared!
Words and most pictures by Laura Hockett