The art of the freeform vacation

Or, how to embrace that true “Mendo chill”

A quiet evening on Big River Beach is a great way to slow down and unwind.

Oftentimes, when folks are making reservations with us, they want to plan all the activities possible, packing every moment of their trip with precise pre-organization. I can’t exactly blame them for wanting to see and do and hike and paddle and drink and ride all the wonderful things available out here on the Mendocino coast – there are so many amazing experiences to be had that sometimes it can be hard to pick and choose! However, more often than not I find myself ever so gently trying to convince guests that they should leave themselves a little more leeway in their vacation, a little more space to breathe and let what I like to call the “Mendo chill” take over and guide their stay.

Wandering through the woods….

What is this Mendo chill? Well, it’s that utter relaxation that seeps up through your toes when you stand on the edge of the headlands and watch the slow, never-ending ebb and flow of the waves below. It’s the sense of your own smallness in the space of eternity when you gaze up in awe at the towering redwood trees. It’s what takes over your body’s state of energy and slows it down to the timeless pace of the earth when you pause a moment and let the sea breeze wash away the cares and worries of your far-too-often-frantic life. It’s the quiet, steady rhythm of morning, evening, sun, and stars that softly pulses through the laid-back people who call this place their home.

Stop for a leisurely coffee at Good Life Café & Bakery.

And how do you tap into this beautiful thing? If you want to really get into it, don’t plan a single blessed thing for your trip. Instead, let the peace and quiet of the coast take over and just go one minute at a time, feeling your way through the day with a gentle touch and a readiness to follow the wind. If you need some structure to your vacation, plan one scheduled activity per day, and give yourself permission to take your time going into and coming out of that particular activity. Or maybe just scribble down a general outline of things you’d be happy to do during your time in Mendocino, resisting the urge to make a mandatory checklist out of that little outline of possibilities.

Ponder the view from the Russian Gulch Headlands, site of some of the best picnic spots for a long, lingering meal

What does this look like, practically speaking? It looks like stopping for a moment on the Main Deck at the inn one afternoon, only to realize that the day is perfect for a bottle of white wine, picking out a bottle with the help of the innkeeper on duty, and proceeding to spend three full hours watching the birds flit about the birdfeeders and the clouds chase each other across the sky, savoring each chilly sip in that bottle as you read a good book or chat with your travel buddy. It even looks like letting your eyelids drift shut as you lean back on those outdoor couches and soak up some good vitamin D. It looks like taking a nap on Big River Beach, or driving down some intriguing backcountry road just to see where it goes. It looks like grabbing coffee at Good Life Café & Bakery and lingering over your bagels and lattes for over two hours as you share deep and meaningful conversation. It looks like planning a picnic but also being ok taking your time as you meander through the trails of Russian Gulch State Park, stopping frequently to sniff that rich, woodsy smell and gaze up at some particularly lovely tree bathed in a perfect sunbeam, knowing your picnic will be there when you get back. It looks like letting sunset overtake you at your picnic table, which is still spread with the delights of Fort Bragg Bakery bread, local cheeses, olives, and other goodies you picked up from Mendosa’s earlier that day. Some nights it looks like parking your car away from the lights of town and inn and gazing up at the dust of the Milky Way as it slowly parades across the heavens, and other nights it looks like cozying up in bed early, just because.

Wander down a quiet road, just to see what you can see.

So how is your next visit to Mendocino going to embrace this wonderful thing I like to call the Mendo chill? Who knows right now… but wouldn’t you say that’s the best part about it all?

Glory in the golden glow of sunset.

Words & photos by Laura Hockett