Skunk Train
Originally built to transport redwood logs from the rugged backcountry to the coast, this 1885 heritage railroad now ferries sightseers to and fro between the waterfront town of Fort Bragg inland to the cowboy town of Willits.
"Steam- and diesel-powered trains chug through the lush redwood forests of the California Coast Range, zigzagging along the Noyo River"
Steam- and diesel-powered trains chug through the lush redwood forests of the California Coast Range, zigzagging along the Noyo River—keep your eyes peeled for deer, egrets and other waterfowl, and the occasional river otter. Riding “The Skunk” is a long-standing family tradition for many Californians, with new generations getting wide-eyed and excited when the conductor bellows, “All aboard!” Little ones leave nose prints on the windows as Ole’ No. 45 charges through a 341-metre tunnel, crosses over 30 trestles, and sends clouds of steam skyward. Year-round trips range from sunset barbecue cruises to overnight excursions where passengers spend the night in tents set up on the site of a historic logging camp.
Northern California
Discover the North Coast
Romance finds a home in this idyllic coastal region, where ocean fog rolls in from the ocean to blanket hushed redwood forests, and whales spout offshore. Along the coast, artists set up their easels to paint scenes of crashing surf and whitewashed cottages wrapped in rose filled gardens.
Each year, December through May, look to the sea to witness roughly 15,000 gray whales swimming south for the summer.
It is also a place where a new generation of farmers and wine makers focus on preserving the land as well as producing amazing food and wine. Favourite escapes include the romantic hamlet of Mendocino, roughly a 3-hour drive up the coast from San Francisco, and Eureka, a former logging town 2 hours further north, and the gateway to breathtaking Redwoods National and State Parks.
Insider’s Guide to California’s Redwood Coast
What makes California’s Redwood Coast so special? Maybe it’s the primeval wilderness that’s inspired legends from Paul Bunyan to...
Mendocino National Forest
Spanning 133862 hectares of public land, Mendocino National Forest...
5 Amazing Things to do in Crescent City
Head to the tippy top of California’s northern coastline to see this sea-faring city with two lighthouses, redwoods, and an ever-changing wildlife...
Best Beaches on the North Coast
Klamath
Klamath is so far north that many people assume this tiny town is in Oregon, not California. Set along its...
Eric Hollenbeck didn’t plan to be a time traveler, or a museum curator, or a model of how to take care of troubled youth or returning war vets....
Winter rains signal the beginning of the North Coast’s astounding mushroom season: the Mendocino region is home to some 3,000 varieties, many of them edible, like the rare candy cap mushroom with...
Spotlight: Redwood National & State Parks
Hugging California's northwestern edge, a spectacular network of parks protecting nearly half of the world’s coast redwoods, the world’s tallest...
Spotlight: Mendocino
With its dramatic ocean-bluff setting overlooking to a steel-blue sea, this coastal hamlet is an obvious magnet for artists, romantics, and lovers...
Trip 8-10 days 10 stops
Ultimate Northern California
It may measure less than 50 square miles/130 square kilometres, but San Francisco justly ranks as one of the greatest cities in the world. Famous for grand-dame Victorians, classic cable cars, dynamic diversity, a beautiful waterfront, and a soaring crimson bridge, the “City by the Bay” is the...
Tucked into an ocean-facing fold of Mount Tamalpais, the signature peak just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County, Muir Woods National Monument protects the last stand of uncut old-growth coast redwoods in the Bay Area, where loggers had all but denuded the region by the late 1800s....
North Coast Wine Country
From quiet vineyards surrounded by lush redwood forests along the Mendocino Coast, to the sun-drenched rolling hills of rugged Lake County,...
Clear Lake
Take a deep breath the next time you’re in Northern California’s Lake County. That’s some of...
Wine & Dine in the North Coast
The North Coast might just be the perfect place to eat. Few other places in the world can offer such a harmonious blend of chefs, farmers,...
With more than 3,000 wineries statewide, California lets you sample award-winning wines almost anywhere you go. These classic and up-and-coming wine roads—some too packed with wineries to tackle...
You can learn a lot about a place at its local festivals. Consider the Kinetic Grand Championship, a cosmically silly three-day battle between human-powered works of art (imagine a speeding dragon...
Ferndale
A fairytale come to life, this remote village features carefully preserved Victorian-era century homes, a visual and architectural feast. On a...
Contraptions, creations, and creativity—those are the mantras for this wacky three-day event on an out-there stretch of the North Coast. Contestants must maneuver their handmade, people-powered...
Eureka
This lively seaport town, the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, has split-personality charm: a sense of history in...
When you come to California, come hungry. This is a state that seriously knows how to cook. Amazing and innovative chefs sprinkled with Michelin stars work with local farms and artisanal food...
Fort Bragg
With its original roots as a military garrison and then a gritty lumber town, Fort Bragg skirted under the radar of most visitors. But now—perhaps...
Start your trip to one of the world’s great cities. For a novel way to explore “the City by the Bay” park your car and explore by foot, bike, and unique public transportation. Pedal bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge and back, then explore the lush Presidio, a former military base that’s now a...
The last stop on this spectacular road trip ends at the very last city in California. Only 20 miles south of Oregon, sea-faring Crescent City is home to the northernmost of California’s lighthouse stations. Overlooking the town’s harbour, the 1856 Battery Point Lighthouse, built with 22-inch/56-...
