Road Trip USA 2022
From the Redwoods to the sea
It has now been a good three weeks since we left the Californian coast south of Los Angeles. Today, after a good 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles), we will see the Pacific Ocean again. But until then, we still have a good 450 km to go and the redwoods still lie ahead of us.
Today, we have breakfast about 25 minutes north of Tahoe City at the Coffeebar in Truckee. It's a small, modern café with fresh baked goods, great coffee, and modern toast variations.
As always, we stop every now and then to browse through the small towns along the way. Around 3 p.m., we reach the Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve. A small state park that enchants us with its giant trees. It's impossible to describe how impressive these giants are. A 3 km (2 mi) circular trail immerses you in another world. You can really feel what these redwoods must have experienced over the last few hundred years. What's more, we are practically alone. A truly amazing experience.
The tallest tree in the park is the Mendocino Tree at 112 m (367.5 ft). Its size simply cannot be captured in pictures, so be sure to see these giants for yourself if you have the opportunity.
Now we continue to our next accommodation in Fort Bragg, where we arrive at around 5:30 p.m. The town is located directly on the coast and we stay at "The Beach House Inn". After checking in, we enjoy the sunset at Pudding Creek Beach and eat Mexican food at "Los Gallitos".
The next morning, we start with a walk on Glass Beach. It's wonderful to start the day with fresh sea air, waves, and sunshine. Glass Beach is so named because the beach is covered with small pieces of glass that have been smoothed by the water and sparkle in the sun. However, the origin of the glass is not so pleasant. It comes from a landfill that operated there until 1967.
Afterwards, we go to the Headlands Coffeehouse in Fort Bragg for breakfast. Then we stroll through the surrounding neighborhood. There are many small shops here, giving it a bit of a western town feel. On the opposite side of the main street is a small railroad depot with museum trains and a model railroad in one of the depot halls.
Our next stop is just a few kilometers south. There is a small lighthouse cottage at Point Cabrillo. The grounds feature a small marine science exhibit and the lighthouse keeper's residence with furnishings from the 1930s.
Then we continue on to Mendocino. This is another small town right on the coast with beautiful, colorful houses. Just 500 meters further on is Big River Beach. Here there is a very beautiful sandy beach right at the mouth of the river, behind which rise the cliffs of Mendocino. However, the water temperature is not for the faint-hearted. Here, you really notice that we are still very far north.
Tip: There are many small state parks along Highway 1 that offer access to the beach. However, these are not included in the America the Beautiful Pass, so you usually have to pay $5–15 per vehicle. This can add up, especially if you only want to take a quick look. It's best to pick a few and spend a little more time there.
Our destination for today is Santa Rosa. From there, we will start our trip to Napa Valley tomorrow. We continue south along Highway 1, stopping every now and then to enjoy the view of the coast and the Pacific Ocean.
