The rugged and beautiful Mendocino Coast stretches 80 miles along the
Pacific from it's southern point at Gualala north to Westport and - a few
miles beyond - to the Sinkyone Wilderness. Each of the small towns and
communities dotting the coastline has it's own unique identity and charm.
Dramatic sea cliffs, sandy beaches, rivers, and varied recreational and
cultural activities offer visitors and residents alike a unique lifestyle.
It is a favorite destination for tourists and visitors find the Coast a
relaxing and invigorating place to stay for a couple of days or weeks...
and many of them come back again and again.
The village of Mendocino was
founded in 1852 as a mill town. This Cape Cod-style village is now an
historical preservation district, a haven for artisans and a popular
location for television and theatrical films. The village sits on a high
bluff, surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean. The inland area is
largely timber and agricultural land. The population of the village
proper, an unincorporated town, is approximately 1,100, with about 8,285
residents living in the surrounding area. Mendocino, popular with
tourists, boasts many lovely B&B's, Inns and hotels along with fine
restaurants and boutique shopping.
Fort Bragg, the "Capital of the
Coast" on Highway One and only eight miles from Mendocino, is the working
community of the Mendocino Coast. It is the largest city on the Coast
(population 6,000) and provides many of the necessary services to
surrounding towns and villages. It's beginnings as a military post were
short-lived (1857-1867), but Fort Bragg began to develop as a
town-community in 1885 when a lumber company was established on the site
of the old fort. The 115-year-old sawmill, historically the basis of the
city's existence, is one of the oldest operating sawmills in the nation.
While Fort Bragg is generally thought of as a "working city", the past few
years has seen an influx of tourists to take advantage of fine B&B's
and many new motels as well as excellent restaurants and shopping in the
downtown area of the city. While fort Bragg boasts of a good share of
attractions and things to do, it is widely known as the home of the famous
"Skunk Train".
For more information on the
Mendocino Coastal area, visit the links below:
