Thanksgiving On The Mendocino Coast

Wow - look at this.  Another post and it hasn't even been a week.  It must be a new trend!

Thanksgiving week we drove from Sebastopol to the Mendocino Coast to spend the holiday with my oldest daughter and her family which includes our first granddaughter - now 16 months old.

If you've never taken the drive up the coast to Mendocino - it's well worth the trip.  We usually go by way of Highway 101 to Cloverdale and then Highway 128 to the coast.  The drive from Santa Rosa is about 2 1/2 hours to Mendocino.  You can add an additional 45 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge.  If you are really adventurous and have the time, you can take Highway 1. The road is windy but the coastal scenery is spectacular.  Also for the "outdoor" types - you can actually hike the California Coastal Trail from San Diego most of the way to and past Fort Bragg.

Breggo Winery just north of Boonville

There are numerous wineries on Highway 128 through the Anderson Valley.  Mendocino County wines are right up there in quality with Sonoma and Napa County wines.

128 meets Highway 1 at Navarro River

Mendocino - taken from the Mac House B&B

Most of the
coastal Northern California towns have their history in the lumber industry.  Each of the towns on Highway 1 either were logging or fishing villages.  Fort Bragg at one time had the second largest Redwood mill in the world.  Mendocino had a large mill many years ago but now the town is primarily an artist community.

I grew up in Fort Bragg which is 8 miles north of Mendocino and I don't remember ever seeing the mill but my mother worked in the office for the lumber company when she first moved out from Nebraska.

There's plenty to do and see on the Mendocino Coast.  Great places to stay, great restaurants with a variety of price ranges for every budget.  The link following link will bring up a pdf of a map with winery names and locations   http://www.mendowine.com/files/maps_directions.pdf.

Mid November In Wine Country

It's been almost a year and this is my second post.  Not exactly a commitment to consistency.  I will try to be a little more reliable in the coming year.

This is Thanksgiving week.  The elections are over.  It's time to get back to everyday life - whatever that means.

The weather in wine country today is rainy but even in the rain I love it here.  Here it is mid November and this weekend it's supposed to be in the 70s.  What's not to love? 

Lynmar Estate - tasting room Sebastopol

Keller Estate - Petaluma California

For those of you that live outside of the area - California wine country, at least for most of us that live in the area, consist of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and to a lesser extent, Lake County.

Vineyards and wineries and winery tasting rooms are as varied as the as the topography will allow.  I don't drink - so I guess I have missed out on the major portion and product of what these counties provide.  But I do accompany friends and family as we travel to the various wineries and tasting rooms showing off what the county has to offer.  I usually volunteer to be the designated driver and that's fine with me.  As my travel companions enjoy the tastings, I get to continually take in how the area has transformed over the years and mostly for the better.

There are over 500 wineries in Sonoma County alone - so there is no running out of places to visit.  If you get out this way - give me a call and I will either take you around to some of my favorite spots or at least point you in the right direction.