Spring in Mendocino: Forest Bathing, Foraging, Wildflowers and Wine Tasting
Ancient redwoods, babbling creeks, emerald meadows, frolicking lambs, and colorful flowers may sound like a dreamy vision from a fairytale. It’s also what you’ll discover when you visit Mendocino during the spring. The coastal California town is the perfect place to refresh and rejuvenate with activities like forest bathing, wine tasting, meditation, yoga, local foraging, and more. Check out these top five spring activities that make Mendocino an ideal Northern California spring destination:
Experience Boutique Wines at Maple Creek Winery
The babbling creeks that run through Maple Creek Winery in Mendocino’s Yorkville Highlands are bursting their banks thanks to a wonderfully wet winter, promising juicy vintages to come, while their handcrafted premium Artevino wines from previous years have been collecting prizes. The 2017 Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs won Gold Medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition and the American Fine Wine Competition. In addition, Maple Creek’s 2016 Maple Creek Estate Chardonnay was chosen to represent Mendocino at 46 Whole Foods stores from Sacramento to Santa Cruz.
But the best way to experience the boutique wines crafted by winemaker Tom Rodrigues is to stop by their friendly tasting room on Mendocino’s famed wine highway, Route 128. Visitors can expect to be greeted by Buster and Posey, the resident Australian Shepherds, and to discover why so many of Maple Creek’s wines have garnered the highest awards in competitions—all while chatting with locals in a relaxed setting. After all, the winery’s motto is “Enter as strangers, leave as friends.”
Maplecreekwine.com
Maple Creek Winery, 20799 Hwy 128, Yorkville, CA 95464
(707) 895-3001
Practice Forest Bathing, Meditation, and Yoga at Brewery Gulch Inn
The Japanese practice of “Shinrin-yoku”or “forest bathing” involves immersing one’s self in the forest’s atmosphere, a proven technique for care and healing of the body. Since there’s no better place to take in the forest than surrounded by Mendocino’s ancient Redwoods, the Brewery Gulch Inn—which always tops lists of the best inns and resorts in California—has two new packages incorporating “Shinrin-yoku.” Constructed in 2001 from 150-year old redwood reclaimed from the nearby Big River, the Inn is an architectural masterpiece and a relaxing haven for mind and body, renowned for locally-focused haute cuisine, indulgently comfortable rooms, and impeccable personalized service.
The team at Brewery Gulch brings this revitalizing experience to the next level with the help of Delphine Davidson, a certified yoga instructor, clinical traditional family herbalist, and health coach who has studied with such luminaries as Andrew Weil and Deepak Chopra. Delphine leads guests on two different Shinrin-yoku journeys. At $ 150 per person, the first package (Dipping Your Toes) focuses on a guided forest meditation that incorporates all five senses. “The Full Body Immersion” ($ 450 per person) takes place over the course of an entire day and features, among other treats, yoga, a lesson in formulating the optimal herbal tea for an individual’s needs, and an hour-long soak in a hot tub. Accommodations are in addition to the package price.
brewerygulchinn.com
9529, 9401 CA-1, Mendocino, CA 95460
(707) 937-4752
Forage and Ferment at Little River Inn
Those life-giving forests, fertile soil, and clean waters of the Mendocino coast furnish plentiful delicacies if you know where to find them. The area boasts more than 3,000 kinds of mushrooms—some of which can only be found on this stretch of coast: salmon, crab, sea urchin, several varieties of seaweed, hard-to-find huckleberries and olallieberries, edible seeds, roots, and more. The historic family-owned and operated Little River Inn has a package that teaches how to find this bounty and prepare and preserve it.
This is the second year for their popular FORAGE AND FERMENT package, which pairs guests with local foraging experts to gather fodder for a feast that they will learn how to cook. This three-day/two-night experience is from Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 12, 2019, and has a limited number of spots. The charming inn has ocean views, an award-winning restaurant, an Audubon-certified golf course, regulation tennis courts, a day spa, and a full-service salon.
Designed in tandem by Cally Dym, fifth-generation owner and innkeeper, and her husband Marc Dym, Executive Chef at the property, this adventure in foraging and fermenting with local experts will help attendees uncover everything from mushrooms and herbs to seaweed and sea urchin.
The hands-on odyssey starts on Friday night with a welcome reception and cooking demonstration featuring Greg Fonts of Freedive Shop/Triton X, who will dive in the morning with his team for the evening’s appetizers. In previous years, Greg has come back with scallops, rock fish, box crabs and urchins. He explains where he found each sea creature, and how to prep and cook it. Delectable cocktails, wine, and appetizers emphasizing locally gathered comestibles will be served.
The next day, Saturday’s activities will feature mining the forest for treasures such as mushrooms, roots, and berries with Kevin Smith, Countryman Forager, and later, guests head to the beach to collect savory seaweed and explore tide pools with Larry Knowles and Erica Fielder of Rising Tide Sea Vegetables. That night, a communal feast will feature the day’s harvest with tips for preserving the hard-won delicacies. The Mendocino FORAGE AND FERMENT EXPERIENCE will be offered exclusively on May 10-12, 2019. The cost is $500 per person and does not include accommodations. Two nights’ lodging for two starts at $490, exclusive of tax and gratuity. For more information, visit littleriverinn.com/forage-and-ferment.
littleriverinn.com
7901 N. Highway One, Little River, CA 95456
(707) 937-5942
Ride the Skunk Train or Power a Railbike
For the most complete access to the deepest Redwood forests, you have to ride the historic Skunk Train—one of California’s most cherished family attractions—or power yourself along the train tracks with one of their new railbikes. The railroad was built in the 1880s to move logs from the coastal town of Fort Bragg to the inland cowboy country of Willits. Steam and diesel-powered trains still chug through dense woods and zigzag along the lively Noyo River, providing unparalleled access to the Pacific Coast Temperate Rainforest.
Young and old delight as the trains travel through tunnels and cross over trestles, all while sending clouds of steam skyward. There are two scenic rides, the Pudding Creek Express and the Northspur Flyer, in addition to annual themed trains for holidays such as Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Christmas.
Now there’s a new way to experience the Redwood Route on a custom-built railbike. These two-person railbikes sit securely on the track, allowing passengers to make their journey in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere unlike anything else found on a railway. Travelers depart from a special railbikes launch area, with a trained guide overseeing everything and leading the way along the track. Since the track is owned and operated exclusively by the Skunk Train, they are able to guarantee no trains or other traffic along the route.
The bikes are incredibly easy to ride and are perfect for all ages and skill levels. They even come with an electric assist—ideal for taking a relaxing breather while still moving along the track, or for a little bit of extra oomph while you make your way up the gentle grade on the return trip. These quiet conveyances provide a unique peak at rare spring wildflowers and shy forest critters.
skunktrain.com
100 W. Laurel St, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
(707) 964-6371
Enjoy the Spring Bloom Special from the Inn at Newport Ranch
Coastal Mendocino is a riot of color with flowers basking in the sun after a generous rainy season. The area is particularly famous for their rhododendrons. Over 124 species thrive there, some of which even have heavenly scents to match their vibrant beauty, unusual for these intense yet stately flowers.
The Inn at Newport Ranch invites visitors to revel in these spectacular blooms with their Spring Bloom Special. From April 15 through June 15, guests who book a two-night stay at the Inn will be welcomed on arrival by a small springtime bouquet and two tickets to visit the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens to witness the rhodies in full-bloom splendor.
Open since early 2016, The Inn at Newport Ranch offers a breathtaking oceanfront experience, situated on 2,000 pristine private acres with 50-mile views across the Pacific. Guests have exclusive access to the vast property that encompasses virgin redwood forests, grasslands, and beach. Some guests opt to tour the acreage on horseback or have a private ATV tour guided by a local with intimate knowledge of the terrain.
They have all the amenities of a high-end hotel, from ranch cuisine cooked with locally-sourced ingredients (much of which is from their own organic gardens) and sumptuously-appointed guest rooms, to the onsite Fireside Spa and a hot tub perched atop an old water tower. When guests mention the Spring Bloom Special while booking, they receive the Spring Bloom add-ons at no cost.
Theinnatnewportranch.com
31502 N. Highway One, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
(707) 962-4818
For more ideas of things to do in Mendocino, check out visitmendocino.com.
[Images courtesy of Chalkboard Communications]