| What is the best time of year to visit? |
| The Mendocino Coast is a wonderful place to be in every season, but Spring, Summer and Fall tend to be the most popular times. Our cool summer days appeal especially to those guests who live in a hot climate. |
| What is the weather like? |
| Our stormy and often exciting Winters with temperatures ranging from the mid 30's at night to upper 50's by day are followed by incredible Springs which bring the Mendocino Coast to life. Our beautiful coastal gardens burst with color and days alternate between rainy, and clear and sunny, with temperatures moving up into the low to mid 60's. Often we'll get a warm spell around April and have seen the thermometer creep towards the mid 70's! Summer patterns are thick coastal morning and evening fog, that sometimes stays all day and brings the temperature down to the high 50's. By Fall the fog has lifted and we enjoy clear sunny days with temperatures approaching the low 70's with crisp nights dropping to the 40's. Our Summer and Fall weather is so mild that air conditioning is not a requirement. Check Mendocino weather right now. |
| When do the whales migrate through? |
| From November to April, our coast is graced with the presence of California Gray whales, as they complete their l0,000 mile migration from Alaska to Baja California, where they over-winter in the warm lagoons, and have their calves before heading back to Alaska for the summer feasts. The annual passage of these huge mammals is celebrated each March on the first and third weekends in Mendocino and Fort Bragg, respectively. |
| What is there to do in the area? |
| The Joshua Grindle Inn overlooks scenic Mendocino, the most unspoiled New England style village on California's scenic North Coast. The village bustles with life; dozens of shops, art galleries and several world class restaurants beckon. Nearby parks offer myriad systems of hiking and biking trails. For a complete list of links to area activities, please visit our Things to Do page. |
| Where can I shop for antiques? |
| While not know as a major antique center, Fort Bragg's Franklin Street Historic District offers some interesting shops worth exploring on a rainy day. |
| Where can I go wine tasting? |
| The Anderson Valley is just a 35 minute drive southeast on Highway 128. Some of our favorite vineyards along this route include Husch Vineyards, which offers discounted tasting to Joshua Grindle Inn guests. Other favorites are Navarro Vineyards, Esterlina Vineyards, Pacific Echo and Handley Cellars. Right in town on Main Street, Fetzer Vineyards has a tasting room and offers discounts to Joshua Grindle Inn guests. Print out a map of area wine tasting and have a wonderful outing! |
| What is available for dining? What is the dress code at restaurants? |
| Please see our list of Restaurant Menus for choices in and outside of town. "Mendocino Casual" is how most folks dress for dinner. No restaurants have strict dress codes. You'll see some folks very dressed up (jacket, tie) and others in nice jeans or slacks. Wear what you would feel most comfortable in and around others. Sweats, shorts and ripped jeans are probably not appropriate. |
| Is there a seafood restaurant in town? |
| Traditional seafood and fish n' chips places are located at the Noyo Harbor, just 10 minutes North of the inn in Fort Bragg. Most Mendocino restaurants have one or two seafood items on the menu, but 955 Ukiah has many additional weekly specials. Just south of town, the Albion River Inn has fantastic ocean view dining and several seafood delicacies. |
| Can I walk to the beach and town from the Inn? |
Yes! All of the shops, restaurants, galleries in town are walking distance from the Inn. Surrounding the village is the Headlands State park trail which leads to Big River beach access, just a 10 minute stroll from our door. Please see our Map of Mendocino for an overhead view of the area.
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| How far in advance should I make reservations? |
| For Holiday periods and peak season (June through October), we recommend at least two months for best availability. For weekends, year 'round, one month is adequate and off-season, midweek (November through May) a week should suffice and you can often just drop in and have a choice of rooms that night. An exception is when we are running our very popular Bed, Breakfast & Beaujolais special (usually February through April). These dates are best reserved at least one month in advance. Please visit our availability page and we'll hope to see you soon! |
| Where can I ride my bicycle? |
| There are many great rides in the area. For road bikes, Coastal Highway One is designated as a bike route and offers stunning views. For mountain biking, many of our State Parks offer challenging trails. We recommend local author and avid hiker Bob Lorentzen's book "Mendocino Coast Bike Rides", available for purchase in our online giftshop. |
| What is the best way to get to Mendocino? |
| Please see our directions page to find the route best for you. |
| Is the road twisty? |
| Indeed, the last hour and a half coming into Mendocino, no matter which direction you come from, will be a windy, two lane road. We suggest just taking it slowly and enjoying the scenery and go ahead a pull over for the locals who might be on your tail. These roads are best enjoyed with the vacation frame of mind. |
| Where are the old growth redwoods? |
The closest old growth forest is Montgomery Woods, about a 50 minute drive east -- truly magical place! For a day trip we recommend the Avenue of the Giants, the old scenic highway that parallels Highway 101 about 2 hours north of Mendocino. Of course don't forget to visit the Hermit in the Hendy Woods!
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