Foodie fests: A variety of new dining options have cropped up in the county, making a food foray another great reason to head True North. Gama, a Japanese-style pub due to debut in 2022 will offer a variety of small plates, skewers from the Kushiyaki grill and local seaweed-influenced dishes in Point Arena. Ukiah’s new Hangar 39 takes the sports bar concept up a notch with classic cocktails and a sure-bet seafood bar. In Fort Bragg, KW Saltwater Grill puts a fresh spin on fish-to-fork with local, wild seafood. www.izakaya-gama.com, www.hangar39.com, www.fortbaggseafoodrestaurant.com.
Celebrate the grape: From A Toast to Bubbles & Caviar to the new Fondue Fridays at Anderson Valley’s Goldeneye Winery, tapping into Mendocino County’s 80 wine tasting venues just got a lot easier. A few miles inland, Brashley Vineyards steps up the Pinot game with a new tasting room and plenty of personality. www.goldeneyewinery.com, www.brashleyvineyards.com.
I can 'dig' it : Bunking down in Boonville just hit a high note with the addition of Tower Up and Tower Down guestsuites at Boonville Hotel. Check in and check out in these newly-constructed hideaways, with a spacious open-air design, large private decks overlooking expansive gardens, alfresco bath tub and wet bars. The “modern roadhouse” features 17 unique guestrooms and a stellar f&b program with renown chef Perry Hoffman driving the stoves. Belly up for a seasonal prix-fixe repast including Mendocino Coast Black Cod with black trumpet mushrooms, seaweed and soy broth or a savory Liberty Farm Duck with local apple butter served family style. www.boonvillehotel.com.
Unplug and reboot: The need to unplug and reboot physical and mental wellbeing is at an all time high as travelers today continue to seek more than a hot little hammock to tick away their vacation time. This dynamic lifestyle recalibration is more than a trend, and the shift shows no signs of waning as Americans tap into vacations focused on everything from yoga camps to jogging tours, forest bathing and spiritual sojourns.
........From the new Rise and Be Well wellness center along the Mendocino Coast to 2022 wellness packages at the Stanford Inn by the Sea, Mar Vista Farm + Cottages, Brewery Gulch Inn, Inn at Newport Ranch and Little River Inn, authentic experiences in off-the-beaten-path locales are in high demand. The first county in the nation to ban GMOs and “America’s Greenest Wine Region,” Mendocino boasts a geographic playground laced in health-inducing natural assets from ancient redwoods to 90 miles of pristine California coastline. Add to the mix artisans and innkeepers well steeped in the benefits of a low-stress lifestyle and the link to longevity looms large. www.visitmendocino.com/wellness/.
Go camping: From popping a pup tent to escaping in an outback yurt, Mendocino sports a variety of off-beat camping options this spring. The newly-retooled 200-acre Camp Navarro in wine-centric Anderson Valley is the stop for glamping teepees, cabins and tent camping as well as the Weekends in the Redwoods programs, that run through 2022. For a vintage escape, Anchor Bay Campground has been offering an authentic back-to-nature adventure since 1925 with beach access, kayaking and a network of hiking trails alongside 27 camp sites. For glamping under the stars, Mendocino Magic is the spot along the pristine Holland Reservoir. Set on a private 600-acre reserve, select sites feature hot showers, solar lighting and queen size beds with linens. www.campnavarro.com, www.mendocinomagic.com.
Take a hike: Mendocino offers a variety of charging stations tied to easy hikes within the California State Parks system. Set out for an adventure at Hendy Woods State Park for a rendezvous with Big Hendy then head to the sea for a jaunt at Russian Gulch State Park’s waterfall loop while charging up. Point it north with plenty of room to roam. Other EV charging stops include Point Cabrillo Light Station Historic Park, Mackerricher State Park and Westport-Union Landing State Beach. www.mendocinocounty.org/government/planning-building-services/regulations/electric-vehicle-charging.
