Mendocino

Mendocino in Mendocino County is a small but pretty California coastal town, popular with artists and with travelers. It has featured in many songs and movies, and the TV series Murder She Wrote.

It's also popular with songwriters. It inspired the title track of the 1969 Sir Douglas Quintet album, Mendocino, and the Kate and Anna McGarrigle song, Talk to Me of Mendocino, which was later beautifully covered by Linda Ronstadt. Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack also wrote Mendocino County Line.

Mendocino

The town also gets a name-check in the Gordon Lightfoot song Cabaret, and in The Trip to Pirate's Cove by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It's referenced in several other songs too, so you could even put together a Mendocino playlist if you were planning to visit on your Pacific Coast Highway road trip.

Must Read: Best Time to Visit Mendocino

If you do visit, you'll see why the town has inspired artists and songwriters over the years, in a way that's remarkable for a place where only about 1,000 people live.

The Sea Cliffs Around Mendocino

Murder, She Wrote

The town has also appeared in many movies, such as Forever Young, Karate Kid III, The Russians Are Coming, and Summer of '42. It was most notable, however, as the setting for several episodes of the TV series Murder, She Wrote, even though the real setting was supposed to be on the east coast. It also appeared in many other episodes of the show, which were filmed in the area.

The Bridge Taking the Pacific Coast Highway into Mendocino

Getting to Mendocino

Mendocino is about 150 miles north of San Francisco. If you drive the inland route on Highway 101, it ought to take you about 3 hours in light traffic, but you should allow 4-5 hours as the traffic is seldom light.

Our Pick of the Northern California Guides

A far prettier option is to go west after the Golden Gate Bridge and take Highway 1 along the coast. This only adds about twenty miles to the journey but it will take you longer as you will want to keep stopping as you pass by the Point Reyes National Seashore and through tempting towns like Bodega Bay. This would be our choice but it will then take you all day to get there.

The Stanford Inn in Mendocino

Where to Stay in Mendocino

We stayed at the wonderful Stanford Inn, just the other side of the river from Mendocino, but if you want to be in the heart of the town, search here. There are some lovely old houses that have been converted into boutique B&Bs and chic hotels, such as MacCallum House.

You can expect to pay a little more for your accommodation here as the place is very popular with people from San Francisco, and accommodation is limited. Book early.

What to Do in Mendocino

There are few attractions as such in Mendocino, the main attraction is simply being there. It's a place to wander round and check out all the cute shops and art galleries, and the quirky houses.

You can walk along the clifftops and take in the impressive views and breathe in that refreshing clean sea air. The headlands are also popular for whale-watching as they give such excellent views over broad patches of ocean. The cliff paths take you through Mendocino Headlands State Park.

A Well-Decorated House in Mendocino

Ford House

The park headquarters are at Ford House, a historic house on Mendocino's Main Street that was built in 1854. It's also a local museum, one of the most interesting exhibits being a model of the town in 1890. The town was founded in 1850 as a logging port, and prior to that there was a settlement of the indigenous Pomo people nearby.

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse in Mendocino

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

About 4 miles north of town on Highway 1 is the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, in the Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park. The lighthouse opened in 1909, as there had been a number of shipwrecks off this coast.

It's open daily from 11am-4pm, and the grounds around are open from sunrise to sunset. You can even spend the night there and help support the lighthouse by renting the Head Lightkeeper's House, the Second Assistant Lightkeeper's House, or one of the two cottages in the grounds. See here for more details.

Naming Mendocino

One interesting thing historically is that the town was originally named after Henry Meiggs, who ran the lumber company. Somehow it's hard to see that name inspiring songs like Talk to Me of Meiggsville. It was later changed to the more melodious Mendocino after Cape Mendocino. This in turn gets its name from Antonio de Mendoza, a Spanish politician.

The Main Street in Mendocino

Other California Coast pages

La Jolla, in southern California
La Jolla in southern California is north of San Diego off the Pacific Coast Highway and has museums, restaurants, hotels, beaches, and the Birch Aquarium.
Newport Beach
Newport Beach is a small city on the Pacific coast of southern California, right on the Pacific Coast Highway and noted for its beaches and surfing.
Monterey, on the Pacific Coast Highway in California
Monterey in California is off the Pacific Coast Highway and home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Monterey State Historic Park.
Top Wildlife Spots on the California Coast
Pacific Coast Highway Travel recommends some of the top wildlife spots along the California coast.
Point Reyes National Seashore
The Point Reyes National Seashore is an hour’s drive northwest of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway and is maintained by the National Park Service.
Dana Point
Dana Point in California is the official start or end of the Pacific Coast Highway, and its attractions include whale watching, and Doheny State Beach.
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica in California is famous for its pier, and beaches, and is one of the best west coast vacation spots, with hotels, restaurants, surfing, museums.
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier is just off the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica near Los Angeles, with an amusement park, an aquarium and many other attractions.
Crescent City
Crescent City is on the Pacific Coast Highway in northern California and noted for its crescent-shaped beach, Ocean World sea park, and nearby redwoods and state parks.
Santa Cruz Downtown Wine Tastings
There are plenty of Santa Cruz downtown wine tastings including Beauregard Vineyards,Storrs Winery and Pelican Ranch Winery,all with tasting rooms.
Whale Watching in California
Whale watching in California is one of the most popular things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway, in places like San Diego, San Francisco and many more.
Free Things to do on the Pacific Coast Highway
There are lots of free things to do on the Pacific Coast Highway and here's our list of ten of them including wildlife, the best free views, and free museums.
Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey, with photos
A walk around the Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey and Carmel provides lots of photo opportunities, especially of the Harbor Seal Birthing Area.
Carlsbad
Carlsbad is a beach city north of San Diego in southern California famous for its flower fields, LEGOLAND resort and water park, surfing and SEA LIFE Aquarium.
Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay is a small California coastal town on the borders of Marin County and Sonoma County, and the filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds.
Coastal California Guidebook
Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo in California is half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on the Pacific Coast Highway and with lots of things to do and see.
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach is a small beach town on California's Central Coast, a resort famous for surfing and clams.
Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway
Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway include some of the best independently-owned boutique hotels, spas, and lodges in California, Oregon and Washington.
Santa Barbara
Standing on the Pacific Coast Highway in California, Santa Barbara is an attractive resort with a historic downtown, sandy beaches, a mission, and good museums.
Morro Bay
Morro Bay is a delightful small town on the California coast roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and noted for the huge Morro Rock.
Scenic Spots on the Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to the most scenic spots on the Pacific Coast Highway in California with Big Sur, Bixby Bridge and Pfeiffer Beach.
Vagabond's House Inn
Historic and romantic Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Carmel is a great place to stay with free wine and cheese and generous breakfast.
Best Time to Visit Mendocino
PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Mendocino, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
Encinitas
Encinitas is a beach city in Southern California, famous for surfing, and regularly chosen as one of the best places to live in both California and the USA.