up the 8-mile Big River
tidal estuary, the longest
undeveloped estuary
in Northern California.
Years of conservation
efforts have protected
this area from highways
or buildings. Bring a
picnic and a camera
to enjoy the marshes
and empty, log-strewn
beaches, wildlife and
ramshackle remnants of
century-old train trestles.
The Drive » The next stop,
Mendocino, is just over the
bridge from the Big River.
6 Mendocino
Perched on a gorgeous
headland, Mendocino
is the North Coast’s
salt-washed gem, with
B&Bs and rose gardens,
white picket fences and
New England–style
redwood water towers.
Bay Area weekenders
walk along the headland
among berry bramble
and wildflowers, where
cypress trees stand over
dizzying cliffs. A stroll
through this dreamy
little village is a highlight
of a trip through the
region.To get a sense for the
village’s thriving art
scene, drop in at the
Mendocino Art Center
(%707-937-5818; http://www.
mendocinoartcenter.org;
45200 Little Lake St; h10am-
4pm), a hub for visual,
musical and theatrical
arts. The center is also
home to the Mendocino
Theatre Company
(www.1mtc.org), which
stages contemporary
plays in the 81-seat Helen
Schoeni Theatre.
The town itself is
loaded with galleries, all
of which host openings
on the second Saturday
of the month, when
doors are thrown openTRIP HIGHLIGHTSkunk Train The train at Willits