| travel |
A Golden State of Mind
Northern vs. Southern California BY DEBRA LINN
California has 900 miles of coastline, and there’s definitely a different vibe between the beaches found in the Northern and Southern part of the state. I spent a weekend in each, pre-pandemic, and both have their own charm.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
Though there are a plethora of local bed & breakfasts, as well as resorts and quaint inns, choosing the Little River Inn (littleriverinn. com) as home base was a perfect pick! This more than 80-yearold inn sits on a cliff across the legendary Pacific Coast Highway from the thundering surf. It was cold and rainy during my visit, so the wood-burning Mendocino Headlands fireplace and soaking tub were a welcome amenity. The views from the rooms are spectacular with large decks and rocking chairs to sit and listen to the sound of the sea. The food at the Mendocino: The “Cool” Coast Calls inn’s restaurant was fresh and amazing, This quintessential small beach town about too—don’t miss the Fresh Steamed Clam 160 miles north of San Francisco reminds Chowder and any of the specials, such me of an East Coast fishing village but with as Braised Short Ribs, along with a glass hippies. That could be because (and this (or bottle) of award-winning wine from will age me) it was the setting for the early nearby Anderson Valley. ’90s TV show Murder She Wrote, which
Northern California
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
72
stylemg.com
| MARCH 2021 |
/stylemediagroup /stylemediagroup /stylemediagroup /stylemags
Photos courtesy of Visit Mendocino County.
was supposed to take place in Cabot Cove, Maine, but the exterior shots of the town and ocean were in fact this wonderful little California coastal village.
