When you GoMendocino, you must go to the quaint villages of Albion (pronounced AL-BEE-INN) and Elk are found on either side of where Hwy 128 meets the Pacific Coast in Mendocino County. If you're turning south on Hwy 1 from 128, you'll discover the offbeat village of Elk. It's a lively close-knit community and one of the most pleasant oceanfront hideaways you'll ever find. This charming hamlet is perched high above the Pacific Ocean on sparsely populated scenic bluffs.

When you GoMendocino, you must go to Fort Bragg, it's a rustic seaside town with a working fishing harbor, beautiful State Parks on the beach and in the redwood forests. You'll find a great selection of interesting shops, everything from grocery stores to stylish boutiques. Fort Bragg is best known for the Skunk Train, it's an old Time Train that takes you on a Mendocino redwood forest journey without having to hike. Just south of Fort Bragg, on the ocean side of Hwy 1, is a "Must See" for any flower lover, the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens are the only oceanfront botanical gardens in America.

When you GoMendocino, you must go to Little River, to visit Van Damme State Park. There are three distinct parts to this park; the beach is a favorite for kayakers and abalone divers. The east portion of the park features a paved trail through picturesque towering redwoods that progresses into a hiking trail that loops through a pygmy forest. You might be wondering; what is a pygmy forest? While it is describing the inhabitants of this forest, it's referring to the trees. The nutrient-poor, highly acidic clay hardpan soil that is found at this level of the Mendocino Coast terrain is relatively inhospitable. As a result, the trees are dwarfed; some mature trees are barely waist-high even though they are hundreds of years old.

Mendocino (pronounce it "MEN-DOUGH-SEA-NO", although locals usually say "Mendo") is the only town on the California Coast that is designated as an Historical Landmark. Established in the 1850's the architecture is reminiscent of Maine with its grand Victorians and quaint Saltbox cottages. Flowers grow lush and many of the Mendocino Inns offer beautiful gardens to enjoy. Mendocino is a photographers paradise, everywhere you look there is another picture postcard waiting to be snapped. From crashing waves and old-fashioned water towers to flower covered picket fences and sandy beaches - just some of the magic that makes Mendocino unique.

Even residents can't agree on how to pronounce their town's name. Most of the old timers and locals pronounce it "WAH-Lah-Lah". Gualala is the Native American word for "water coming down place". This area is appropriately named because of the Gualala River that flows majestically into the pacific ocean creating a wide river mouth.