
WINTER WANDERLAND
Explore these ten great winter activities in Fort Bragg.If you only think of the North Coast as a summer getaway, you’re missing one of the most amazing times of year. Make Fort Bragg your home base for a winter visit, and you’ll find the adventures are endless. There are so many places to go, things to do, explore, sip, taste and enjoy. Sure, the weather can be changeable, but that just makes the fresh chowder a little warmer, the craft beer a bit cooler, the redwoods even more mystical and the beaches all yours.

1. Get A Great Hotel Deal
Multiple Fort Bragg hotels offer special pricing for winter visitors. Click the link below to get the best deals. Once you see how much there is to do, you’ll want to use the savings to spend a few extra days.

2. Wine Your Way Into Town
Mendocino County was recently recognized as Wine Enthusiasts 2024 Wine Region of the Year. And, with a little planning, you’ll be cruising right through the heart of wine country on your way to Fort Bragg. Coming from the east, be sure to take Highway 128 and you’ll pass dozens of great wineries. Have a designated driver and be sure to pick up a couple of bottles for your stay on the coast.

3. Forest Bathe at Russian Gulch State Park
Whatever the weather, Russian Gulch State Park delivers. Hike from the waves to the wilderness. Wander among the redwoods. Find your own private waterfall. Forage for wild mushrooms (bring a good guide!). Explore a rare pygmy forest. Tired yet? You will be. Fortunately, you’re just a few minutes from Downtown Fort Bragg.

4. Chowder Down at Noyo Harbor
At this working fishing harbor near the mouth of the Noyo River you can dine on fresh-off-the-boat seafood as the boats come in and the seals and sea lions frolic right off the dock. Noyo Fish Company has chowder in a bowl or bread and Princess Seafood has chowder, bisques and always something locally caught. Check out specials of the day at Casa del Sol and the fish and chips at Sea Pal Cove.

5. Do the Downtown Fort Bragg Dive Bar Scene
What’s better after a big outdoor adventure than bellying up to a big old mahogany bar and cavorting with the locals. Fort Bragg has a whole host of watering holes at the unpretentious end of the spectrum. Put a put a few songs on the jukebox and rack up a game of pool at Golden West Saloon, Milano Hotel & Bar or Welcome Inn.

6. Get Glass Beach To Yourself
It’s not often that you can get the North Coast’s most well-known beach, with its wave-worn colored glass speckled through the sand all to yourself. But that’s part of the beauty of making Fort Bragg your home base during the off-season. Time it right and you can do some great tide-pooling, too. Just remember to leave the glass, and the sea creatures in their natural habitat.

7. Watch For Whales
The off-season in Fort Bragg is migration season for gray whales and, while you can catch them from the coast, there’s nothing like a whale watching charter cruise. All Aboard Adventures, Anchor Charter Boats, Fort Bragg Fishing, Hooked on Mendo, and Telstar Charters all offer whale watching and fishing charters.

8. Crawl The Downtown Craft Breweries
Fort Bragg has a handful of local breweries all within a few blocks, all with great food and beer. There’s the legendary North Coast Brewing Company with a wide selection of beers, including a few of your favorites. Mosey down a few blocks to Overtime Brewing where the vibe is local-friendly, and the beer is brewed in-house. Tall Guy Brewing, in the heart of downtown, has an open, easy, comfy feel for a cool beer and a warm welcome.

9. Stoll the Botanical Gardens
This time of year at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, the rhododendrons, camellias, and magnolias are just beginning to bloom, but it’s also when some less obvious beauty is revealed. Misty sunbeams stream through the pines. Whale spouts rise in the ocean distance. Dew drops glisten on luscious ferns and wild mushrooms, 160 different species of which can be found on the garden property.
