If every travel day could end with the feeling I got when the Mendocino Coast first came into view on that sunny April afternoon, we’d all probably explore more. The time and effort it took to fly into San Francisco, rent a car and road trip over three hours north quickly faded into my memory when I caught my first glimpse of surf breaking over the rocky Northern California shoreline.

After heading north on US-101, my husband Bobby and I took a delicious lunch stop at El Molino Central in Sonoma, then hit CA-128 and enjoyed a rolling drive through Anderson Valley and a canopy of redwoods before popping out onto the coast.

So much of what you can read about Mendocino calls the area “magic.” As we pulled into Stanford Inn & Resort, past the property’s dense foliage and bright blooms, our arrival felt nothing short of enchanting. A sweet, canopied path led us to the check-in desk and lobby, adorned with a curated collection of local art, nature and wellness books, plush couches and fireplace. The comfort continued into our guest room, inviting us in with warm pine and redwood paneling, a large deck with ocean views and our own wood-burning fireplace.

This eco-resort sits on a hill overlooking the Mendocino Bay, just a short walk, bike or drive to the village of Mendocino. The property is 100% plant-based, with a farm-to-table vegan restaurant, Ravens, that serves property guests and area locals nourishing meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many of the ingredients served are sourced from the resort’s own organic farm and gardens. Breakfast is included in every guest’s stay, and we relished in the leisurely mornings of black coffee and tasty vegan muffins, with main dishes like the enchiladas f illed with quinoa and spinach, and house-made citrus granola with fresh fruit.

We loved seeing owner Jeff Stanford in the dining room each morning. “We hope our guests will gain a sense of connection,” shares Stanford, who operates the inn with his wife Joan. In the 1980s, Jeff and Joan came to the north coast of California from the Midwest, looking for a way to work and live in a rural area in an integrated way. They created the refuge that is now the Stanford Inn & Resort, constructing striking wooden buildings, planting an organic farm and adding land down to the water. The Stanfords are dedicated to living sustainably in harmony with the earth and they strive to share this healthy, rewarding lifestyle with others.

“In these times, connecting with nature is so vital for well-being,” he adds. “We arise within nature, and without recognizing and experiencing our bond with nature it can be challenging to connect with ourselves and each other.”

So many details make Stanford Inn & Resort a perfect place to unwind and reset for a weekend or an extended visit. The aquatic center has a saltwater swimming pool, dry sauna and hot tub, all nestled within a charming greenhouse that ensures warmth and comfort year-round. The resort’s wellness center is directed by certified nutritionist and author Sid Garza-Hillman, offering rich experiences like nutrition and cooking classes, creative workshops, breathwork and meditation sessions, guided hikes and trail runs, as well as gardening, nature and mushroom foraging walks. Massages, facials and Ayurvedic treatments are available at the spa, and we took advantage of the onsite Catch a Canoe & Bicycles Too to rent a redwood outrigger canoe and explore the Big River Estuary and beaches.

Beyond relaxation and rejuvenation, interests in and around Mendocino focus on spending time in nature — on the water or in the redwoods, exploring local art galleries and shops, dining at mainstay eateries like Café Beaujolais, and taking some time to learn about and experience one of the region’s most celebrated industries: wine. Anderson Valley is less than an hour south of Mendocino and a little inland. The cooler climate plays well for pinot noir, sparkling wine and 78 Alsace varietals (riesling, gewürztraminer, pinot blanc, pinot gris). We spent some time tasting at Lula Cellars — it’s the first Anderson Valley winery you hit driving down from Mendocino. Tasting room manager Kim Badenhop guided us through a variety of wines, and we enjoyed an afternoon on the lovely 22-acre property. The wine was quite good, and we joined the club to receive estate selections quarterly.

After a full day sipping and sunning in Anderson Valley, we retreated back to the Mendocino Coast and checked into Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa. This stunning building has been called “the world’s most exquisite treehouse,” made from eco-salvaged redwood and set up on a bluff overlooking Smuggler’s Cove. It’s a home-away-from-home that’s a true refuge from any sort of hustle and bustle.

When Arky Ciancutti, the original owner and mastermind of Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa, broke ground on the project in 1999, he said local woodworkers, innkeepers, architects, builders and artisans all contributed key ideas to the overall design.

“The visual aspect of the design mainly centered around the wood — those old redwood sinker logs that I had dredged up from the bottom of Big River,” shares Ciancutti. “We wanted to create a place that both showcased the beauty of this unique lumber and also blended seamlessly with the view and landscape around it.

“That is in large part why the inn feels so comfortable — I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere else that just feels so right,” he continues. “Like it belongs exactly where it is and you being there puts you in harmony with the world around you.”

Time seems to slow once you walk through the outdoor foyer and enter the giant wood doors into a spacious great room, an inviting space that warms guests with streams of natural light and a library of books, games and films to borrow for their visit. Ten of the 11 guest rooms have ocean views, and all have gas fireplaces and the plushest bedding and towels. This is the type of property you might not want to leave at all during your stay, and that’s sort of the point.

One of our mornings was very rainy and incredibly cozy, and we could smell the freshly baked pastries as we walked downstairs to grab some hot coffee and a scone. After some reading accompanied by lovely sounds of rainfall, we enjoyed a cooked-to-order breakfast in the great room, followed by a wonderful couples massage in the outdoor pavilion, just steps from the inn.

The restful peace of this day was what people can find in Mendocino, at very special places like Brewery Gulch Inn. We walked the grounds and then down to the ocean before coming back up to the inn’s evening wine hour. A selection of appetizers — delicious bites like herb-crusted lamb lollipops with pear-mint redux, and shredded short rib sliders — are prepared by the onsite executive chef and presented in redwood boxes for each room, with local wine selections offered.

I can still feel that Mendocino magic even though we’re quite far away now. It’s one of those places that calls you back, like the pull of a tide, and as we drove away, it was a “see you again soon” farewell.

Originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

Unplug + Reconnect In Mendocino, California