Not Your Garden Variety Botanical Garden

As one of the most spectacular botanical gardens in the country, Fort Bragg’s Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens makes a splash in more ways than its fabulous flora. Its 47 acres include a stunning bluff-side hiking trail overlooking the Pacific, where cliffs drop dramatically to the wild waves below. Pack a picnic (or plan to eat at the garden’s tasty café).

Just plan to stay awhile; there's plenty to admire here. (It’s also dog-friendly.)

Pathways lead to garden collections that mesmerize. Rhododendrons in hundreds of fragrant species are a star attraction. There's the 40-foot-high big leaf and the “Noyo Chief”—Fort Bragg’s official flower, identified by its vibrant red trusses. The Heritage Rose Garden features its namesake rose. Succulents prove that even cacti can grow on the Mendocino Coast.

Blossoms like camellias, irises, and dahlias are favorites. A stroll through the Parrish Family Homestead has a farmhouse with apple and cherry orchards, ponds, and a cemetery. Stroll beyond the lovingly tended gardens to see a wilder side along the Coastal Bluff Trail.

BEER GARDEN BONUS: North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg has won lots of awards, and the proof is in the taproom. Pair any number of their ultra-premium pours with the pub menu.

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is on the ocean side of Highway One, 2 miles south of Fort Bragg and 7 miles north of Mendocino. North Coast Brewing, 444 N. Main St. Fort Bragg. Dog-friendly!