Our spontaneous adventure through California lead us to some of the most unexpected, fantastic destinations. So much so that we’re pretty sure found the best California destination out there.
Where we live in Idaho, California has gotten a pretty bad name for itself. Many Sandpoint residents are often afraid to admit that they’re originally from the dreaded “C word.” These unfortunate ill fillings towards Californians are partially due to the fact that they are quickly becoming the majority here in north Idaho. And not only are they coming here in droves, but a portion of them (according to locals) are trying to “change” our simple way of life here to be more similar to what they might be used to in their home state.
Traveling California has never really been high on my to-do list. But our opinion of California (and it’s people) began to change one we realized that not ALL of California is all about wealth, status, and lime light.
Fort Bragg, California is one of the reasons we had a mindset shift. It’s a small town of less than 10,000 people. Every local we ran into was super nice and welcoming, and it seems that a simpler way of life is highly valued there. Not to mention, it’s located along some of the most beautiful coastline you can find on the west coast.
Mendocino Highlands State Park is hands down the biggest highlight of our time traveling northern California. Make sure you’ve got a fully charged battery and lots of storage space on your memory card, because you’re going to be taking a TON of pictures.
I feel like every ten steps along this scenic coastline offered a completely different view. It’s easy to see why we consider this to be the best California destination. We could have spent hours longer here than we actually did. If we didn’t have our 3-month old puppy with us at the time, I think we would have.
Giant rock formations jut out of the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. The salty air and misty views are mesmerizing. There are several walking trails throughout the park, and are super easy for walking. Miles of trails wind along the cliffs, giving casual explorers views of sea arches and hidden grottos.
This is yet another destination that I will want to revisit again someday. Perhaps we’ll make visiting California a habit on our trips back to the east coast. Haha! Who knows if that’ll happen, but I wouldn’t complain if it did.
