If you are looking for the perfect place to spend a few days (and nights) reconnecting with your love, look no further than Mendocino, CA. Jason and I recently took a long overdue trip to the Mendocino Coast and it was nothing short of magic.
We spent the better part of the first day unsure of what to do with ourselves. Truly free adult time kind of blew our minds. There's nothing like a little break to make you realize just how bad you need one. Thankfully, a super cool place to stay and gorgeous scenery in every direction makes it pretty easy to unwind.
We stayed at the Andiron Inn which is seriously the raddest. The innkeepers are vintage collectors who have outfitted every room with the very best in fifties and sixties decor. Each room is one half of an adorable cottage with a little deck and beautiful views. The rooms are all themed in the best possible way. It was my birthday weekend so Jason booked the room he knew I'd love best: Make. It was packed with vintage craft supplies: paint by number, spirograph, bead loom, knit and crochet, you name it you could make it! Next time we go I'm going to book Read or Write for my book-collecting writer.
Food plays a big part in my vacation enjoyment and no visit to Mendocino would be complete without a reservation at Wild Fish. After living in Seattle for three years my bar for seafood restaurants is extremely high. Wild Fish does not disappoint. We started with locally caught uni, shared a gorgeous halibut and one of the best salmon dishes of my life, followed by a blackberry torte worthy of impolite plate licking.
Mendocino is gorgeous, relaxing, and just right for romance. I had such a nice time walking and talking to Jason without being interrupted. I have been with this wonderful man since he was a boy and I always savor the chance to revisit that young love, now made all the deeper by 15 years of shared experience. We laughed hard, talked lots, and started planning our next trip before we had even packed the car.
Visting The Mendocino Coast Quick Details:
Stay: The Andiron Inn. I really can't say enough good things about this place. I was seriously hesitant to share it with you because I want to be able to book a room for next time and once everyone figures out how rad it is I'll be SOL. Did I mention that it's totally affordable?
Eat:
- Wild Fish is an absolute MUST. Pricey and you'll need reservations, but oh so very worth it.
- Grab picnic provisions at Harvest Market.
- Enjoy a drink and really good crab cakes with a view at Ole's Whale Watch Bar at Little River Inn.
- Another yummy romantic dinner spot is Cafe Beaujoulais.
Shop:
- Gallery Bookshop - one of my all time favorite independent book stores
- Honey & Ro - beautiful super hip (super expensive) shop that makes for fun browsing
- Village Toy Store - a great little toy store and the perfect spot to pick up a "Mommy & Daddy missed you gift"
- Out of This World - a super fun shop for science enthusiasts of all ages
Explore: Big River Beach is hard to beat. We did get turned on to a pretty awesome secret beach, but you know ... it's secret.
For more pictures from our trip check out my Instagram. Also, I'm there a lot so if you want a daily dose of Small + Friendly follow me!
