Things to do in The Redwood Coast
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Blue Ox Millworks & Historic Park
Don't miss Blue Ox Millworks & Historic Park. One of only seven of its kind left in America, the millworks uses antique tools and mills to produce authentic gingerbread trim and decoration for Victorian buildings. One-hour self-guided tours take you through the mill and surrounding historical buildings, including a blacksmith shop and recreated 19th-century skid camp. Kids love the oxen.
Master craftsman Eric Hollenbeck does everything by hand, and even manufactures his own stains. (When colleagues laughed, saying, 'Why waste time making stain when you can buy if for around US$10?,' Eric replied, 'The hidden cost of convenience is knowledge.' Indeed.) If you spend Saturda…
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Humboldt State University
On the northeastern side of town, Humboldt State University is Arcata's raison d'être. The Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT) is a world-leader in sustainable technologies. The center is based in CCAT House, which is a converted residence that uses only 4% of the energy of a comparably sized dwelling. Dig the pedal-powered TV! You can take a self-guided tour at 14:00 on Fridays.
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Fort Humboldt State Historic Park
South of downtown via Hwy 101 to Highland Ave, the 1853 Fort Humboldt State Historic Park overlooks Humboldt Bay. Only one structure remains, the tiny hospital, now a museum, but cool outdoor exhibits show the old equipment used to fell redwoods. The park fires up the machinery on the 3rd Saturday of the month, May through September.
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Tranquilitea
Sunny and mellow Tranquilitea is part tea house-cafe, and part wellness center - so Arcata! On the menu, organic-vegetarian salads, smoothies, grilled-panini sandwiches and excellent teas. The atmosphere is mellow and girly, good for a Tarot reading. Nice garden patio. In back there's massage and bodywork; call ahead.
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Restaurant 301
Eureka's top table, romantic, sophisticated 301 serves a contemporary California menu, using produce from its organic gardens (tours available). Mains are pricey, but the five-course prix-fixe menu (around US$45) is a good deal. This is the place on date night. The encyclopedic wine list is stunning.
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Finnish Country Sauna & Tubs
Especially if sore from hiking, you mustn't leave Arcata without visiting the Finnish Country Sauna & Tubs, where you can sip chai by the fireside or in meditative gardens, then rent a private open-air redwood hot tub or sweat in a sauna. Reserve ahead, especially on weekends.
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Jambalaya
In a cavernous space, Jambalaya serves a mishmash of Caribbean-influenced dishes - at lunch Cuban sandwiches, at dinner wild salmon and (of course) jambalaya. Good midrange option with lots of local wines and beers. Hosts live music after 22:00 Fridays and Saturdays.
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Carson Mansion
The most famous of Eureka's impressive Victorians is the ornate Carson Mansion, 1880s home of lumber baron William Carson, designed by Samuel and Joseph Newsom, the famous 19th-century architects. It took 100 men a full year to build. Today it's a private club.
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Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary
On the shores of Humboldt Bay lies Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary has 5 miles of walking trails and outstanding birding - and it doubles as the city's (nearly) odor-free wastewater treatment facility (ya gotta love this town's ingenuity).
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Carter House
Who says they don't build houses like that anymore? The Carter House, was built in the 1980s by bon vivant Mark Carter, using 19th-century blueprints he'd found in an antique store. He's a local celeb; you can meet him at the Hotel Carter, across the street.
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Morris Graves Museum of Art
The Morris Graves Museum of Art is Eureka's cultural hub and has rotating exhibitions of California artists inside a 1904 Carnegie library, the state's first public library. It hosts weekend jazz, dance and spoken-word performances (September to May).
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Folie Douce
Arcata's best, Folie Douce presents a short but inventive menu of seasonally inspired bistro cooking, from Asian to Mediterranean, with an emphasis on local organics. Wood-fired pizzas are a specialty. Sunday brunch too. Reservations essential.
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Redwood Park
Redwood Park has beautiful redwoods and picnic areas. Adjoining the park is the Arcata Community Forest, a 575-acre old-growth forest crisscrossed by 10 miles of trails, with dirt paths and paved roads good for hikers and mountain-bikers.
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Phillips House Museum
The 1854 Phillips House Museum is a living museum that shows what the life of Arcata residents and farmers was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The historical exhibits and tours provide insights into the character of the town.
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Hum-Boats Sail, Canoe & Kayak Center
The Hum-Boats Sail, Canoe & Kayak Center , at Woodley Island Marina, rents kayaks and sailboats. They have lessons and tours (some dog-friendly), eco-tours, a water taxi, sailboat charters, sunset sails and full-moon paddles.
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Romano Gabriel Wooden Sculpture Garden
The Romano Gabriel Wooden Sculpture Garden is enclosed by glass, between D and E Sts. For 30 years the brightly painted folk art in Gabriel's front yard delighted locals. After he died in 1977, the city moved the collection here.
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Shanty
Kick it on the patio with hipsters at this way-cool grunge bar, where you can play Donkey Kong, pool or Ping Pong between shots. Shanty is gay-friendly, but not gay per se. Sunday there's a bloody Mary bar, 10:00 to 14:00.
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Bistro Gardens
The food here is better than you typically find in Crescent City. They actually use sauces! The fish-heavy menu features seafood stew, grilled oysters and filet mignon. The ocean views are stellar. Come before sunset.
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Renata's Crèperie and Espresso
We love Renata. She formerly served crepes out of a truck, but finally has permanent digs, and her café is the new hot spot, with organic sweet and savory crepes, salads and coffee. All the cool cats hang here.
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Cafe Mokka
Bohos head to this cafe at Finnish Country Sauna & Tubs on weekends for mellow hearthside acoustic music - usually European folk. Other nights read international newspapers and join multilingual conversations.
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Madaket
Cruising the harbor aboard the blue-and-white 1910 Madaket is also fun. It departs from the foot of F St and the $10 sunset cocktail cruise serves from the smallest licensed bar in the state.
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Waterfront Cafe Oyster Bar & Grill
The Waterfront overlooks the bay from its casual vintage-Victorian dining room and serves steamed clams, fish and chips, oysters and chowder. Top spot for Sunday brunch, with jazz and Ramos fizzes.
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HSU Center Activities
From Tai Chi and African dance to backpacking and kayaking, HSU Center Activities sponsors myriad activities, workshops, outings, sporting-gear rentals and consignment sales; nonstudents welcome.
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O.H.'s Townhouse
Pick your own meat from the display case at Eureka's best steakhouse, which hasn't changed a whit since 1978 (think wood-veneer paneling). The mushy veggies are awful, but the steaks are delish.
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Daybreak Cafe
The veggie-heavy breakfasts are tasty, with omelets and burritos, but the blueberry cornmeal pancakes take the prize. At lunch there's turkey in some dishes, but the place is mostly vegetarian.
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