The southern coast of Mendocino is known as "the Redwood Coast". Come for the rugged beauty, majestic redwoods, quiet wilderness, crashing waves and meandering river. Stay for the inviting inns, historic landmarks, delectable dining,
distinctive art and eclectic shops, served with a slice of rural country life!
Interesting Fact: Bowling Ball Beach is truly unique and best viewed at low tide.
Fun Things to See and Do on the South Coast
Gualala Art Center
Local community arts organization, located in Gualala, CA, dedicated to promoting public access and participation in the arts since 1961. You'll find art exhibits, workshops & classes, classical & popular music performances, theater and much more.
Pt. Arena Lighthouse
Open for public tours, the museum is located in the Fog Signal Building, includes displays of historical equipment and pictures, Coast Guard and ship wreck artifacts and charts, geographical maps and information on the area, and examples of local plants, birds, and whales.
Ross Ranch Horse Riding - South of Mendocino
Go for a private horse back ride on spectacular Manchester Beach. Enjoy miles of unspoiled sand and surf as rocks, driftwood, creeks, birds and seastacks dot this vast expanse of beautiful sandy beach.
Manchester State Park Campground
760 acres of beach, sand dunes, and flat grasslands, with nearly 18,000 feet of ocean frontage. The beach line curves gently to form a "catch basin" for sea debris, which accounts for the volume of driftwood found here. Five miles of gentle, sandy beach stretches southward towards the Point Arena Lighthouse..
B Bryan Wildlife Preserve
Located in Point Arena, their endangered animals range from various species of zebra, and antelope to giraffes. It's not a petting zoo, but a private preserve caring for endangered African animals roaming free in their large open fields.
Tour Reservations Required
Greenwood Museum Visitor Center
The central theme of the visitor center is of Greenwood as a lumber town in the late 1800's through the early 1900's. Entering the visitor center you will see a mural depicting the Greenwood wharf which was built by the L.E. White Lumber Company. Open March - Oct. Sat and Sun. 11:00-1:00
Point Arena Stornetta
California Coastal National Monument
This unique and spectacular area includes access to 12 coastal miles of coastal bluffs, sandy beaches and dunes, the estuary of the Garcia River, and adjacent small islands accessible during low tide.
Schooner Gulch & Bowling Ball Beach
Sunset watching, fishing, picnicking and surfing are popular activities here. A small parking area with two trailheads is on the west side of the highway. The southern trail leads to Schooner Gulch Beach and the northern trail provides access to Bowling Ball Beach.
Sea Ranch Golf Course
One of the most highly regarded golf experiences in California. Designed by Robert Muir Graves, the course has been widely acclaimed for the manner in which it has been blended into the existing landscape and was one of the first Scottish Style links built in the Western United States.
Manchester
760 acres of beach, sand dunes, and flat grasslands, with nearly 18,000 feet of ocean frontage. The beach line curves gently to form a "catch basin" which collects a lot of driftwood. Five miles of gentle, sandy beach stretches southward towards the Point Arena Lighthouse.
Point Arena Pier
At the right time of the year it is one of the best fishing piers in the state. And, throughout the year it is the best pier to fish if you want to catch rocky-area species like striped seaperch, lingcod, kelp greenling, rock greenling and cabezon and a fair pier to catch salmon.
Cuffy's Cove
At the north end of Elk, historic Druid and Catholic cemeteries pay homage to this once prospering town. The first farms and sawmill were established here before Mendocino was even settled. This peaceful bluff is a befitting final resting place for the brave pioneers who tamed this wild coast.
Arena Theater
1928-vintage vaudeville theater and film palace was restored in 1995 to an Art Deco style, state-of-the-art entertainment venue bringing live performance art to the stage of this Mendocino Coast venue. Arena Cinema offers popular first run movies on nights without live shows.
