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A grove of old growth redwood trees.

Fort Bragg

California

Current Location

Our Visit

September 2026

Area population

6,982

Elevation

85 feet

County

Mendocino County

Fort Bragg's coastal location and proximity to beautiful outdoor spaces attracts some tourism but it's fairly isolated and the town seems to be pretty self-sufficient and keep themselves busy and entertained. There is regularly live music at restaurants, not big productions just one or two people with a mic and guitar providing ambiance.

Photo Albums

September 1, 2026

Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park

Around the corner from where we are staying, right in the middle of town, is a seven acre watershed with rough cut trails running through a redwood forest. It feels like stepping into a jungle.

September 3, 2026

Glass Beach

Glass Beach always pops up as a "must see" when you goggle Fort Bragg. The beach was originally an industrial waste site and over time the ocean smoothed the glass shards into sparkly pebbles. It seems to have been picked over despite the sign requesting nothing be removed from the beach so it certainly doesn't look like the pictures I saw online. But the former glass dump is just a small part of the beautiful craggy coastline of Glass Beach.

September 5, 2026

Northwood Golf Course

Northwood is a nine hole course outlined by redwoods and tucked into a loop of the Russian River about 30 minutes west of Santa Rosa. The course was designed by Alister MacKenzie in 1928 who later designed the course in Augusta where the Masters are played each year.

September 18, 2026

Noyo Headlands Trail

The Mendocino Land Trust is a non-profit that secures coastal land easements for conservation and public access. Their coastal trails program helped the city of Fort Bragg open the Noyo Headlands paved pedestrian path along the coast on land previously owned by private lumber mills. It's a two-thumbs-up running spot.

September 10, 2026

A Few Other Random Pics

Some odds and ends.

Our Thumbs Up List

  • In true small town fashion, Drop In Donut (opens in new tab) is only open a few days a week and close once they sell all their donuts for the day. But on Friday evenings they reopen and sell hand-dipped corn dogs. Yes, I absolutely had a donut and a corn dog for dinner last week.
  • The weekly Farmers Market (opens in new tab) has a delightful selection of fruits and veggies, flowers, breads, preserves, and much more with a live musician to set the mood while you peruse.
  • La Palapa (opens in new tab) has delicious $2 tacos on Tuesdays.
  • Tall Guy Brewing (opens in new tab) has pretty good beer and rotating popup kitchens. Renegades of Pho is in house on Sundays and Mondays and is simply outstanding!

How to Speak Like a Local

  • Coast Redwood: Coast redwoods are the tallest trees in the world. They grow quickly and typically reach heights of 200 to 300 feet. Hyperion, the tallest tree in the world, is a coastal redwood measured at 380 feet. The coastal species rely on ocean fog that keep them continually damp, even during summer droughts.