4 Perfect Days in Eureka and Redwood National Forest
Redwood National and State Parks—where the trees are like skyscrapers, but instead of steel and glass, they’re made of ancient wood and mossy secrets. Picture yourself standing under these colossal coastal redwoods, their trunks gnarled and wise, as if they’ve seen it all. Beyond the trees, there’s a whole green universe: prairies stretching out, oak woodlands whispering stories, and rivers doing their meandering dance. Wake up early, catch the sunrise among these gentle giants, and follow the winding trails—the forest will tell you its secrets if you listen closely. So, welcome to Redwood National and State Parks, where time slows down, and nature’s heartbeat is louder than any city noise.
Eureka and many of its surrounding sister cities, nestled along the rugged North Coast of California, are places where time seems to waltz with history. Their streets, adorned with Victorian houses, tell tales of bygone eras—of lace-trimmed windows, gingerbread trim, and secrets whispered through ornate ironwork.
In Eureka, you find Carson Mansion, a grand dame of Gothic Revival splendor. Its turrets reach for the sky, as if yearning to touch the clouds. Stroll through the Old Town Historic District, where cobblestone streets lead you past storefronts with creaky wooden floors. Each building whispers stories: the apothecary that once brewed elixirs for lovesick souls, the haberdashery where bowler hats were sold to dapper gentlemen, and the corner bakery that perfumed the air with warm cinnamon. And those wraparound porches! They cradle rocking chairs, where old-timers sip sweet tea and reminisce about the days when horse-drawn carriages clip-clopped along these very lanes. Ivy creeps up walls, and roses spill from wrought-iron fences, creating a tapestry of blooms against the fog-kissed sky.
This trip is best for late spring to early Fall as Humboldt Bay, where Eureka and Redwood National Forest are, are quite wet in spring and fall. A lot of access roads could also still be closed during the winter.
This itinerary assumes the trip to start from San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a different starting point, please adjust Day 1 and Day 4 accordingly.
Day 1: Going Through and Along with The Giants
Redwood trees are giants among trees, so it's little surprise that people from older era where preservation is not really on top of their mind would think of carving this giant so that they can drive through it. Well, damage has been done, and there are only 3 remaining drive-through redwood trees in California. Since it's there, you might as well enjoy it.
Route: San Francisco - Chandelier Drive Through Tree in Leggett- Avenue of The Giants - Victorian Village in Ferndale - Fortuna
Approximate distance: 276 miles
Estimated travel time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Suggested food option: Jyun Kang Vegetarian Restaurant in CTTB Ukiah for lunch.
More information about the stops:
Chandelier Drive Through Tree, Avenue of The Giants, Victorian Village of Ferndale, Fortuna, Jyun Kang Restaurant at CTTB Ukiah
Day 2: Redwood National and State Park
The itinerary for day 2 is rather fluid because it is driven by how much time you spend walking and hiking the trails in Redwood National Park. If you have to have between one to two hours to spare before your dinner time, you could consider throwing in a visit to one of the lighthouses or Moonstone Beach or both.
Route: Fortuna - Trees of Mystery in Klamath - Fern Canyon Trail - Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail - [Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse] - [Moonstone Beach] - Fortuna
Approximate distance: 196 miles. Removing the lighthouse and beach will not change the distance meaningfully.
Estimated travel time: 4 hours 35 minutes. Removing the lighthouse and beach will not change the distance meaningfully.
Suggested food option: Forest Cafe at Trees of Mystery for lunch.
Map: Fortuna to Redwood National Park
More information about the stops:
Trees of Mystery in Klamath, Fern Canyon Loop Trail, Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail, Top 10 to see in Redwood National Forest, Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse, Moonstone Beach in Trinidad
Day 3: Eureka and Vichy Springs in Ukiah
If you cannot make it to Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse and Moonstone beach the day before, you could consider going to both places today or you could choose to spend more time enjoying Eureka Old Town and its beautiful Victorian houses and buildings. Just to ensure that you have a relaxing time and won't feel like you need another vacation after this vacation, we also start driving back towards San Francisco to a city called Ukiah, where you can soak in naturally bubbly hot spring water at Vichy Springs in Ukiah.
Route: Fortuna - [Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse] - [Moonstone Beach] - Eureka Old Town (including Carson Mansion and Pinc Lady) - Vichy Springs - Ukiah
Approximate distance: 231 miles or 185 miles
Estimated travel time: 4 hours 25 minutes with lighthouse and beach. 3 hours and 30 minutes without lighthouse and beach.
Suggested food option: Any of the fine restaurants in Redding.
Map: Fortuna to Ukiah with lighthouse and beach, Fortuna to Ukiah without lighthouse and beach
More information about the stops:
Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse, Moonstone Beach in Trinidad, Eureka, Vichy Springs in Ukiah
Day 4: Ukiah to San Francisco via Wine Trail
Route: Ukiah - Terra Sávia Organic Winery & Olive Mill in Hopland - Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville - [Marin French Cheese Co.] - San Francisco
Approximate distance: 125 miles
Estimated travel time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Suggested food option: Rustic in Coppola Winery.
More information about the stops:
Terra Sávia Organic Winery & Olive Mill, Coppola Winery in Geyserville, Marin French Cheese Co, Rustic
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