
This is the first in a series of sponsored posts about our trip to Mendocino county.
Little River Inn
I’m snug in a bed on the second floor of the Mallory House at Little River Inn just outside of the coastal town of Mendocino, CA. Looking across a dark meadow to the sea I drift to sleep listening to the rising and falling rush of the surf.
No it’s not a dream, but it feels like one, and looks like one too.
Even if you’ve never been to California, you’ve probably seen Mendocino with its impossibly quaint Victorian houses and steepled churches teetering on cliffs high above the ocean’s edge. It’s a town that looks more like an antique print of a New England fishing village than a famously mellow California artists’ community. Which may seem like a dichotomy of cultures, but it’s really not. You see, for many generations the area was considered the “lost coast” of California because it was accessible only by long and winding roads or the sea. The advantage of this sort of remoteness meant that the area could grow in a way that suited the fierce independence of the locals.
Which helps explain why Little River Inn is what modern day coastal Mendocino is all about. It offers a simple style of luxury that’s not at all pretentious. The “accommodations are elegant yet charming, luxurious but still cozy.” A combination that further highlights the unique, quirky charms of this part of California.
In fact we were greeted with a humble, but humorous note laid out on the bed that said:
“Need an extra pillow? No problem.
Need a llama? A little more difficult, but doable.”
I chuckled, but I also got the impression that the folks at Little River Inn were as serious about the service they provide as they were humorous.

Perched on the Pacific Ocean, Little River Inn is a classic coastal resort situated where Little River meets the Mendocino coast to form a sandy beach. It’s a beautiful little curve in California’s fabled coastline, perfectly aligned so that all the guest rooms at Little River Inn feature stunning ocean views.
Like most of Mendocino, Little River Inn has a storied pedigree. It’s one of the oldest lodgings on this dramatic stretch of the Northern California coastline. The Inn and the nearby village of gingerbread Victorians and Cape Cod-style homes were mostly built in the 1800s by the loggers and fishermen from Maine who settled the area. As there were no other neighbors to teach them what the “California style” was, they built their homes in the style that they were used to. That style has remained mostly intact thanks to the area’s remoteness.
Little River Inn itself was built in 1857 as a family residence by Silas Coombs. It has remained in the family ever since. The current innkeeper’s grandfather, Ole, turned that original building into an inn more than 80 years ago. It’s been added onto though the generations. Though it still sits on 225 wooded acres, the original dwelling is now accompanied by 65 ocean view rooms, a dining room and bar, the coast’s only golf course, a day spa, as well as a couple of off-site cottages like the one we stayed in at the clifftop, oceanfront Mallory House. Which (if I haven’t mentioned it) opens onto a stop-in-your-tracks view of the ocean and offshore rocks.

All of this makes Little River Inn the premier destination on this part of what locals call “The Coast”.
The amenities at Little River Inn are world-class, but we came for the dazzling views, the soothing sounds, and the natural wonders that are all around this sophisticated hotel. Which for us included a five-mile mushroom viewing hike though the Jug Handle State Natural Reserve. It’s an ecologically unique area. The hike includes a graceful ascent though three distinct plateaus: cliff-top meadow, coastal forest and giant redwoods. It culminates in one of the world’s only pygmy forests, a place where the compacted soil and lack of nutrients have created a natural oddity of dwarf trees. Some of these manzanitas, pine trees, and redwoods are hundreds of years old– though no taller than me.
For us, Little River Inn was our luxury reward after a sometimes harrowing drive on Highway 1 from the Golden Gate Bridge, along Tomales Bay, through roadside miles (and miles) of crashing surf. It can be a bit of a “white-knuckle” adventure. We hugged the wild, rugged shoreline in our little Prius as we snaked our way past gargantuan redwoods, surf-pounded cliffs and hidden valleys. All set to a soundtrack of oohhs and aahhs that could not be held back. Sure, it takes some nerve to brave the guardrail-free switchbacks, but the astounding scenery of worn cliffs, foaming ocean and empty beaches make the hairpin turns well worth the effort. You’ll love the time you spend at Little River Inn. GREG

I received accommodations and other expenses in order to bring the Mendocino Coast & Anderson Valley Wine to this blog. All opinions are my own.
Mendocino is one of my favorite places in California. Love the drive along the coast and always try to swing by Cafe Beaujolais. Thanks for reminding me of such a lovely place.
I have only been to Mendocino once and it was a really nice visit. I think it is worth a trip back, for sure.
Have been to Mendocino several times but never spent the night. Looks like an amazing place!
Greg this place sounds incredible, I want to pack my bags and go — like now. What a getaway from Los Angeles, it’s like a different world. And I need to go on that mushroom hike!
Guardrail free switchbacks? That’s my kind of road! This is absolutely beautiful, and definitely worth the harrowing drive to get there!
Nazneen
I’ve never been to Mendocino, but you’re right — I’ve definitely seen pictures of it. Looks like my kind of place. Sounds like the road there is both beautiful and scary. Not a bad combo, if you’re up for it! Great read — thanks.
Looks like an absolutely heavenly getaway Greg — it is sleeting here right now, so it looks especially tempting!
I am definitely putting a note about this beautiful spot in my California travel file.
The Central & Northern coast along PCH are just gorgeous, like a fairy tale. We love Cambria. I’d live there, if I could.
Never been to Mendocino and now I really want to go.
Such a great review, G.
Greg, I have imagined that area all my life as a place that would be ideal for me. So why have I never been there? That road. I’ve always said I can only *go* there when I’m ready to *move* there. Because I wouldn’t be able to get on that road again. If I did, all that wonderful relaxation I’d achieved would be undone in seconds!
There are easier (shorter) ways 1n. We just wanted to see that part of the coast. 101 to 128 isn’t that bad. GREG
This is a wonderful portrayal of Mendocino. Looking forward to visiting the area and staying at the Little River Inn. Thank you for bringing this region “alive” so vividly through “pen and paper”!
What an absolutely gorgeous place, and I hear you about that drive. It is something else. This sounds like the perfect place to go and recharge for the upcoming holiday crush. Thanks for the look inside.
What an idyllic place! Not sure if I can stomach the drive, but your writing makes it sound worthy of getting over my “vertigo!” Big plus — prices are reasonable given location and beauty!