Looked good on the internet, and probably is good if you're a fisherman with a boat and a huge-ass RV as big as a mobile home.
really cool little spot, right at the intersection of 101 and 199. It's 5 minutes outside Crescent City, but is whole different reason. $15 to camp in the redwoods!
Making their way back to the Bay Area. A nice house on a busy street walking distance from user-friendly downtown Petaluma.
Pretty big campground as these State Beaches go. There is another smaller campground over near the beach. There is a road straight to the beach that doesn't pass the Ranger kiosk, so you can use the beach w/o paying park fees. A mere 2.5 miles north of Fort Bragg.
next to the site of Reggae on the River, on the Eel River. Priceym because it's a Cali State CG, but very pleasant
Very cool state park a little south of Fort Bragg. There's a waterfall two miles up the canyon, something called Devils Punchbowl on the rocky shore, and lots of other hikes in between.
I came here 15 years ago with abalone-diving City friends. I'm not even sure that's a thing any more. Anyway, the campground is still here and it's still awesome. They have spots available when no one else does, and it's the simplest check-in ever: Pay them ($5 off for cash!), they give you a receipt for your windshield and tell you to park at any picnic table/fire ring that's not occupied. The rest of the world seems to get more complicated and bureaucratic, but this is the easiest damn check-in I've ever experienced. Checkout 2pm. Ocean Cove Bar and Grille is a sweaty uphill 3/4 mile walk away. Basic bar food, but great view of the ocean and campground.
A convenient, quiet place in the forest on the road from Willets to Fort Bragg. It was free when I stayed three years ago, costs something now.
A big shadeless rectangle of land on the top of a bluff overlooking the Pacific. The southernmost of three campgrounds at Westport Union Landing State Beach.
One of the cheaper motels in town, and for good reason! The room itself is nice. Motel 6 is (IMO), kind of the Target of motel chains in that it offers quite a bit more style than it's competitors. There's a bar/restaurant on the lot that's very handy. Just pack up in the morning and walk to breakfast.
On the edge of downtown Eureka. Across the street from the wonderful Humboldt County Library, in sight of the famous Carson Mansion, 200 yards from the Donut Mill (eek!). A rambling, beautiful old house. Wood-paneled dining room, high ceilings, old-school push button light switches. Kinda sketchy neighborhood though. The sidewalks look good in the daytime, but after dark they're owned by Eureka's uniquely aggro and insane-ish street people.
Right across the highway from the Trees of Mystery, a few miles north of Leggett. On the map it looks like it's right on the Eel River, but it's on the bluffs, quite disconnected from the river, which is a dusty, steep hike mile long hike down the hill. Full-featured family campground. Swimming pool, big play area, decent regulation basketball hoop. There's a bar and a little restaurant, a lovely shaded patio and bocce ball. Happy hour 3-6 every day!
The other grandparent's house, in lovely, user-friendly downtown San Rafael. It's very handy for Martha's business and they seem to always host family functions, so I end up here quite a lot.
Right in downtown Crescent City. The main harbor pier 2 blocks south, lighthouse and beach houses a mile or so north. Park near the wifi tower and you're good!
Indian casino in the redwoods, down a winding coastal road from the ever so cool town of Trinidad. It's just a place to park in a parking lot on top of the hill, but it's pretty cool!
Where the family now is. A little one bedroom on a corner with a nice bug side yard, perfect for playing ball with Tyler.
Pleasant campground a few hundred yards uphill from Lake Almanor, restaurant/bar within walking distance.
They moved from a tiny one bedroom on a busy corner to a more spacious two bedroom on a quiet cul de sac in a better neighborhood. Even better, there is an upstairs where I can: 1. sleep, 2. barricade the top of the stairs so the cat can't sleep with me. So woo!
This place is super user-friendly. There is an RV parking area at the back of the lot, and another across the road behind the reservation gas station. The second one is more level but seemed a little sketchy. I am going for the first. Glad to be here! Wifi was dead for most of the evening, but when it came back it was pretty good. There are a couple of stations in the casino with free coffee and even a cappuccino machine! You can hear the surf at night when the traffic is gone. The ocean is right across the highway, complete with a bench on the bluffs to watch sunset. Sweet little fountain with colored lights to entertain your inner stoner. Nice, friendly place.
In the harbor area. You can see it far below you from 101 in the east side of the bridge over the Noyes River. The "office" is the cashier on the second floor of Silver's at The Wharf across the parking lot. It's also great place to return to for a sunset beer. Very user-friendly place. Upstairs rooms are $10 cheaper, but they were full.