Things to do for lovers in Mendocino
Watch the Sunset over the Pacific
If you want to see the sun go down from the comfort of the indoors, with a drink in hand, I’d recommend the bar at The Ledford House. It is so bright, the locals bring sunglasses to wear so they can enjoy the view. If you want to bundle up and brave the winds, find a perch in the Mendocino Headlands where you can see the sun touch the horizon and disappear from a rock jutting out into the sea. The rough blue and white water below puts on a dramatic and memorable show with six foot plumes of ocean spray arise as the waves batter the rocky cliffs. You can take it easy and catch the sunset beachside in front of a bonfire, whether that be Big River Beach, Westport Beach, Jughandle or Van Damme.
Write Your Names in the Sand
Far nicer than carving initials into an unsuspecting tree, writing your names in the sand is harmless, easy and equally picturesque. Driftwood sticks can be found at most beaches and serve as shore pens for your ease of use. I personally love the privacy more often found at the quieter beaches, such as Portuguese beach, Navarro Beach, and Westport Beach, but the sand and the sticks are ready for your engraving at all the popular spots as well.
The song “If I could” by Storyhill might be one of the most romantic songs ever written. “And with a stick I write your name on the shifting shore
And then you write mine next to yours. And if I could I would write your name on every grain of sand on every shore.”
Hide and Seek Love Notes
Placed under a pillow, in a bed of flowers, or in a glove compartment, a love note can delight through both the message and the method of delivery. Who doesn’t like a romantic surprise? In my experience, the people who wait tables at the local restaurants on the Mendocino Coast and help care for gardens are more than happy to play cupid and deliver or conspicuously hide a love note at request. If not for love of many kinds, daily life begins to pale.
A friend met a handsome stranger from overseas at a party and sparks flew. Whilst courting her, he often said, “There are ten things I like about you. I like your eyes, your hair, your smile… the rest I tell you later.” The humor in this story is in both the grandiosity and the glaring lack of specifics or follow-through. (He repeated the first three often and she never got to hear the last seven). Some might argue romance gestures are often grand. Afterall, every romantic comedy follows the same trajectory, where the suitor offers more and more public and brazen declarations of affection until it culminates in a public ceremony declaring that the couple loves and chooses one another, usually in the form of a wedding.
All the same, the most memorable compliments are often for very specific things – small things, quiet qualities we possess, honorable actions in private moments.
A love note can be inspiring and reignite passion. For those of us who aren’t writers, scrawling out the lines of a love poem that speaks to us in our own handwriting on a card can elicit much.
“Such aching mystery hides,
in your stardust-glimmer eyes.”
John Mark Green
Soak at Orr Hot Springs
A unique hot spring, Orr’s many hot pools vary in temperature and layout, but the truly rare aspect is the creek running beside them. There’s a higher deck built up in the middle of the main pools with two clawfoot bathtubs a few feet apart from eachother. It is absolutely novel, wonderfully weird, and so very romantic to each be in your own bathtub, gazing up at the stars, the sound of the creek in the background, trees all around. I’ll never forget the image of my lover’s profile, head resting back to look up at the celestial bodies, feet sticking out over the bathtub’s edge. The night time lighting is warm and just dim enough to preserve a sense of modesty, but bright enough to light your way.
Meander toward the Lighthouse
Some might say the essence of romance is defined by a lack of hurry. There’s nothing as timeless as a lighthouse or a leisurely stroll. Having lived on country property, grown some food, chopped wood, etc… I’m hard-pressed to think times were easier in decades gone by. Perhaps things were simpler then, with less noise and buzz of the information age, but the work of daily life has always kept a certain clip.
A walk to the lighthouse seems to slow down the outside world. It reminds us of the ocean tides that follow the wane and wax of the moon, the solidity of the shore that has literally withstood centuries, the generations past that stood in this very spot. There are two famous lighthouses on the coast, both worth a visit: Point Arena Lighthouse and Point Cabrillo Lighthouse. As far as the romance of the place, it’s cold enough to cuddle, that’s for sure 🙂
Row a boat upriver
There are kayak and canoe rentals locally and some hotels provide floating devices as part of your stay. Call it antiquated but most of us might like to either row or be rowed. The slow pace of the river, the cool blue-green water, the trees that bend down toward the water seem to be their own escape. What is romance if not an escape from drudgery and endless to do’s?
Taste Wine in Anderson Valley
For those who enjoy a glass of wine, the adventure of wine tasting can be an absolute treat in Anderson Valley. There’s nothing quite like getting giggly over a glass of your favorite blend. Inhibitions can wane and some find it easier to relax and let your guard down. A few favorite local wineries that are worth a visit: toulousevineyards.com, roedererestate.com, pennyroyalfarm.com, goldeneyewinery.com, and navarrowine.com. Make a day of it and take a wine tour or relax and curl up in front of the fire at one of the local vacation rentals or hotels.
Take a Cannabis Tour
The emerald trail brings many to Mendocino County. Wine tours have been running for ages, and now with the legalization of cannabis, times have ushered in the cannabis tour. I can’t speak to the romantic aspect of this particular activity, but it is always fun to do something new and noteworthy together. The guides can be funny and entertaining, and walking around on a farm and through the Redwoods is fun! www.mendoexperience.com, emeraldfarmtours.com, and mendocoastcannatours.com are a few well known operators.
Park at a Lookout
We all remember the car parked at an overlook scene in every movie from 1970-1990 and it always means one thing: make-out time. Be the star in your own romantic comedy, but with no slapstick pratfalls or overdone makeup. There are a ton of overlook spots on Highway 1. If you want to go on a long drive and seek out valley views, you can try Greenwood Philo Road, Comptche Ukiah Road, or neighborhoods on the west side of highway one in the towns along the coast, including Mendocino and Fort Bragg. For the record, the view from the gas station/post office in Little River, CA is stunning.
