Goat Rock Beach
Sandy beach right at the Russian River mouth, with picnic tables, restrooms, and a resident colony of harbor seals hauled out on the sand.
Beaches & Coastline
Blind Beach
Secluded cove at the end of a short trail, with dramatic rock formations and a small cliffside waterfall.
Shell Beach
Prime tidepooling and beachcombing along The Sea Ranch's coastal trail system.
Trails & Redwoods
Kortum Trail
Easy, cliffside 4.5-mile round trip between Wright's Beach and Blind Beach, with near-constant ocean views.
Pomo Canyon Trail
A 7-mile out-and-back following an ancient Pomo trading route through redwoods, oak woodland, and coastal prairie.
Jenner Headlands Preserve
5,630 acres of redwood and Douglas fir forest and coastal prairie above the Pacific — one of the largest preserves on this stretch of coast.
Wildlife & Whale Watching
Point Arena Lighthouse
Daily tower tours, plus periodic Full Moon Night Tours where you climb the tower after dark with a docent. One of the best whale-watching spots on the North Coast during the gray whale migration (late Nov–May).
Goat Rock Seal Colony
Harbor seals haul out year-round at the river mouth — pupping season (spring) draws the biggest crowds, so keep your distance.
Wine & Food
Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery
The only tasting room in the acclaimed Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, a mile from the ocean — pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinotage. Open daily, 10am–4:30pm.
Annapolis Winery
Family-owned since 1978, producing small-batch Sonoma Coast Cabernet Sauvignon — a rarity for this cool, foggy stretch of coast.
Local Culture
Gualala Arts Center
Nonprofit arts organization since 1961, with rotating exhibits, workshops, and the annual Art in the Redwoods Festival every August.
Fort Ross State Historic Park
Restored 19th-century Russian fur-trading settlement with coastal bluff trails, an annual living-history festival, and one of the most dramatic settings on the coast.