On visits to the northern California coast, you’ve probably noticed the cottage-type accommodations in seaside villages like Elk, Little River and Mendocino. They remind me of the motor courts my family used to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee or in the golden days of Daytona Beach, Florida (perhaps olden days is a better description).
However Sea Rock Inn, the Mendocino accommodations for our coastal California sports car road trip, takes cottage lodging to an entirely different level than I experienced as a child.
After a thrilling drive on Highway 1 north from Jenner, even more beautiful than the famous Big Sur portion of the coastal road in our opinion, we arrived in Mendocino to discover a coastal ringside seat At Sea Rock Inn, a member of Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of America. The suites and cottages, all with some type of balcony with ocean view, are perched on a hill overlooking the Pacific. In addition, Adirondack-style chairs, strategically placed on the property, offer a place to stop, sit a spell and observe the ocean crashing over rocks near the shore. What a setting for a romantic getaway!
Our suite provided more than enough room for the two of us. Alan, who is a bit of a purist, appreciated the wood-burning fireplace. It wasn’t long before he had the pre-set fire lit and the complementary half bottle of Hush Innkeeper’s Reserve 2008 Mendocino Chennin Blanc poured. We sat in red leather chairs, toasting the scenic drive on Highway 1 before I soaked my road-weary muscles in the bathroom’s large, jacuzzi tube. And, my favorite plush bathrobes from The Robe Works were hanging on a hook in the bedroom—a cream colored one for me and black one for Alan.
After a long day on the road, we snuggled under the Scandia comforter in the king-size four-poster bed. The sound of the ocean lulled us to sleep.
The staff greeted us by name when we arrived for breakfast the next morning. Served buffet style, our meal included quiche, homemade muffins or scones, fruit, cereal, coffee and juice. The ocean view from the breakfast room windows was an added bonus.
From Sea Rock Inn, it’s an easy walk to Mendocino Headlands State Park where trails skirt the bluff satisfying the most active baby boomer. Are you an artist or boomer photographer? You’ll find plenty of dramatic scenery to inspire creativity. Walk a bit further and you’ll come to the town of Mendocino. The New England-style shops, businesses and Victorian homes were the setting for the TV series, Murder, She Wrote
.
Linda and Barbara from the Sea Rock Inn staff are knowledgeable about the Mendocino area, offering advice on activities, shopping or dining. After delicious meals at Mendocino Café and Café Beaujolais, we were happy to have followed their advice.
But don’t spend all of your time touring. With comfortably designed accommodations, every convenience imaginable including free wi-fi, hang out in your room or on the lawn at Sea Rock Inn. Grab a muffin and hot cup of coffee from the reception area. Claim your chair with a view and recharge your boomer battery.
Disclosure: This travel experience was provided by Sea Rock Inn and Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of America.
