Mendocino, the Town Hollywood Loves by Susan Miles

My motivation to travel is to see firsthand those places I have read extensively about or heard glowing descriptions of from my fellow travelers. But as a self-confessed film buff, I get just as much of a kick out of visiting a picturesque location that has been the backdrop to one of my favorite movies.

On a recent trip to Northern California, I was thrilled to find a quaint little seaside town that has been featured in many Hollywood gems over the years.

Approximately 160 miles north of San Francisco is the coastal town of Mendocino. The town was originally established in the mid-19th Century by New England loggers and looks like it belongs on the East Coast rather in Northern California. Its beautifully preserved Victorian homes and buildings has seen the entire town added to the National Register of Historic Places. This may help explain the ongoing love affair Hollywood has had with this town, using it as a backdrop for countless movies and television shows.

Visitors can meander down the shore facing Main Street, enjoying the many and varied art galleries and studios that populate this thriving artist's mecca. Whether you enjoy oil-painted seascapes of the California coast, stunning photography from the four corners of the globe, unusual sculpture, even handcrafted leather goods and elegant silver jewelry, there is something to catch your eye. Even is you don't fancy yourself a gallery-goer, I can guarantee you will enjoy wandering from one gallery storefront to the next.

If you have feelings of "déjà vu" while enjoying your stroll around town, don't be surprised. These streets were featured in the 1982 movie "Dying Young," starring Julia Roberts.

Strolling further from Main Street, stop first at the Ford House, which acts as the town's visitor's center, for a walking map of the various historical homes in town. Besides providing insight to the families who settled this town, for your "Hollywood Hit," the map points out the house that featured as Jessica Fletcher's Cape Cod cottage in the television series, "Murder She Wrote."

When it's time to leave Mendocino, 4 miles north is the Point Cabrillo Light Station and Preserve. The Light Station and surrounding houses were featured in the recent Jim Carrey film, "The Majestic." The Light Station is approximately a half-mile walk from the preserve's carpark on Point Cabrillo drive (accessible via the Russian Gulch State Park, entrance 2, left off Highway 1). The preserve offers gentle coastal line trails both north and south, and is a peaceful and tranquil setting to take in the magnificent views of the Northern California coast.

If looking for an action packed resort town, Mendocino is not your town. However, if you enjoy art, Victorian architecture, local history, picturesque coastal walks and just a hint of Hollywood, this is the holiday destination for you. Sidebar Details:- * * For accommodation, it is worth the eleven-mile journey further north to the town of Fort Bragg. Here you will have a wide choice of motels, hotels and inns to select from, with everything from a budget Motel 8 to a "room with a view" at the Best Western just north of town.

* Best Hint for your visit - If you are in town around midday on a Friday, don't forget to check out the weekly farmers market. Amongst the fresh produce of the region you will also find on offer, goats milk soap and delicious fruit flavored honey straws.