United States California Mendocino

Sweetwater Inn and Spa

Sweetwater Inn and Spa Guides

  • 4 Nights & 5 Days in the Emerald Triangle: Cannabis Places of Source

    thecannabistrail (The Cannabis Trail )
    <p>A journey through the heart of California’s counterculture and legacy cannabis communities that offers a great introduction to the Emerald Triangle.</p><p>○ Day 1:</p><p>■ Heading north from Santa Rosa to Ukiah, grab some coffee at Black Oak</p><p>Roasters and head to Plantshop, a unique cannabis shop with a gorgeous</p><p>outdoor lounge and event space and a selection focused on local</p><p>sungrown flowers and a Cannabis Trail landmark honoring the Back to the</p><p>Land movement and intentional communities. Grab lunch in Ukiah.</p><p>■ Take Highway 253 on the South end of town over the hill to the beautiful</p><p>Anderson Valley. Hang a right on 128 and in nearby Philo you’ll come to</p><p>The Madrones, an inn with a Mediterranean elegance that will transport</p><p>you to Europe, with an onsite restaurant and boutique cannabis shop.</p><p>Take time to explore the unique varieties of cannabis at The Bohemian</p><p>Chemist (another Cannabis Trail landmark) and relax on their outdoor</p><p>patio, then you’ll be primed and hungry for dinner at Wickson Restaurant.</p><p>○ Day 2:</p><p>■ After enjoying your morning coffee, pack some snacks and head to Hendy</p><p>Woods State Park to enjoy an easy hike and some forest bathing in an old</p><p>growth redwood grove.</p><p>■ Head west on 128, driving through the redwoods towards the coast. Take</p><p>it slow on these windy roads to safely enjoy the view. Just before you</p><p>reach Mendocino, turn left at Brewery Gulch Road and park at the pullout,</p><p>then walk out to the bluffs at the Mendocino Bay Viewpoint for a</p><p>sweeping view of the village and Big River Beach.</p><p>■ Once in Mendocino, check in to the MacCallum House and ask about their</p><p>“Everything but the Bud” cannabis-themed goodie basket complete with</p><p>papers, a grinder, and munchie snacks. Walk over to the adorable Sol de</p><p>Mendocino cannabis shop where you can discover the pioneering</p><p>activism work of Pebbles Trippet on the Cannabis Trail Landmark signs.</p><p>Pick up the “bud”, or other cannabis beverages or goodies to complete</p><p>your basket.</p><p>■ Enjoy dinner at Luna for authentic Italian food and warm atmosphere, and</p><p>book a soak at the nearby Sweetwater Spa or take a stroll through the</p><p>charming village. Sunset out at the Headlands is a local favorite as well.</p><p>○ Day 3:</p><p>■ Enjoy breakfast on the patio at Good Life before heading north to Fort</p><p>Bragg. Enjoy the famous Glass Beach at the north end of town, where you</p><p>can continue your walk for as long as you like along the Fort Bragg</p><p>Coastal Trail.</p><p>■ After your walk, grab some lunch and check out your options for getting</p><p>back to 101: north along the Lost Coast to Leggett on Highway 1, or east</p><p>to Willits on Highway 20 - both are pretty windy so take it slow.</p><p>■ Grab lunch along the way in Garberville and be sure to stop by the</p><p>Southern Humboldt Visitors Center to learn more about the first hemp</p><p>store, Hemp Connection, and the work of Marie Mills at their Cannabis</p><p>Trail landmark.</p><p>■ The redwoods get bigger as you go further north along the 101, and you’ll</p><p>have lots of opportunities to stop and see them. Take a slight detour off</p><p>the highway and explore the Avenue of the Giants for a close up look at</p><p>the majestic trees and plenty of opportunities to pull over and hug one.</p><p>Keep an eye out, this is BigFoot country!</p><p>■ Work up an appetite in the woods? As you head north, stop in Fortuna for</p><p>lunch at Eel River Brewing, the first certified organic brewery.</p><p>■ Check into your hotel in Eureka or Arcata - both towns offer gorgeous</p><p>historical architecture, adorable cafes and restaurants, and a great</p><p>selection of wellness and outdoor activities.</p><p>● Day 4:</p><p>○ Grab some breakfast and head to Humboldt Cannabis Tours to hop on the</p><p>van and explore Humboldt’s legacy farms, nurseries, or cannabis shops</p><p>and lounges. You’ll want to book your tour ahead of time so the team can</p><p>plan the perfect experience for you. While you’re at the tour depot, a</p><p>landmark on The Cannabis Trail, you can learn about the work of Douglas</p><p>Fir and Lawrence Ringo in Humboldt County.</p><p>○ If possible, ask Matt at Humboldt Cannabis Tours to take you to the</p><p>beautiful Huckleberry Hill Farms, which was the first landmark to be</p><p>named on The Cannabis Trail. Johnny Casali’s story of resilience and</p><p>community is a tear-jerker, very moving.</p><p>○ Once you arrive back from your amazing tour, grab dinner at one of the</p><p>many delicious restaurants in Eureka such as Tavern 1888, and head back</p><p>down the 101 south to Benbow Inn which is also a great spot for dinner.</p><p>● Day 5:</p><p>○ The historic Benbow Inn has an onsite restaurant and a big patio opening</p><p>up to the Eel River which is a great place to enjoy your morning coffee and</p><p>cannabis ritual.</p><p>○ Heading south, stop to explore Richardson Grove, a beautiful redwood</p><p>park that straddles Highway 101 that has been a battleground for</p><p>environmental conservation after attempts to widen the highway.</p>