Northern California's Underrated Beach Community Boasts Kayaking, Hiking, And Delightful Inns

Less than 10 minutes south of Mendocino, a New England-style beach town, is the small beach community of Little River, situated on the bluffs above where the river that gives the town its name meets the Pacific. The town was first built up in the 1860s as the timber industry in the area boomed, but by the 1890s, the boom had collapsed. Today, Little River has a population of fewer than 150, but it has plenty of charm with picturesque inns, incredible views from the hiking trail, fun paddling and water opportunities, and an atmosphere where you can really relax.

Along with its small size, a big part of what makes Little River such an ideal spot to get away from it all is its relative remoteness. It's about three hours from San Francisco if you take the inland route, and if you're exploring California's striking coast with a classic Highway 1 road trip, it takes about another hour or so. No matter which way you go, you'll encounter some winding roads, with Highway 1 as the biggest culprit, but it will be well worth the trip.

One can't-miss spot in Little River is Van Damme State Park with its unique pygmy forest. There are plenty of hiking trails, including a short one where you can walk through the forest canopy of trees that are hundreds of years old but less than 10 feet tall; their regular-sized cousins can grow upwards of 100 feet tall. Most notably, you can hike for miles along the river through a full-sized forest in the aptly named Fern Canyon. And, of course, what is a visit to a California coastal getaway without a walk along the beach? The beach at Van Damme is short — just a half mile long — but it's still plenty beautiful.

If you want to get out on the water in the Little River area, you're spoiled for choice with both ocean and river kayaking available. You can take a guided tour with Kayak Mendocino out to the sea caves just off the coast. For more paddling in the area, Big River is just 3 miles north of Little River. You can rent a custom redwood outrigger canoe from Catch a Canoe & Bicycles Too at the Stanford Inn & Resort to explore the river; you might spot river otters and harbor seals as you go. And just a few miles south is the Albion River, another idyllic paddle destination. You can also go under the water: Little River's a great area for scuba divers, especially for beginners, since the beach entry is easy and the waters are generally calm.

In late winter and through spring, Little River is an ideal location to look for gray whales from shore. They make their way an astounding 14,000 miles along the coast from the south where they gave birth, in places like Baja California Sur's Loreto Bay National Marine Park, up to the Bering Sea and parts of Alaska. There's a Whale Festival each March that celebrates the whales, with a number of Mendocino County locations participating, including Little River.

One perfect place to try and spot whales is from Ole's Whale Watch Bar in the Little River Inn. The seating along the bar gives you a perfect view of the Pacific as you look for the telltale spouts that gray whales are passing by, and it's also a fantastic place to watch the sunset. This family-owned inn dates back to the 1800s, and it's reportedly been visited by some Hollywood celebs over the years including Ted Danson and James Dean; Dean was filming "East of Eden" in the area, and he got in trouble for using a table as a foot rest. Today, you can book the room he stayed in by requesting room 102. Along with the James Dean room, there are 64 other unique rooms, some with ocean views, Jacuzzi tubs, and wood-burning fireplaces. The inn also has a nine-hole golf course, a restaurant, a small spa, lighted tennis courts, and, unexpectedly but delightfully, a yarn shop.

Little River Inn is just one of the area's delightful small inns and bed and breakfasts. Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa, overlooking Smuggler's Cove, is a tranquil spot with just 11 rooms. You can relax and read or play games next to the fireplace in the Great Room or watch birds out on the patio. The food is all about farm to table, and there are regular wellness activities like sound baths, yoga, and forest bathing.

The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek is another popular spot, with buildings that also date back to the 1800s; it first became an inn in the 1930s, making it one of the oldest along this stretch of the coast. The 17 guest rooms include private cottages, some of which have their own private hot tub.