We love off-season travel because of the reduced crowds and bargain accommodation rates. Last winter we drove from San Francisco to the town of Mendocino to attend its annual Crab, Wine & Beer Days – a fun family experience – especially if you savor the taste of freshly cooked Dungeness crab.
Getting to Mendocino
Starting at San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge on Highway 101, the drive to Mendocino takes about three hours. The last half of the trip from Cloverdale along Highways 126 and 1 will take you back to a time when all rural California roads were scenic and fun to drive.
It was a beautiful day, and we zipped along 126 dashing between tree cover to sunshine, and constantly pointing out new exciting sightings in the ever changing panorama.
We arrived in Mendocino around 3pm and drove directly to the Brewery Gulch Inn just off picturesque highway 1. This highly recommended B&B would be our home for the coming event days.
Our Welcome
The appearance of wild turkeys next to the gravel parking lot was a nice touch, and a precursor to the unusual rustic luxuries we would find during our stay at the this AAA Four Diamond inn.
When we plan to write about a place we stay, we look for the little details that will help us define the property. In the case of the Brewery Gulch Inn there was an old wheel barrow near the inn's entrance, and a seen-better-days motor boat in the side of the parking lot.
Both these unusual accoutrements got us wondering about the inn's reputation for richness, but any misgivings on first appearances vanished upon entering the building and experiencing the homey reception and the elegant, designed for living Great Room.
We were greeted at check-in by owner/innkeeper Guy Pacurar. Guy purchased the inn in 2007 to fill a “Bob Newhart” B&B-owner fantasy. Guy is a congenial host and the go-to-guy for information about Mendocino and the Brewery Gulch Inn.
The Accommodations
The Great Room is the focal point of the Brewery Gulch Inn. At its center is a magnificent four-sided, steel-and-glass fireplace enshrined in a room of towering wood and 13-foot high redwood French doors.
The doors open to a spacious deck with sweeping views overlooking the ever-changing Pacific and Smuggler's Cove. This is an architectural design perfectly suited to its setting.
Add a measure of overstuffed leather chairs and 1930’s style oak dining tables, and you have the makings of the ideal gathering and dining room.
The Pelican Room
Climbing the stairs to our second floor guestroom, we noted the inn was much larger than we anticipated. You can choose from eleven sleeping rooms to suit your taste along with an unattached cottage.
All the rooms and suites elegantly avoid being trendy or too thematic. All are finely appointed with a warm touch of appropriate place and kind furnishings.
Time for Dinner
We had heard rave reviews about the inn’s complimentary evening “light” buffet. Don’t believe the “light” description. We enjoyed two great dinner meals at the inn’s casual buffet. Additionally, this every-evening event is carefully calibrated by the management to assure a sense of comfort and informality.
Served with a variety of wines, beers, and soft drinks, the inn’s nightly all-you-can-eat spread was more than enough for any evening meal, and it was delicious.
First Night's Menu
Tuscan ragout of beef in a deep tomato and roasted red pepper sauce
Tri-Color marble potatoes with horseradish sour cream
Crab cocktails with Meyer lemon slaw
Balsamic glazed, grilled endives
Grilled Japanese eggplant with sweet chili sauce
We finished off with a delectable cinnamon banana brioche bread pudding
So who needs to eat elsewhere!
Dreaming About Tomorrow
After a restful night on luxurious bed linens, and a delicious breakfast (more about that later), we headed out for our first adventure.
It was a crisp morning, and perfect for exploring the many sites of Mendocino. After walking around town and checking out the boutiques and shops, we headed for the Point Cabrillo Light Station.
Still working off our hearty breakfast, we were grateful for the opportunity to walk the half mile from the parking lot to the light station.
The clean salt air was brisk and the walk invigorating.
We chatted with the light station attendant in the museum/gift shop, and spent a good part of our sunny afternoon walking along the headlands and gazing out over the vast Pacific. On our day, we saw hundreds of whale spouts far off in the distance.
Returning to the inn just in time for some complimentary wine, we rested our weary feet by settling into two of the easy chairs on the inn’s deck overlooking Smuggler’s Cove.
Time passed quickly, and it was once again the hour for another of the inn’s extraordinary “light” buffets.
A perfect ending to a wonderful day.
The Following Morning
Light streamed through the tall glass windows illuminating the rich interior of the Great Room with its period oak tables and upholstered furniture.
The breakfast at the Brewery Gulch Inn is magnificent.
On this morning we had our choice of a crab-and-avocado omelet...
...or cheesy eggs, and blueberry pancakes – both of which were mouth-watering delicious. They also served “Millionaire’s Bacon,” a thick slice of lean bacon seasoned with hot peppers. Actually, not our cup of tea, but other guests raved about it.
After breakfast we headed for the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.
Even in winter, the Mendocino Gardens are worth a visit.
There are ample species of flowers to enjoy, and the trails to the ocean are a terrific way to pass a sunlit afternoon.
Be sure to take along your best buddies, because the gardens are pet-friendly.
It took us several minutes to walk to the ocean where we sat and once again watched the distant whales frolicking on their way to the warm waters of Mexico.
Time for Crab Tasting
Because these were Crab, Wine, and Beer Days, we were anxious to sample the best of what the local restaurants had to offer by way of crustacean delights. We decided to have dinner at a highly recommended establishment, the Little River Inn.
The Little River Inn is well known for excellent crab cakes, and we were in the mood. The Brewery Gulch inn and the Little River Inn are just a short distance apart.
Dining at The Little River Inn restaurant is comfortably elegant. The atmosphere and service were outstanding, and the menu was designed to reflect the location. We found the menu choices to be sophisticated, yet approachable.
We made our selections from the Crab Specials Menu prepared especially for the days of the event.
Our starter was a Dungeness crab cocktail with home-made cocktail sauce, celery, and crackers. There’s nothing quite like the delicate taste of chilled and fresh Dungeness crab to excite and delight the palate.
We next tried the inn’s award winning crab cakes. We can’t describe what makes these crab cakes best in class, but we can report that they were definitely some of the best crab cakes we have tasted anywhere in the world. If you go, do not miss this delicious delicacy!
Keeping with the symphony of flavors, our next foray into Crab Days was the Dungeness crab pot pie baked under a flaky crust and teeming with leeks, celery, onions, potatoes, and sweet peas. Exquisite!
Everything crab was topped off with an olallieberry cobbler...
...and a hot fudge sundae.
Having feasted to fatigue, it was back to the Brewery Gulch Inn for another night of snuggly slumber.
All Too Soon
We found the Brewery Gulch Inn to be an idyllic place for discriminating travelers, and we wish we could have stayed longer, but before we could say “more crab, please,” it was time to head for home.
There are so many interesting things to see and do in Mendocino that we are already looking forward to our next visit. Guy and wife Sarah have some super site recommendations; look here for their description of a perfect getaway to Mendocino and the Brewery Gulch Inn.
One of the activities they recommend is the 2.25-mile hike to Russian Gulch Falls. We did it, and it is spectacular. Be sure to put it on your list.
In 2016, the Mendocino Crab, Wine and Beer Days will be held on January 29 and 30.
For more information and reservations at the Brewery Gulch Inn click here. Book now, and avoid disappointment.
Happy travels!
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© Travels with Wayne and Judy Bayliff
Photos © Judy Bayliff
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