MANCHESTER STATE BEACH
Located just three miles north along Highway One, Manchester State Beach offers five miles of sandy solitude. It is bordered to the north by Alder Creek, where the San Andreas Fault Line runs into the sea, and to the south by the Garcia River.
BOWLING BALL BEACH
Just south of the Point Arena Lighthouse is a stretch of beach that features prehistoric boulders that have been finely ground down over the millennia, into perfectly smooth spherical shapes. The display is especially magnificent at low tide.
The geology of the area is unique, and gives visitors the opportunity to view examples of significant bluff erosion, earth strata, and fossils that date back to the Miocene period, 5 to 7 million years old!
CITY OF POINT ARENA AND HISTORIC WHARF
Point Arena, one of California’s smallest cities, is distinguished as a state historical district on the meandering Shoreline Highway One in southern Mendocino County. From the forested slopes of the coastal ridge to the sea spray meadows along the Pacific Ocean, the town enjoys a moderate climate with misty fog carried by coastal breezes interspersed with warm, sunny days. The tiny city boasts fine shopping, art galleries, great restaurants, and the beautifully restored Arena Theatre. The Cinema is maintained by the Arena Theater Association, a non-profit orginization that brings live performance art on stage for the community.
The historic Point Arena Wharf (also known as the Arena Cove) is a working harbor where commercial and private fishing boats may be seen unloading their catch. Fishing without a license is allowed from the municipal pier. This area also offers deep sea fishing outings, boating, shops and restaurants. The Cove also is noted to be one of the best surfing areas in California.
GUALALA
Located 20 minutes south of the Point Arena Lighthouse, Gualala is a larger community offering additional shopping, dinning, art galleries, coastal access via the Gualala Point Regional Park that is located along the shores of the scenic Gualala River.
ELK
Located about a half an hour north of the Lighthouse, the charming town of Elk (a mini version of the town of Mendocino) is a destination that offers spectacular coastal vistas, charming architecture, a historical museum, fine dinning, and quaint boutiques. The coastal drive between the Lighthouse and Elk is noted to be one of the most spectacular along the California coast.
POINT CABRILLO LIGHTSTATION & PRESERVE
Located just one hour north of the Point Arena Lighthouse, in the town of Casper, the preserve occupies a spectacular headland thrusting out into the Pacific. As you start to walk down the access road, the Point Cabrillo Light Station is arrayed before you, made up of the Lighthouse itself and three original lightkeepers' houses and outbuildings. The lighthouse, which has been fully restored, is open every day of the year (including Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 11:00 AM till 4:00 PM.
KAYAKING • FISHING • HIKING • GOLFING
The Mendocino Coast offers some of the finest sport fishing. Red abalone abound in these cold, rocky waters and may be taken in season. Steelhead, salmon, crab, and urchins are also caught here. Arena Rock, a one acre underwater "plateau," is a prime deep sea fishing area.
Nearby beaches offer the hiker solitude and scenery. Elk Beach, Alder Creek, Manchester Beach, Mote Creek, Schooner Gulch, Bowling Ball Beach, Anchor Bay, Gualala River, and The Sea Ranch are a few of the coastal access points.
There are several privately owned and state campgrounds in the area. These range in accommodations from primitive tent sites to full RV hookup sites complete with cable TV. As well as Manchester State Beach, the private campgrounds Manchester Beach KOA and Rollerville Junction are within a few miles of the Lighthouse. Pristine local rivers provide excellent canoeing/kayaking opportunities, and horseback riding along the sandy shores of Manchester State Beach is an exhilarating experience. The Sea Ranch, south of the Lighthouse, provides golfers with one of the most beautiful and challenging outdoor sporting experiences on the coast.
COASTAL WILDFLOWERS
Spring offers visitors to the Point Arena Lighthouse the chance to observe beautiful, rare varieties of coastal wildflowers and shrubs. April and May typically produce an incredible display. Some perennials you will see here are: White Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium), Coast Onion (Allium Dichlamydeum), Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis Margaritacea), Sea Pink (Armeria Maritima), Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja species), Hair Grass (Deschampsia Caespitosa), Live-forever (Dudleya Farinosa), Coastal California Poppy (Eschscholzia California Maritima), Bule Coast Gentian (Gentiana Affinis), Coastal Wild Strawberry (Fragaria Chiloensis), Wild Iris (Iris Douglasiana), Creeping Daisy (Lessingia Filaginifolia), Coast Goldenrod (Solidago Spathulata), Narrow Leafed Mule Ears (Wyethia Angustifolium), and much more!
BIRD WATCHING
Hundreds of graceful Tundra Swans (Whistling Swans) winter each year on the nearby pasture lands along the Garcia River. Kestrels, Red-tails, Osprey, Eagles, Marsh Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, and hundreds of other species can be seen. Brown pelicans, black cormorants, seagulls and a variety of other sea birds can be seen nesting in and around the cliffs at Point Arena Lighthouse.
FESTIVITIES
Throughout the year, several celebrations take place along our beautiful coast. The Independence Day fireworks and parade in Point Arena is a historic event that dates back to the late 1800's. Art-In-The-Redwoods is held during August in Gualala. and the Point Arena / Redwood Coast Whale Festival is held in March. Please visit the Redwood Coast Chamber of Commerce web site for a detailed calendar of upcoming local events. Many local wineries offer wine tasting.
Growing up in Utah, Ellen Boulanger was taught that a practical and
profitable career was a better choice than that of an artist, but she
always had an interest in being creative whether weaving, painting,
photographing or working with glass. Even though she moved to the Bay
Area and pursued a career in computer programming, she never abandoned
her desire to create artistically.
