6 Off-The-Beaten-Path Towns In Northern California
Stretching from the rugged Pacific coastline through ancient redwood forests all the way to the gold-rich foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Northern California is one of America's most diverse and historically significant regions. Yet while millions of visitors flock to the region’s best-known tourist spots like San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Lake Tahoe, countless smaller communities throughout “NorCal” offer equally compelling experiences without the crowds and commercialization.
What really sets Northern California's lesser-known destinations apart, though, is their authenticity. Here you’ll witness that same genuine hospitability and frontier spirit that so defined the state’s formative years, but with the added benefit of being set against some of the region’s most spectacular unspoiled scenery. From Gold Rush boom towns to Victorian-era coastal settlements, these six off-the-beaten-path towns in Northern California rival their better-known neighbors when it comes to fun.
Ferndale
Ferndale can lay claim to being one of California's most perfectly preserved Victorian-era towns. Dubbed the “Victorian Village,” this charming town is positioned along the Eel River delta just 10 minutes from the larger town of Fortuna, making it a perfect day trip destination. Much of the town is protected by its California Historical Landmark and National Register of Historic Places statuses, with the best examples being its collection of "Butterfat Palaces," ornate Victorian mansions built by prosperous dairy farmers in the late 1800s.
The town's Main Street remains unchanged since the 1890s with elegant original storefronts housing equally old businesses like the Ferndale Meat Company, founded in 1903, and the Ferndale Enterprise, founded in 1878 and one of the country’s oldest newspapers. Just a block away from Main Street, the Ferndale Museum showcases the area's agricultural heritage and houses an impressive collection of blacksmith tools and antique farming equipment.
Fancy an overnight stay? The Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast, housed in an 1890 mansion on Main Street, offers period accommodations, while Hotel Ivanhoe provides simpler lodging in a restored 1875 building that once served stagecoach travelers. Nearby attractions worth visiting include the spectacular Lost Coast region, California's longest undeveloped stretch of coastline, and Centerville Beach County Park with its nine mile long beach. Also close by, the 105-acre Russ Park features hiking trails through old-growth redwoods and is ideal for outdoors folks wanting to burn off some steam.
Grass Valley
An easy hour's drive from Sacramento, Grass Valley is set in the heart of California's Gold Country and helped make fortunes for mining families across Northern California. The downtown area centers around Mill and Main Streets, and is where original Gold Rush-era buildings like the iconic Holbrooke Hotel, which has been in operation since 1862 and visited by US Presidents including Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland, still offer local hospitality.
On the outskirts of town, the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum is a must-visit. Not only does this family-friendly Grass Valley attraction preserve NorCal’s transportation heritage, it also offers fun rides on its unique Railbus. Another must-visit is the Empire Mine State Historic Park. Covering an area of 856 acres, it’s anchored by California's oldest, largest, and richest gold mine which produced 5.8 million ounces of gold between 1850 and 1956. Guided underground tours operate seasonally, while year-round exhibits detail hard-rock mining techniques and the lives of the workers who labored here.
The surrounding Sierra Nevada foothills offer endless outdoor recreation opportunities. Highlights include the 15-mile South Yuba River Trail which follows historic mining flumes and railroad grades, while Condon Park offers swimming spots along the South Yuba River.
Nevada City
Nevada City is another former California Gold Rush town that rewards those wanting to wander off-the-beaten path. And it’s incredibly photogenic. Start exploring in its compact but picturesque downtown core. Sure, you’ll want to walk, but the chance to see so many original 1860s commercial buildings and Victorian-era homes makes it all worthwhile. Notable among these historic buildings are the Nevada Theatre, built in 1865 and California's oldest original-use theater building, and Firehouse No. 1 Museum with its Gold Rush artifacts and old fire equipment.
The town also hosts the Nevada City Film Festival in June, with venues like the Nevada Theatre screening independent films, while the popular First Friday Art Walks in summer and fall’s Nevada City Live concert series are also big draws. Other fun things to do in Nevada City include washing down a sweet or savory treat with a brew at Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Company and booking a stay at the elegant National Exchange Hotel; built in 1856, it still provides classy accommodations. The Outside Inn is another unique place to stay, and although a few minutes’ drive from downtown, its themed rooms are delightful.
Fort Bragg
Originally a military outpost constructed in 1857, Fort Bragg eventually evolved into a major lumber town, its last large sawmill only shutting down in 2002. And there’s no shortage of fun things to see and do here. The Mendocino Coast Model Railroad & Historical Society operates superb scale model displays out of the historic California Western Railroad depot, while the Skunk Train provides a scenic rail service through majestic redwood forests to Willits, following the same route logging trains used in the 1880s.
You can learn more about the town’s logging history at the Guest House Museum. Constructed in 1892 from local redwood, it also has period furnishings and lumber industry artifacts. The town’s most famous attraction, though, is Glass Beach. Here, decades of discarded glass bottles have been transformed by ocean action into smooth, colorful sea glass that now covers the shoreline. Located in MacKerricher State Park, there’s a total of 10 miles of coastline to explore here, including seal spotting opportunities.
Mendocino
Mendocino occupies a spectacular section of NorCal coastline with dramatic bluffs rising up to 150 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Equally compelling, its superb collection of perfectly preserved Victorian buildings has turned this picturesque town into one of California's most photographed townscapes. Established in 1852, this former logging community’s relative isolation led to the preservation of much of its 19th-century architecture after the lumber industry declined.
One of the best examples is The Kelley House Museum, built in 1861 as a residence and now hosting displays and artifacts from the town's logging era and the Native American Pomo culture. Another must-see is the Mendocino Art Center, around since 1959 and offering workshops and galleries featuring artworks created by local talent.
There’s plenty of outdoor fun to be had in Mendocino, too. Spectacular Mendocino Headlands State Park surrounds the town with 347 acres of coastal bluffs and is a great spot from which to observe migrating gray whales from January through April, and again from September through December. Time it right and you can enjoy participating in the Mendocino Whale Festival in March, with exciting guided whale watching excursions getting you up close to these amazing creatures.
Guerneville
Another former logging town that offers unique travel experiences is Guerneville. Established on the Russian River in the 1860s, it later transformed into a sought-after summer resort destination for San Franciscans seeking respite from the heat among its towering redwoods. The Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve now protects 805 acres of these awesome old-growth trees, including the 1,400-year-old, 308 feet tall Colonel Armstrong Tree, one of the world's tallest trees.
More outdoor fun can be had at the adjacent Austin Creek State Recreation Park. It offers 5,700 acres of hiking trails through oak woodlands and grasslands with views extending to the Pacific Ocean. Guerneville also serves as the unofficial capital of the Russian River resort region, with seasonal river activities such as canoeing, kayaking, and swimming at Johnson's Beach and Monte Rio Public Beach. Enjoy a round of golf? The 18-hole Northwood Golf Club dates back to 1928, with fairways winding past tall redwoods.
The Final Word
After reading this, we know you’ll agree that NorCal's best small towns provide authentic travel experiences and are worth investigating further. From Ferndale's Victorian-era perfection to Grass Valley's Gold Rush legacy, each of these small communities offer unique combinations of history, natural beauty, and local culture that are guaranteed to be of interest to curious travelers. For a more relaxed pace of travel, include one or more of these six off-the-beaten-path destinations on your Northern California travel itinerary.
