Running around Humboldt Bay

 

Almost 300 miles north of San Francisco Bay, Humboldt Bay hosts the biggest metropolitan area clear to Portland. Not that Eureka would feel like an urban area of most of populous California. The region’s 136,000 residents place it among the state’s smallest. Reaching Humboldt Bay requires crossing several mountain ranges and river valleys on two-lane roads slowed by multiple construction zones. 

For all the isolation of the Redwood Curtain, the Eureka area has all the amenities of a much larger city. As the largest region between Portland and the Bay Area, it has to serve as a center of commerce. All the modern big-box stores lie on the town’s end, preserving a well-kept downtown. Eureka feels completely opposite Crescent City, the small port town north on the Oregon border, which offers little but a place to sleep and easy redwood access. 

Much of Eureka lies within a historic district due to the prevalence of Victorian homes. Eureka’s architectural is stunning, revealing a place that developed far from the giant cities that often define California. Driving down a residential street, I was amazed at the redwoods that just grew in people’s yards. 

Bucket list brewery

But I suppose you could take the attitude that the redwood was there first and would probably still stand after the house crumbled away. The old commercial district downtown has a similar vibe as the main streets cross a series of rolling hills with two- and three-story vintage buildings on either side. 

Here, there could be only one place for our lunch stop. I long ago lost hope of visiting Lost Coast Brewing Company. The Eureka-based brewer distributed to Ohio and Tennessee, producing a Tangerine Wheat ale that remains among my all-time favorite summer beers. The production brewery lies south of Eureka, but the brewery and cafe in Eureka’s historic district. I couldn’t imagine another option for lunch, and the elk burger validated that decision (as did a few fresh pints of Tangerine Wheat). 

Good Arcata spot

Not wanting to pick poorly with hotel choices, I went with a rustic cabin at the Redwood Coast Cabin and RV Resort. Along 101 between Eureka and Arcata, the campground is tucked behind some light industrial buildings and not visible from the highway. 

The rustic cabins were brand-new, situated in a row near a restricted-access bathroom building. With a little front lawn with a fire pit and a picnic table, it proved a good open spot in a region where you want to stay outside. The sun bruised its way through in the curtains in the morning, but that wouldn’t stop me from returning. My traveling friend has already gone back to the same cabin. It’s a better option than a U.S. 101 hotel and despite proximity to the highway, traffic noise was surprisingly light. 

Bayside trees

Just to the north lies Arcata, The bay’s second-largest city has its own charms, serving as home to a state university (California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt) and a stately plaza with some buildings that date back to the town’s earliest years (Jacoby’s Storehouse opened in 1857). 

The commercial district was lively on Friday evening. We stopped at Redwood Curtain Brewing for a pre-dinner beer, then wandered over to Salt Fish House. Coming to the coast and not eating seafood would have been a crime. They had a number of fantastic cocktails, and the steelhead salmon was among the best pieces of fished I had been served in years. 

On Saturday morning a farmers market took over the plaza. There were a few breakfast spots with lines as early as 8 a.m., but we walked right into the Big Blue Café, which a menu heavy on locally sourced ingredients. The breezy restaurant was laidback and spacious. We beat the crowds and got a table right away. The breakfast burrito with local chicken sausage kept me full clear to Redding. 

Lack of industry makes the Humboldt Bay a hard place to relocate. Without working at the university or being an entrepreneur, it could be a tough choice for those of us in the corporate world. But it works quite well for short visits.

Redwood National Park beach north of the bay

Beach grasses south of Redwood National Park