Editor's note: Welcome to the California Redwoods Travel Guide, Part 2. This travel guide is being built one stop at a time here at Northern Word, amongst everything else, and as it grows links will appear on the travel guide's home page.
Great Links: North Coast Journal's Calendar page gives you the low down on events in Humboldt county during your visit. For info on Arcata's environmental activism, see the North Coast Environmental Center.
You arrived last night via Part 1: Getting There. Now you're in Arcata! What the heck do you do with yourself! Well, here you go.
Hundreds of miles from the nearest major city, on a thin seam of civilization between expansive forest and the sea, sits Arcata, California. A glorious hippie town that serves as the perfect antidote to these cynical times, Arcata is colorful and quaint, Victorian and Bohemian, politically active and full of character. If you are tired of the nearly manufactured "tourist" towns that reside near more populated areas, Arcata is just the ticket. Still alive and authentic, Arcata is a activist town, a university town, a picture-postcard Victorian city complete with palm trees and an inappropriate statue of a dead president. It is also the epicenter of Northern California's environmental movement, and home to myriad quirky and interesting people. For more on the, er, odd side of Arcata, or the latest news, don't miss the wonderful Arcata Eye weekly newspaper and it's police blotter.
I spent my high school years here. Times were different then; the timber wars were in full swing, and the heavy tension of small-town politics and big money interests hung about the place. You can read more about that here. But times have changed, the timber wars are diminished, and the region has mellowed to the point where Arcata's hippie climes now seem to extend far beyond its small borders. It's a worthy first stop on your journey and an excellent attitude-adjuster.
Sights to See
The Plaza
The Arcata Plaza is the town's defining feature, a small-town square with nice landscaping, excellent shops and restaurants (as well as a couple of divey bars), palm trees, and a statue of long-dead President McKinley. The Plaza is the best place in Arcata for people watching, at least in good weather. I have seen a person dressed as a chicken here. I have seen a person in the process of becoming naked here. I have seen a police officer stand in the middle of the plaza and stare at the top of the palm tree for an disturbing period of time. I have seen President McKinley in a bra. Go forth, grasshopper, and see what you shall find.
If you are staying at the Arcata Inn, listed in Part 1, your hotel is on the Plaza.
Redwood Park
As city parks go, Redwood park is huge, a large swath of mature second growth redwood forest behind Humboldt State University. Would be a state park in many other parts of the country. But it's still small enough to be enjoyed in a couple of hours. I returned there a few years back and wandered through it's big trees and even bigger stumps on a warm summer day. It's an airy, spacious forest. I remember doing a school science project up there, finding all the organisms in a square meter, and contemplating this quiet and steep place. It's a great first step into the redwoods, but keep in mind, if you follow this travel guide, you'll be seeing much bigger trees later on.
The Minor Theater
1037 H St
Right off the Plaza, the Minor is a beautifully restored old vaudeville house that plays first run and independent films. A word of caution, make sure the movie you're seeing is in the main auditorium - otherwise, you'll be in the smallest movie theater you have ever seen in your life. Just enough room for you and half a Pez dispenser There used to be an "Arcata Theater" a few blocks from there as well - a 1950's masterpiece, if there ever was one - and its Rocky Horror Picture Show midnight showings were legendary. Now gone, sad to say. Not sure if "Rocky" lives on at the Minor, but if it does, go. Arcatans do love that movie, er, a lot.
Arcata Marsh
569 S G St
Arcata has the distinction of processing its waste via an ultra-environmentally friendly and sustainable sewer system. Residents say they "Flush with Pride". I say, when you're in Arcata, all shit is good shit. In any case, the Marsh itself is quite pretty and full of birds, and is a lovely afternoon nature walk on a sunny day. Excellent dog-watching.
Natural History Museum
Run by Humboldt State University, this small museum always has fascinating and well-presented exhibits, as well as a small gift shop. Be sure to look up, there are critters hanging from the ceiling.
Humboldt State University
Humboldt State University is unique in the California State University System. It's 300 miles from the nearest major city, built on a redwood-forested hillside with a view of Humboldt Bay. It has a world-class natural resources/environmental emphasis, and also trains most of the area's schoolteachers. On any given day, Humboldt State has cultural and entertainment options in the evening that can satisfy travelers not content to retire for the night
Trinidad
Trinidad is a different town several miles north of Arcata - about half an hour - but it's a good combined visit. Trinidad has a gorgeous beach with rock formations. there is a small casual restaurant in a shack by the docs that I've eaten in quite a number of times. Since I've been there, I believe it was taken over by the Trinidad Rancheria, the local Indian tribe. Also from the Rancheria is the Trinidad casino, which I'm told has an ocean-view dining room. A short drive from here is also the Moonstone Grill restaurant, also with view of a vast, empty beach and the Pacific.
Trinidad has some small shops but is mainly a walk-on-the-beach destination; this is a great place to say hello to the Pacific, as Arcata is sheltered by Humboldt Bay. Later chapters of this travel guide will address Patrick's Point State Park, a gem near Trinidad worth a stop on a longer trip.
In addition to these sites, there is plenty of exploring to do in the vicinity of the Plaza and Humboldt State, the two areas with the largest concentration of gingerbread-style Victorians. Built in the 1880's - 1890's out of old growth redwoods, these homes define the architecture of many towns in Humboldt County.
Stay tuned as more of this travel guide is created. For dining suggestions in Arcata, click the link below. Corrections/suggestions always welcome!
Dining
For a full list of North Coast dining establishments, see the North Coast Dining Guide.
Nice place
791 8th St, (707) 826-2377
Abruzzi's is always a nice Italian choice, right on the Plaza in the Jacoby Storehouse. Humboldters would call this "fine dining" but don't worry, nobody in Humboldt has enough money to pay "French Laundry" prices. $18-$25 for entrees. My major memory of this restaurant was their seafood salad a number of years ago, which involved a whole tiny octopus. This is not an unusual thing in many cuisines, but there is something about a small whole octopus staring up at you, pleading post-mortem for some sort of rescue, that gives a stomach pause. The food, however, is generally quite good here.
Cheap sentimental favorite
Hey Juan! Burritos
1642 1/2 G St., (707) 822-8433
If you are what you eat, at the age of 17 I was 50% Hey Juan burrito. Waaaay better than that McDonald's subsidiary known as Chipotle, it's a tiny custom-made burrito shop on a relatively busy street across 101 from the University. I used to have one of these a day. And they're still there, kept alive by their lucky spot directly between the hungry throngs of the university and the high school.
Fast food is all up at the fast food ghetto known as Valley West; just get on 101 and head a mile or so north of town. Look for a sawmill and a bunch of ugly hotels, get off the road and wander till you smell partially hydrogenated soybean oil.
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