Last month we took a short trip down to Santa Rosa and then came back on Highway 1 via Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg. We stayed two nights in Fort Bragg at the Beach House Inn. Super dog-friendly and the rooms have balconies overlooking an estuary. We saw lots of birds, including a pair of Canada geese with their goslings.
We had our two rough collies (“Lassie dogs”) with us and found an off-leash beach for them to explore.
After they were done, we went back to the parking lot where I did this sketch of Noyo Harbor.
While I was sketching a group of California sea lions swam past us heading out to the ocean.
The next day we went to the very dog-friendly Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Had a yummy lunch and then spent a couple of hours walking around the gardens and buying some native Douglas iris for our garden.
I did this sketch right after lunch to make sure I got at least one done. And it was a good thing since there was so much to see.
The next morning we headed home up the coast. The southern part of Highway 1 is more famous, but the section north of San Francisco is equally scenic and special.
It was a lovely trip in every way and I’m sure we’ll be going that way again, with more sketching time.
SketchWild 