Beautiful beaches are abundant and close to downtown lodging in Fort Bragg.

At the south end of town are Jug Handle State Reserve and Pudding Creek Beaches (a popular surf spot). At the north end of town is the beach at Pudding Creek Trestle and a half-mile beyond that is a Virgin Creek Beach, a place to watch endangered Snowy Plover birds and surfers. It's never crowded and always beautiful with sweeping views of the Lost Coast.

With MacKerricher State Park stretching from Glass Beach near downtown for some five miles north, there are dozens of little sandy beaches and coves to hide away for a romantic picnic of family gathering. Here are some of our favorites:

Best sunset beach walk:

The paved Old Haul Road above Ten-Mile Beach, which slices through MacKerricher State Park, is the best spot in Fort Bragg for watching a sunset. Park at Cleone Lake and Walk north.

Alternatives: Laguna Point near Cleone Lake in MacKerricher or the Pudding Creek Trestle Bridge. Both offer spectacular sunsets along the beach.

Best tide pooling: 

The rocks just south of Virgin Creek Beach, just a 1.7-mile drive from Downtown Fort Bragg (Redwood and Main) to the parking area, then a ¼ mile walk to the ocean.

Best Community Wide Outdoor Event:

The Annual Fort Bragg Whale Festival, held each year the third weekend of March, offers microbrew tasting, chowder sampling, art exhibits, guided nature walks, and whale watching cruises. A must-see event. Visit www.MendoWhale.com for details.