Located just two miles
south of the village of Mendocino, Little River sits on a bluff
overlooking one of the most popular beaches on the North Coast. On
any weekend during the season, wet-suited divers can be seen
splashing into the smooth waters of this protected cove in search
of abalone, the most prized mollusk of the Pacific. The Little
River offers beautiful beaches and shoreline, fresh water fishing,
canoeing and kayaking. Its setting is a photographers dream and an
outdoor enthusiasts paradise. Next door to Mendocino Village,
Little River offers picturesque Bed and Breakfast Inns amid
Redwood Forest and ocean views. |
Trappers, selling elk meat
at ten cents a pound, set up the first business at Little River in
1854. Ten years later a small lumber mill was established near the
mouth of the river. Because of its protected port, Little River
quickly grew into a bustling town with a mill, two chutes, a
shipyard, and a railroad.
The Van Dammes, a Flemish
couple settled here in the 1860's. Mr. Vam Damme worked at the
mill, and one of their sons, Charles, later moved down to the San
Francisco Bay Area to work as an operator on the San
Rafael/Richmond Ferry. Charles fondly remembered the beach at
Little River as a favorite picnic spot of his youth, and he
eventually returned to purchase forty acres in Little River. Upon
his death, he deeded the land to the State for public use, and
this deed became the foundation for Van Damme State Park.
Little River has a public
airstrip featuring a mile-long runway paved with stone quarried
from a nearby site. Built during World War II, Little River
Airport attracts many enthusiasts who fly in for a vacation |
| Directions: |
From
Eureka:Follow US-101 South. Turn right onto CA-271/CA-1.
Continue to follow CA-1 through Fort Bragg and Mendocino.
From San Francisco: Follow US-101 North. At Cloverdale
take the CA-128 West exit toward Fort Bragg/Mendocino. Turn sharp
left onto CA-128/North Cloverdale Blvd. Turn right onto CA-128.
CA-128 becomes CA Highway 1/Shoreline Hwy.
or Take US Highway 101 North (past Cloverdale and
Ukiah) all the way to Willits. In Willits turn left onto Highway 20
going west toward Fort Bragg. This will take you to Highway 1. Turn
left going South past Mendocino to Little River |
CA
North Coast Directory -
California
Lodging Directory
|
|
|
Featured
Bed and Breakfast Inns, Little River California
- Inn
at Schoolhouse Creek, Little River
8+ acres of oceanview on a secluded beach cove.
|
- Redwood
Park Place, Little River / Mendocino
Next to Little River Golf Course, 1/2 mile from Van Damme
State Park Beach
|
- Fensalden
Inn, Albion
Old west stagecoach stop, now a romantic lodging
experience.
|
- Jughandle
Hideaway, Caspar
A long, winding drive leads to this distinctive,
pavilion-style abode.
|
- Auberge
Mendocino, Mendocino
Inn and Seaside Cottages overlooking Little River Bay
|
- Brewery
Gulch Inn, Mendocino
Luxury accommodations overlooking Smuggler's Cove.
|
- Glendeven
Inn, Mendocino
described by USA Today - "10 great places for a
romantic weekend"
|
- The
MacCallum House, Mendocino
A beautiful turn-of-the-century Victorian in the center of
historic Mendocino village.
|
- Mendocino
Farmhouse, Mendocino
secluded and away from the real world, although some would
say, "this is the real world."
|
- Mendocino
Hotel and Garden Suites, Mendocino
Choice lodging and dining in the heart of the Village.
|
- Sea
Rock B&B Inn, Mendocino
A most awe-inspiring view that can be enjoyed from almost
every guest room
|
- Shoreline
Vacation Rentals, Mendocino County
Oceanfront and Forested Vacation Rental homes and cabins
|
|
.......
.......
.......
.......
.......
.......
