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

CA North Coast Directory .... California Lodging Directory

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.

Brewery Gulch Inn, Mendocino
Luxury accommodations overlooking Smuggler's Cove.

The MacCallum House, Mendocino
A beautiful turn-of-the-century Victorian in the center of historic Mendocino village.

Shoreline Vacation Rentals, Mendocino County
Oceanfront and Forested Vacation Rental homes and cabins