The southernmost 40 miles of Mendocino coastline are almost totally undeveloped and virtually uninhabited, with green forests and coastal coves as far as the eye can see. The westernmost point here, Point Arena, is about five miles northwest of Hwy-1 via Lighthouse Road (the namesake lighthouse, built in 1870, stands 10 stories tall).
15 miles further south, situated at the very southern edge of Mendocino County, the old logging port of Gualala (pop. 1,500) has one truly remarkable feature: the Russian Orthodox domes of St. Orres (707/884-3303), now a B&B inn and Francophile gourmet restaurant glowing with polished wood and stained glass, above Hwy-1 on the north side of town. Tiny Gualala has at least two more culinary landmarks as well. Pangaea (Wed.–Sun. dinner only; 707/884-9669) is one of the coast’s most popular new restaurants, serving everything from beefy burgers to crab cakes with Thai curry sauce.
You’ll also find inexpensive lodging (rooms for around $75 a night, a real rarity in these parts) and a locally popular restaurant at the Gualala Hotel (707/884-3441) right in town. Great camping and an incredible coastal panorama can be yours at Gualala Point Regional Park (707/785-2377), on the south side of the Gualala River.
