Ukiah
Around Ukiah
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Town and around · California · 89k people
Ukiah
Locals say Mendocino County · “City of Gardens”
Quiet redwoods, wild coast, good wine.
redwood barkforest greenocean blue
Settle in, grab a local brew, and enjoy the laid-back rhythm of the county. From the foggy coast to the sunny valley, there's always a trail to hike or a story to share.
Clubs for Ukiah
No clubs for Ukiah yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Ukiah. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
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Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Ukiah. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Mendocino Headlands State Park Coastal bluffs with trails and ocean views.
- Van Damme State Park Pygmy forest and tide pools.
- Russian Gulch State Park Scenic bridge and waterfall.
- Glass Beach Famous for polished glass pebbles.
- Point Arena Lighthouse Historic lighthouse with panoramic views.
- Montgomery Woods State Reserve Old-growth redwood grove.
- Outdoors Hike the Mendocino Headlands trails
- Outdoors Explore tide pools at Van Damme
- With kids Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
- With kids Skunk Train
- Evenings Live music at local brewery taprooms
- Evenings Evening wine tasting in Ukiah
- Locals love Farm stands
- Locals love Winery tasting rooms
Through the year
- Mendocino County Fair September Agricultural fair with livestock, rides, and local food.
- World's Largest Salmon BBQ July Fort Bragg street fair with grilled salmon.
- Mendocino Music Festival July Classical and jazz concerts on the coast.
- Paul Bunyan Days Labor Day weekend Logging competitions and parade in Fort Bragg.
- Ukiah First Friday Art Walk Monthly Gallery openings and street music.
Mild Mediterranean climate with cool, foggy summers on the coast and warmer, drier inland valleys. Best: Late spring through fall for clear skies, but coastal fog can persist all summer.
Talk like a local
- “Mendo”
- Shorthand for Mendocino County.
- “Upcoast”
- The northern stretch of the coast toward Fort Bragg.
- “Downcoast”
- The southern coast toward Gualala.
- “The valley”
- The Ukiah Valley area.
Getaways
- Clearlake Lake activities and hot springs.
- Santa Rosa Urban amenities, dining, and shopping.
- Napa World-famous wine country.
- Chico Bidwell Park and college-town vibe.
Local flavour
Rooting for San Francisco Giants (MLB), San Francisco 49ers (NFL), Golden State Warriors (NBA), San Jose Sharks (NHL)
Eat and drink
- Organic wine Mendocino County is a leader in organic and biodynamic wine production.
- Dungeness crab Fresh from the Pacific, a coastal delicacy.
- Wild mushroom dishes Chanterelles and other foraged mushrooms from local forests.
- Farm-to-table produce Abundant organic farms and farmers markets.
- Local craft beer Ukiah Brewing Company and other small breweries.
Where people go
- Redwood groves Old-growth and second-growth forests, like Montgomery Woods.
- Coastal bluffs Dramatic cliffs along the Pacific, often shrouded in fog.
- Tide pools Rich intertidal zones teeming with marine life.
- Wineries Family-owned vineyards and tasting rooms throughout the valley.
- Farm stands Roadside stands selling fresh produce and local goods.
- Glass beaches Fort Bragg's famous sea-glass-covered shoreline.
- Lighthouses Point Arena Lighthouse and other historic beacons.
Heritage and traditions
Mendocino County is proud of its rugged redwood coast, deep Pomo heritage, and a laid-back, creative culture that blends logging history with organic farming and a thriving arts scene.
This time of year in Ukiah
- Mushroom season Fall Fog and rain bring chanterelles, porcini, and morels, celebrated with festivals.
- Harvest season Fall Wine grape harvest, apple picking, and pumpkin patches in the inland valleys.
- Mendocino County Mushroom Festival October Foraging walks, cooking demos, and mushroom-themed dishes.
Say it like a local: “upcountry” — Inland areas like Ukiah and Willits
Festivals
- Mendocino Film Festival March Independent films and documentaries screened in venues around Mendocino.
- Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival May Tastings, vineyard tours, and a barbecue celebrating the region's signature grape.
- Mendocino County Mushroom Festival October Foraging walks, cooking demos, and mushroom-themed dishes.
- Paul Bunyan Days September Logging competitions, parades, and old-timey fun in Fort Bragg.
- World's Largest Salmon BBQ September A giant barbecue on the Noyo Harbor waterfront, part of Paul Bunyan Days.
- Mendocino Music Festival July Classical and contemporary concerts in a big tent on the coast.
Landmarks with a story
- Grace Hudson Museum Showcases the artist's work and Pomo Indian baskets and artifacts.
- Temple of Kwan Tai A small Chinese joss house in Mendocino, a rare relic of the area's Chinese heritage.
- Point Cabrillo Light Station A restored 1909 lighthouse with a museum and keeper's quarters.
- Mendocino Woodlands A Civilian Conservation Corps camp from the 1930s, now a retreat center.
- Ford House A Victorian-era house in Mendocino that serves as a visitor center and museum.
- Kelley House Museum A historic home in Mendocino with exhibits on logging and pioneer life.
Food traditions
- Dungeness crab feeds Winter tradition of cracking fresh crab with garlic butter, often at community dinners.
- Mushroom foraging and feasts Local chefs and home cooks head to the woods in fall for chanterelles and porcini.
- Salmon BBQ Grilled salmon fillets, often at the World's Largest Salmon BBQ, a local summer staple.
- Wine tasting A casual, everyday ritual of visiting small family wineries, especially in Anderson Valley.
- Farm-to-table dinners Seasonal dinners where chefs feature local produce, meats, and seafood.
Music and arts
- Pomo basket weaving A living tradition with intricate patterns and materials, celebrated at museums and cultural events.
- Mendocino Art Center A hub for classes, exhibitions, and a lively artist colony in the village of Mendocino.
- Mendocino Music Festival A summer classical and jazz series under a big tent on the headlands.
- First Friday Art Walk Monthly open studios and galleries in Ukiah, with live music and street food.
A little history
- Ancient times Pomo people have lived in the region for thousands of years, with a rich basket-weaving tradition.
- 1850 Mendocino County was formed from Sonoma County.
- Late 1800s Logging boom brought sawmills and shipping ports, shaping towns like Mendocino and Fort Bragg.
- 1885 The Skunk Train began hauling logs and passengers through the redwoods.
- 1960s–1970s Counterculture communes and organic farming pioneers settled in the hills.
Rivalries
- Ukiah High vs Willits High (football) Long-standing local sports rivalry.
- Fort Bragg vs Mendocino (basketball) Coastal town competition.
- Valley vs Coast Friendly banter about weather and lifestyle.
- Game day Logging sports at Paul Bunyan Days
- Game day High school football in Ukiah
- Outdoors Hike the Pygmy Forest
- Outdoors Watch the sunset from Mendocino Headlands
- With kids Glass Beach
- With kids The Skunk Train
People speak with a relaxed Northern California accent, using local terms like 'the coast' for the ocean side and 'upcountry' for the hills. The fog is a constant topic, and you'll hear 'hella' and 'stoked' from younger locals.
Only here
- Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, where decades of tossed glass have become smooth sea glass.
- The Skunk Train, a historic steam train that winds through redwoods and along the Noyo River.
- The World's Largest Salmon BBQ, a giant cookout on the harbor.
- The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, where coastal bluffs meet formal gardens.
New here? A few tips
- Embrace the fog—it's part of the coast's charm and keeps things green.
- Take the winding roads slowly; they're scenic but can be twisty and narrow.
- Support local farms and wineries; the farm stands are a treasure.
- Try the Dungeness crab in winter—it's a local obsession.
- Layer up: the coast can be cool even in summer, while inland Ukiah gets hot.
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Nearby
Every areaClearlakeCaliforniaLife moves at the pace of the lake.Santa RosaCaliforniaWhere the river winds through redwoods and vines.Willows–ColusaCaliforniaRice fields, river bends, and open skies.NapaCaliforniaWhere every hill is a vineyard and every glass tells a story.ChicoCaliforniaWhere the hills meet the valley and the beer is cold.Yuba CityCaliforniaOrchards, river, and a world of flavor.Red BluffCaliforniaSmall-town charm, big valley skiesVallejoCaliforniaWhere the river meets the bay, and the ferry hums home.
Ukiah, CA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.