Those serious about mushrooms can attend the day long Mushroom Symposium held during the festival. After boarding the Skunk Train , the California Western Railways' passenger train, symposium registrants are taken to a rustic camp in the middle of the woods for a day of classes with mushrooms experts, mushroom hunting and of course, first class gourmet dining featuring the exotic local fungi. This year the 12-day event takes place from Wednesday, November 7 through Sunday, November 18, 2001. The Skunk train also runs year round and is a must for steam and diesel train enthusiasts, or anyone who needs the calming experience of chugging along amid towering trees 1000s of years old, through mountain tunnels and over 30 bridges and trestles along the scenic tracks between Willets and Fort Bragg. If you decide to visit the Mendocino coast anytime between late November and late April you'll be likely to spot grey whales on their annual migration between the Bering Sea and Baja California.
Early spring brings the whale festival with a host of county -wide whale related events.
For general whale watching information, stop by the Ford House in Mendocino. Several commercial boats also offer whale-watching tours. From Santa Rosa take highway 101 to Cloverdale, turn west on Highway 128 which meanders through the beautiful Anderson Valley. When you get to Haighway 1, go north 10 miles to the town of Mendocino. Lodging There are countless small hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts throughout the county, each more charming than the last.