Point Cabrillo Lighthouse Museum
This historic lighthouse first shone for sailors navigating the Mendocino coast in 1909. It is remarkable for its well-restored Fresnel lens, an enormous four-sided glass light heralded at the time of its invention for how far it could be seen at sea. You can visit the lighthouse, as well as a restored lightkeeper's residence replete with 1930s-era furnishings.
Mendocino Headlands State Park
Coastal trails with dramatic views criss-cross this 347-acre greenbelt atop dramatic bluffs, which is home to marshland, coastal scrub, redwoods, and conifers. At the foot of the cliffs lies secluded Big River Beach, accessible by vehicle via winding, two-lane Highway 1, or on foot via bluffside trails. From November through April, gray whales migrate off the Mendocino coast, and the headlands provide an ideal vantage point for spotting them.
Kelley House Museum
This museum chronicles the history of Mendocino County. Among its permanent exhibits is one devoted to the wreck of the Frolic, a 210-foot brig with a cargo of silk and other goods that ran aground off the coast of Mendocino. Included in the exhibit are artifacts salvaged from the wreck, including shards of ornately decorated dishware, a shoe, and an 1,100-pound cannon.