Arcata, CA

Upon check in, the manager told us our bikes will get stolen (even with the best of locks) and offered to store them for us. 😳 “Eureka and Arcata have been hit hard.”, said the lady checking us in, “Drugs, pandemic, job losses, homelessness and crime, so sorry.” That set the tone to a visit that we had hoped would be epic. It took a day or so to figure out what worked for us. Sometimes that happens. After that initial adjustment, it was all good. We took our friend’s advice and went to Orick/Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and Trinidad SP Beach. Absolutely beautiful! A few other highlights were the sunsets/coastal views, Redwoods skywalk, Arcata Community Forest hikes, seeing the eclectic hippie culture in the city, and one really, really good burrito. Oh and all the cows/farmland on the way to local beaches and dunes! Kind of special that it wasn’t built-up housing along the coast.Read more