On the Northern Coast of California there is an unknown jewel in Humboldt County, the tiny seaside village of Trinidad, the smallest, oldest, and most westerly city in California.  Sparkling blue-green ocean waves kissing the sea stacks and sandy beaches and coves make Trinidad an idea vacation opportunity.  The Trinidad area is one of the most spectacular and pristine segments of the California coast, and has been established as a California Coastal National Monument Gateway - an area that offers the best shore-based opportunities to discover and view offshore rocks and islands and their inhabitants.  

One of my very favorite areas is  a rocky bluff overlooking Trinidad Bay surrounded by redwood and spruce trees called Trinidad Head.  Trinidad Head rises above the harbor, and shelters a small fleet of fishing boats. There is a small working pier where one can get up close and personal with the fishermen, gulls, stellar seals, sea lions, and sea otters. There are so many wonderful opportunities to explore; beautiful beaches, sunsets, and tide pools, as well as plenty of bird, Roosevelt elk, whale and marine mammal watching.  There is also kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, camping, horseback riding, ocean and freshwater fishing, crabbing, claming, mountain biking, rock climbing, surfing, swimming, kite flying, and agate hunting and hiking. WHEW, could I have left anything out?
   
We walked down the quiet country road lined with great smelling pink roses and blackberry bushes to a place called College Cove beach.  There my children and I played in the small streams that exited the woods and flowed into the waves every few feet, spreading sand to and fro and finding flotsam and jetsam to add to our collection.    

Trinidad has so much to offer travelers and locals alike. There are the natural wonders that the area has in abundance.  Along with the friendly people and close-knit community feeling, you will be charmed by the many and various lodges and cabin type places to stay. There are several really nice bed and breakfasts and vacation homes as well. The redwoods encroach on the town from every angle, so if you get tired of the sand and sun you can hike or picnic at Patrick’s Point State Park for an entirely different experience. The camping is top notch, with camps in the redwoods or on the open bluffs overlooking the ocean.

An authentic Native American Yurok village has been built from native materials and is a very interesting site to explore.  Agate Beach is famous for finding large size agates of many colors. There are dining adventures from the high end Sunset Restaurant at the Cher Ae Heights Casino to the little Beachcomber Café right next to town hall for that cup of local roasted coffee in the morning. Don’t pass up the smoky bagels at the Seascape Restaurant on the pier as the to-die-for smoked salmon comes from Katy’s Smokehouse up the road.  To sample it all, visit in May, when the town usually hosts the Taste of Trinidad Festival.

A large part of the community is involved in festivals like the Fish Festival that has been going on for 51 years with the BEST fresh fish you will ever taste. Blessing of the Fleet Festival, involving the winter crab fleet as well as other commercial fishermen. Storytelling Festival By the Sea, a wacky and fun time (http://www.inkpeople.org), Westhaven Blackberry Festival, a small friendly event with pies and jams galore with a very homegrown atmosphere. If you are a runner then the Clam Beach Run (http://www.trinidadtoclambeach.com) is a must. You will be running through the redwoods, the town of Trinidad, across the Little River and down Clam beach. Now that is a challenge…usually in February!

If you love history, this town has plenty.  Make sure to visit the lighthouses, Trinidad has two of them. Trinidad Head Lighthouse was built by the U. S. government in 1871 and maintained by the U. S. Coast Guard.  The other is the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse, a replica of the original 1871 lighthouse built in 1949 by the Trinidad Civic Club.  Both are great examples of our sea faring past that work and are still counted on along the torturous north coast waters. Other historical sites are abundant in the area as well. In the early 1900s, Trinidad Pier served as a whaling station and was one of the last functioning whaling stations on the west coast. Next to the pier and Trinidad State Beach take the Trinidad Head Trail to the large white cross at the face of the head.  Erected by Spanish captains, Heceta and Bodega, on Trinity Sunday, June 9, 1775. They named the port La Santisima Trinidad and claimed the area for Spain.

Prior to the Spanish the Tsurai Indians settled the area that is now Trinidad more than 350 years ago. The village consisted of ten to twelve houses and facilities for ceremonial brush dances and burial grounds. Their descendants are still living in Trinidad and surrounding communities today. A trip on the trail to Indian Beach just down from the Memorial Lighthouse will take you a step back in time when the Tsurai had their village in the spot where the town is today. The modern Rancheria had one of the first “state of the art” medical facilities built in the early 1980’s and has been a model for other Native American groups around the country. Today the Rancheria plays an important role in Trinidad’ economic base with the Seascape Restaurant and Pier, Cher Ae Heights Casino and the North Coast Inn.

A very active artist community resides in the Trinidad area with many galleries and gift shops to visit with sculptures, paintings, photographs, textiles, glass work and unique pieces.  The town has a very diverse group of people and offers great conversation on just about any topic around every corner.  If you love a historical tale, stop a local resident and ask them to recount the story of the day it snowed “2 feet” on this little beach town. It almost NEVER snows in Trinidad. (The photos are all around town) There is always something going on in town you don’t want to miss out on. A farmer’s market is available all season long as there are long growing season in the area due to the coastal influence on the weather.  There is a truly unique wonderful group of “old” ladies  that have an award winning garden club (they don’t mind being called “old” as they said I was still too “young” at 53-years-old to be considered a seasoned member). Don’t be afraid to walk the streets of this tiny little town as the sights from the sidewalks offer beautiful front yards with everything from a pure Japanese garden to an orchard on a slope. Flowers are everywhere, pink, purple, gold, blue, white, red, yellow, each blending into an already perfect landscape provided by Mother Nature.

Just a few words on the  weather…expect sudden and unexpected changes!  Do bring a sweater or jacket for those moist foggy mornings and cool evenings. No need for air-conditioning here, perfect for the overheated traveler.  Also be prepared for the rare 80-90 degree days that pop-up from nowhere. Sunscreen is still a must for foggy and overcast days.  There can also be a short bout of rain or thunder storms just in time for your camp out so always have a back-up plan.  The best times of the year are spring and fall.

Regardless of the type of vacation, camping, B&B, or hotel, be prepared for some of the best sunsets, the nicest people, a wonderland of nature, awesome local food delicacies, whale watching, and the biggest trees you may ever see, all in and about one of Humboldt County’s jewel of a town, Trinidad, CA.