Humboldt County’s Best Sights, Stays and Eats

As the largest cannabis-producing region in the United States, the “Emerald Triangle” of Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino counties serves as a kind of pilgrimage for those who love to partake. And Humboldt in particular – with its resplendent combo of stunning redwoods, highways winding through the Northern California Coast, and world-class weed – makes for what might just be the dreamiest road trip in America.

As you make your way through this stunning locale, you’ll have no shortage of outdoorsy (and indoorsy) impulses to follow. But if you need a little more structure, consider this Camino-curated guide the ultimate Northern California road trip itinerary. 

And don’t forget to enter our summer sweepstakes to do it all in a new Jeep Compass. We’re giving away $50,000 worth of prizes, including three $1,000 gas cards. (Just don’t imbibe and drive!)  

The Sights

If Humboldt County is known for two things, it’s really good cannabis and borderline otherworldly natural beauty. From the Redwood National Park to the Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt hosts more than 40 parks, beaches, and forest reserves perfect for camping, hiking, biking, fishing, and partaking.

We recommend hike-friendly Lost Farm 10mg Vanilla Latte x Cereal Milk Live Rosin Chews for making sights like these extra-vivid: 

• Check out Founders Grove for a low-key, super chill traipse through the Avenue of the Giants at the iconic Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
• Don’t sleep on Sue-meg State Park, home of dazzling ocean views, agate-rich beaches, and even a recreation of an Indigenous Yurok village.
• Just south of Trinidad, Moonstone Beach (pictured below) doesn’t just sound like something out of a fairy tale; it looks like one, too, complete with tide pools, sea caves, and rocky coves.
• You can’t get more Insta-friendly than the Magnificent Trillium Falls Trail. Just off the beaten path, this one’s a verdant but easygoing trail with an incredibly scenic payoff in the falls themselves, conveniently framed by a free viewing platform.   
• The Northern California Coast might be known for its towering trees and prehistoric ferns, but it’s also home to some of the most lively and colorful marshland you’ve ever laid eyes on. Bring your best lenses and your finest hiking sticks to the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary and Humboldt Lagoons State Park.  

The Stays

Of course, you’re gonna need a place to rest your head after all of that sightseeing. All across the county’s scenic towns, these highly-rated stays run the gamut from Humboldt luxury to Humboldt rustic.  

• For an elegant 1930s terrace atmosphere, there’s the Benbow Historic Inn in Garberville, where beautiful architecture is paired with romantic views, a 9-hole golf course and a restaurant known worldwide for its wine selection. 
• The Inn at 2nd & C, located in the historic Eagle House in Eureka, CA, offers a quirkier, deeply photogenic vintage vibe with a nice balance of ocean views and convenient Old Town activities.  
• If you want to go a little more rustic, the Inn of the Lost Coast in Shelter Cove hosts a cabin-style penthouse, spa rooms, and more modest suites with dramatic cliffside ocean views.
• And if you want to go a lot more rustic, the fishing town of Trinidad is home to Emerald Forest Cabins, with 75 RV and tent sites as well as fully furnished cabins nestled in coastal redwood forests, and convenient to Sue-meg and Trinidad State Beach.

Pack our CBD & CBN ‘Deep Sleep’ Blackberry Dream high-dose gummies right alongside your white noise machine to sleep through the night wherever you crash. 

The Eats

Humboldt County may not be known for culinary culture the way cities like LA, San Francisco, or San Diego are, but all of its picturesque towns are home to at least a few hidden gems offering a surprisingly wide variety of dishes from local to global. (May we recommend a Kiva Dark Chocolate Bar for dessert?)

• Smalls Fusion Comfort in Eureka pairs a commission-free local art space with creative and comforting local eats, with selections at the time of writing including crabfat chicken wings, gochujang mac n’ cheese with shrimp, and mushroom hash chimichurri. 
• Susukino Ramen Bar offers a slice of Sapporo-style late nights in Arcata, CA, with casual street food vibes, cold sake, hot dumplings, and authentic Hokkaido ramen flavors.
• The rustic but elevated Bayside Farmstead Cafe in Bayside works alongside local farms to serve fresh, healthy seasonal food like North Coast nicoise, lemon berry waffles, local Albacore tartine, and a full menu of specialty lattes, to boot. 
• Look, two things go hand-in-hand with good cannabis: Humboldt County, and pizza. For a little taste of both, the Lost Frenchman in Redway, CA, serves up chill vibes, wood-fired pizza, beer and burgers with a focus on local ingredients and canna-culture inspired dishes. 

For the Doers

There are things to do in Humboldt County, and then there are things to do in Humboldt County. The views, hikes and road trips are one thing, but you won’t want to miss out on activities ranging from strolling through artsy downtowns to going full-on granola with extreme outdoor adventures. 

• Take in the sick street art, cute cafes and breathtaking Carson Mansion – quite possibly the grandest bit of Victorian architecture in the US – in Old Town Eureka. 
• For more vintage vibes, stroll through the Victorian Village of Ferndale on the Lost Coast, a slice of idyllic Americana that makes you feel like you’re on the set of a rom-com.
• On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, hop on an off-road ATV like you’re in a bougie Mad Max flick as you tear through the Samoa Dunes Recreation Area.
• Split the difference between soaking up fantastic scenery and keeping it active with an E-bike tour of the Redwood Forest in Crescent City.
• If you happen to be visiting the Northern California Coast in the late summer, don’t miss the Humboldt County Fair, known for cheat-day eats, old-school rides, on-site camping, lots of live animal shows, and even a wintertime attraction featuring ice skating rinks. 
• Try a cannabis tour – plenty of Humboldt County industry spots offer cannabis farm tours, dispensary visits, educational romps and even wine country-style cannabis flights. When in Rome… 

One more thing to do in Humboldt County: a dose of 5mg ‘Uplifting’ Pineapple Habanero Kiva Camino gummies to keep the energy up and the experiences elevated. 

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Dan is a freelance writer, small business owner, and full-time creative living in Dallas, TX. In 15 years of writing, he’s been fortunate to collaborate with companies and publishers like Cannabis and Tech Today, Healthfully, Salon.com, ArtBase, The Seattle Times, USA Today, SF Gate, and many more.