Trinidad, CA is on the Pacific Coast of Northern California

The Town of Trinidad is 60 miles South of Crescent City, CA and 14 miles North of Arcata, CA.

The Trinidad exit off of Highway 101 brings you right into the Town Center. Lodging accommodations abound in the area with a wide variety to select from which reflect the quiet get-away atmosphere of Trinidad.

As the photos testify, this area is shrouded in mist or enveloped in fog a lot of the time. That is typical weather on the Pacific Coast from Canada to Northern California. Even in the fog the ocean is always a special place. The coast along the Trinidad area is high banked, rocky, and full of a million shapes.

Your first glimpse of the ocean at Trinidad, on your way to the pier, will be a view of the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse. It has recently been made wheelchair accessible. From the lighthouse a trail leads down to Indian beach.

The Trinidad Chamber of Commerce is a good source of information about the area. Visit their Web Site

At Trinidad pier there is a marine railway that will launch your boat. If you don’t have a boat there is charter fishing and whale watching available at the pier. As you approach from the land you question if you are at the right place because of the commercial nature of the pier and the front of the restaurant faces the ocean. Park in the parking lot and as you walk to the pier the look becomes more tourist friendly. We took the photos of the pier on the same rainy day we took the photo of the lighthouse.

The Trinidad area, for our purposes starts from the North at Big Lagoon and continues to the South to Little River State Beach. Little River State Beach abuts Clam Beach County Park, which we put in the McKinleyville Area, the area to the South of Trinidad.

Trinidad State Beach is right in the middle of town and well signed. This is a very peaceful spot with a large grassy area for children to run off their car cramps with picnic tables to have lunch at. It is about 120 foot drop to the beach down a trail. Plan to eat after you hike back up from the beach, you’ll need the rest and energy refill. The beach is a sandy, peaceful beach.

The Visitors Map at the left is just about the first thing you see when you enter Trinidad from Highway 101. Beside it is a stand filled with local brochures. Just behind the map is a shopping center with a coin laundry, a gas station, a grocery store, and a restaurant.

Patrick’s Point Drive – is old Highway 101 to the North of town. It takes off to the right from this sign. It is a lovely scenic 10 mile drive through wooded areas with spectacular ocean views. You will want to get off of Highway 101 and take this drive. Many of the local tourist facilities, beach access points, and Patricks Point State Park are on this road.

We recommend the following Restaurants:

[Larrupin Café] 1658 Patricks Point Drive – 707-677-0230

[The Seascape Restaurant] on the Pier – 707-677-3762

We recommend the following places to obtain Lodging:

Trinidad Inn - motel – 1170 Patricks Point Drive – 707-677-3349

Bishops Pine Lodge – 1480 Patrick’s Point Drive – 707-677-3314

View Crest Lodge – 3415 Patrick’s Point Drive – 707-677-3393

The Lost Whale Bed & Breakfast Inn – 3452 Patrick’s Point Drive – 707-677-3425

We recommend the following interesting shops:

[Sea Around Us] – on Main Street in downtown Trinidad

[Trinidad Trading Company] – on Main Street in downtown Trinidad

We recommend the following RV Parks:

Midway RV Park – Patricks Point Drive and Midway Drive – 707-677-3934

The Emerald Forest RV Park – 753 Patricks Point Drive – 707-677-3554

Return to Eureka / Arcada Area

© Copyright 2001 NorthwestPlaces.com all rights reserved

trip0701.htm