If you’ve dreamed of tasting just-harvested oysters, sipping wine in volcanic vineyards, or walking among the tallest trees on earth, California’s North Coast region is a must. Blending wild coastline, fog-kissed farms, and deep-rooted food traditions, this region offers a slower-paced side of California agritourism.
The North Coast includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino Counties and is defined by its natural beauty and rugged charm. Here, the Pacific crashes into dramatic cliffs, redwood forests soar hundreds of feet, and heritage farms and foodways thrive.
The timber industry historically ruled, but today a new generation of farmers, producers, fishers, and foragers is transforming it into a destination for conscious eaters and curious travelers.
Across the region, the primary commercial agricultural products include winegrapes, honey, apples, walnuts, pears, and summer produce, including summer squash, cucumbers, and potatoes. Throughout the region, visitors can explore farmers markets, sip local wines, eat at farm-to-table restaurnats, visit working farms, and meet the makers restoring both ecosystems and food culture.
Each county of California's North Coast region offers its own flavor. In Del Norte, salmon streams, wild berries, and Indigenous foodways reflect a deep connection to the land. Humboldt County shines with sustainable aquaculture and heirloom grain revival. Mendocino’s biodynamic vineyards and ocean stewardship are legendary, while Lake County’s volcanic terroir and pear orchards reveal another layer of agrarian heritage.
If you’re looking for a road trip that feeds your sense of wonder as well as your appetite, the North Coast is pure California magic.
Add these family friendly wineries to your summer vacation itinerary! Activities like hiking, ziplining, farm tours and grape juice tastings help keep younger guests occupied while the adults enjoy a glass (or two) of wine in peace.
Explore farm-to-table restaurants and local food gems in California’s North Coast. These support North Coast California agritourism through their seasonal menus and support of local producers.
Explore eleven unique farm stays in Northern California including vineyard guesthouses and farm-to-table inns in Mendocino, Humboldt, and Lake Counties.
In areas where logging once reigned, small organic farms now flourish under the canopy of second-growth forests, cultivating mushrooms, heirloom apples, and herbal crops.
Many Mendocino wineries are leaders in biodynamic, dry-farmed, and organic grape growing, especially in Anderson Valley.
Lake County has been a top pear-producing region since the 19th century, and still ships Bartlett and Bosc pears worldwide.
