Stay-cation Fun

In keeping with our family commitment to explore more of our local area, I've always wanted to enjoy a "stay-cation"-----you know, visiting things close to home by day and being able to sleep nice and snug in one's very own bed by night!! Since we've been a bit short on funds while we save for two separate vacations away from home in late summer, we decided that with my husband's week off in May we would just do things within an hour's drive or so and spend very little money. This was our first vacation with just the three of us since my two oldest sons now live on their own; my husband, Mark, our youngest son, Alex, and myself---and, of course, Bruno the dachshund.

We did, in fact, accomplish our goal, although I am quite disappointed that we weren't able to enjoy the three day camping trip we had planned to Albee Creek Campground in Avenue of the Giants. Alas, the weather chose not to cooperate this time around. But, in spite of a slight change of plans, we did enjoy a relaxing, and not too busy, "stay-cation".

Battery Point Lighthouse

On Saturday, we drove north to Crescent City, in Del Norte County. On the way we stopped at Trees of Mystery, but just for a quick look since we've been there more times that we could count. First on the agenda once we reached Crescent City was a tour of the Battery Point Lighthouse. While Mark and Alex took the tour, I stayed on the beach with our dog and hunted for seashells. It was very windy and a bit chilly, but still a really lovely day. We next stopped at a local park for a picnic lunch and then went on to the Marine Rescue Center where we got to see two baby harbor seals who were recent rescues. I'm sure the center does wonderful work, but it has always been standard procedure in our area to avoid "rescues" of marine mammals, particularly seal pups. Mother harbor seals leave their pups on the beach while they take to the ocean to hunt. When the mothers return the pups are then found by location, not by recognition. If the pups have been moved, the mothers are unable to find them and then a "rescue" must be facilitated. Anyway, they were darling and made sweet little noises that came very close to sounding like "mama".

Klamath Beach

We stopped at Ocean World just before leaving Crescent City so Mark and Alex could take the 45-minute guided tour. Although they did say it was interesting, Mark said it was nothing compared to other marine exhibits we've had the pleasure of experiencing in Canada and at Marine World in Ohio and several other larger aquariums in the country. Alex bought a shark-tooth necklace as a memento---very cool! We stopped for just a bit at Klamath Beach and then made a pit-stop at Woodland Villa Market for fresh smoked salmon-----at $50.00/lb. we bought just three small slices. Nothing like it, to be sure!

The "We Have Salmon" sign at Woodland Villa

While we were in Del Norte County we took a quick drive to the Klamath Glen where my in-laws once lived many years ago. They were there during the 1964 flood that practically destroyed the little town of Klamath and then they returned in the mid-1970s with their family as Carl, my father-in-law, was pastor at Klamath Baptist Church. My husband has fond memories of the years he spent living there. We then took the steep and winding road to Requa, which used to be the site of a small U.S. Air Force base, before heading back home and were treated to a grand view of the mouth of the Klamath River and the Pacific.

Klamath Estuary

After traveling to Del Norte County, we decided to spend one day checking out various thrift and antique shops in Eureka and Arcata, which is always fun. It's a bit like the anticipation of Christmas----never quite sure what you'll find! Since I collect vintage Pyrex, I'm always on the lookout for lovely pieces to add to my stash. How I would LOVE to have all the old Pyrex pieces my grandmother sold at a yard sale so long ago for next to nothing!

Mid-week we drove to the quaint little towns of Ferndale and Loleta. I adore Ferndale and my favorite place to browse is the Golden Gate Mercantile----the store has the feel of stepping back in time. In addition to locally handcrafted foods, they have a fine selection of international products, as well. I can never leave without a jar of thick, creamy lemon curd made, close by, in southern Oregon. We've always meant to stop by the Ferndale Museum, and so, this time around, we did! It was really fantastic. The displays were well-done and informative and I was particularly fascinated by a section of the old Pacific Bell switchboard that was in use in Humboldt County until 1982.

Just a short distance north of Ferndale is the tiny, "blink and you'll miss it", town of Loleta. We stopped, for the very first time, at the Loleta Bakery. The smells wafting from this place were heavenly. We grabbed a Pecan Pie Bar to share----oh, my goodness! It was huge and so delicious! Just down the street from the bakery is the Loleta Cheese Factory, which makes handcrafted cheeses from local, organic milk. Yum!! I picked up a brick each of Fontina and Harvarti, flavorful and rich.





Although I always enjoy a day south in Ferndale, my favorite day during our stay-cation was most certainly our drive to the seaside town of Trinidad. This lovely town is situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, just 7 miles from our home. There are numerous shops to browse in and a small maritime museum, which houses many Yurok and Karuk artifacts, a handcarved kayak made by a local Yurok artisan, and walls covered with photographs of local fishermen and their vessels from years past. Further on, overlooking the Pacific and in view of Trinidad Head, is a replica of the lighthouse that sits atop the Head and is still used and maintained by the U.S Coast Guard, which has a small post mid-way up. Next to the lighthouse replica stands a beautiful memorial to all those lost at sea in local waters and serves as a reminder that the Pacific is both majestic and treacherous. We were there just as the bell was striking the noon hour----twelve loud rings! After ordering a tasty "to-go" lunch of homemade clam chowder and 1/2 an ABC (Avocado, Bacon, & Cheddar) sandwich from The Eatery, we dined, picnic-style, at Trinidad State Beach. Our last stop was the Humboldt State University Marine Lab. The lab is undergoing a remodel so many of their "touch-tanks" were unavailable and most of the displays were off-limits. We will return when the construction is complete.







The rest of our days were just relaxing round the house and enjoying being able to do "nothing". We did get quite a bit of rain, as well, but that's just fine for book-reading and movie-watching. Vacations away from home are always lovely, but there is something to be said for planned vacations close to home that allow us to be tourists in our own hometowns.