Following the train ride you can do some whale watching at Point Cabrillo Preserve  just a few miles south of Ft. Bragg on Highway 1.  The Preserve includes a historic 1909 Light Station as well as 270 acres of coastal bluffs and prairies.  It is a half mile walk to the light station from the parking lot.  Restrooms can be found near the parking lot as well as near the lighthouse keeper’s home. There are historical photos and information about the light keeper’s families in the station.  A small tide pool aquarium can be found just outside of the light station.  The light keeper’s house has been converted into a private bed and breakfast, and special events can be held on the grounds just outside of the keepers’ homes. 

 If you are interested in coming out for an event, the Whale festival is held in March, and Heritage Days are throughout the month of May. The anniverary of Point Cabrillo lighthouse is June 12th, National Lighthouse Day is August 7, and Cabrillo Day is Sept. 25th.  Heading out on these days might make a fabulous trip.

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During our limited stay in Fort Bragg we combined our redwood exploration with our half day ride on the Skunk Train from Ft. Bragg to Northspur through the coastal forest.  The round trip is 3.5 to 4 hours and costs $22 per child and $47 per adult.  There is a short stop at Northspur where families can disembark while the engine turns around on the tracks.   If you have young children, I do not recommend a longer trip.  Passengers are able to move around the train cars and view the redwoods and wildlife from the observation car, but you will want to be prepared with other games or toys to help active children remain interested in the experience. 

The highlight of the trip for our three year old was passing through a tunnel that caused a complete blackout within the train cars.  My husband enjoyed this as well, taking the opportunity to sneak off and hide in a different seat to surprise us!  I recommend doing it up with engineer caps, wooden train whistles, binoculars, and a flashlight, as well as a prepared scavenger hunt for train-related equipment and redwood forest plants and animals.  If you have forgotten to bring toys or games, the train station gift shop has a great selection of train-type toys and books at reasonable prices.  The train has a small restroom onboard, but I did not notice a changing area.   We purchased our tickets at the station the day before our trip and did not have any trouble reserving a spot.  It was a rainy Sunday, and as it turns out, one of the best adventures that a family could have in Ft. Bragg on a rainy day.  A dining car offers hot dogs, pretzels, sodas, coffee and tea, and a variety of snack-type foods for purchase, or one can pre-order a boxed lunch with a sandwich, side salad, and drink.  Outside food is not permitted, but given my family’s finicky food preferences, we brought our own snacks and were not approached about having done so. 

 As we approached the station in Ft. Bragg, the sun was finally making an appearance, so we decided to try our luck at whale watching with a visit to Point Cabrillo Preserve  just a few miles south of Ft. Bragg on Highway 1.  The Preserve includes a historic 1909 Light Station as well as 270 acres of coastal bluffs and prairies.  We enjoyed the half mile walk to the light station from the parking lot, but if you have very young children, I recommend a stroller or backpack, or being dropped off at the station via the paved, narrow access road.  Restrooms can be found near the parking lot as well as near the lighthouse keeper’s home. 

Our daughter enjoyed coloring a picture of a grey whale in the children’s corner of the station where artwork and poetry of local students is displayed.  I enjoyed perusing the historical photos and information about the light keeper’s families in the station.  A small tide pool aquarium can be found just outside of the light station.  The light keeper’s house has been converted into a private bed and breakfast, and special events can be held on the grounds just outside of the keepers’ homes.  If you are interested in coming out for an event, the Whale festival is held in March, and Heritage Days are throughout the month of May. The anniverary of Point Cabrillo lighthouse is June 12th, National Lighthouse Day is August 7, and Cabrillo Day is Sept. 25th.  Heading out on these days might make a fabulous trip.

For more on trains, check out Trekaroo’s Spotlight Thursday

Photo credit: flikr and www.pointcabrillo.org/

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As east coast natives temporarily living in Davis, CA, my husband and I began planning our last weekend getaway in California by listing our priorities: combing the Pacific north coast beaches, exploring the state parks, and riding the infamous Skunk Train through a redwood forest with our three year old daughter. This affordable, family fun was all to be found near Ft. Bragg, along with an ocean view room at the Beachcomber Motel on North Main Street. As luck would have it, we would be visiting during the yearly Whale Festival held in Ft. Bragg on March 20-21st.

We chose the Beachcomber Motel  because of its proximity to Pudding Creek Beach, as well as the recently updated ocean view rooms and a continental breakfast. Rates vary according to the style of room, ranging from a 1 queen bed with no view ($99-109) to a 1 king suite with a view, fireplace, and hot tub ($179-259).

As a small family of three, we stayed comfortably in a first floor, 1 queen bed room with a view and a requested roll away bed. The staff was friendly and prompt when I requested extra pillows and towels for the room. Our room was situated in the section of the motel that has a shared picnic deck complete with barbecue grills and tables for family cookouts with breathtaking ocean views. We were therefore a bit limited in how often we could keep our draperies open because the deck was a popular dining place for motel guests. If you desire a bit more privacy, I recommend requesting rooms numbered 124 or 224 and lower. The first floor rooms have semi-private patios while the second floor rooms have private balconies with unobstructed ocean views.

Pets are welcome in certain rooms,  kitchenettes are also available, and a discount is offered for AAA members. If you require a refrigerator or microwave, make sure to ask as not all rooms are fully-equipped. The continental breakfast served in the motel lobby included apple and cherry pastries, oatmeal, apples and oranges, and tea and coffee to drink. Upon leaving, I suggested that it would be good to offer milk and individual cereal boxes for families with young children, as well as bagels instead of pastries. All rooms are non-smoking, and to the delight of my bloodhound-like nose, extremely clean.

A short walk on the Ten Mile Coastal Trail, which parallels the ocean-facing side of the motel, takes guests to the Pudding Creek Beach trail. It takes only a few minutes to make the precipitous trek down the bluff and to walk through the squeaky sand to find your ideal resting and playing spot on the expansive family-friendly beach. Families with older children and sure-footed adults could make the trek slowly with their gear for the day. Families like ours with younger children should consider driving their gear down to the beach parking lot and making the somewhat longer jaunt under the trestle bridge to the beach to avoid any mishaps on the bluff.

While driving home, we all agreed that combing the beaches and enjoying the breathtaking north coast vistas from the comfort of the Beachcomber Motel were our favorite activities together while in Fort Bragg.  The convenient Motel location near Pudding Creek Beach, downtown Fort Bragg, and the area’s state parks, made the Beachcomber an ideal home away from home for a weekend full of outdoor family adventures.  

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