Crescent City

Getting there

By car From San Francisco or Portland, US Highway 101 makes a scenic but sometimes slow drive along the coast to Crescent City. Between San Francisco and Crescent City, there are only a few connector roads from the east (Hwy 20, Hwy 299) so if you want to drive along the coast, you can access Hwy 101 near San Francisco and follow it north. From Grants Pass in Oregon, you can take US Highway 199 southwest to reach Crescent City. Grants Pass is also a stop along Interstate 5, which is the major north-south highway on the west coast. Interstate 5 is known as fast and easy to drive and has good connections to further east, but it's often a boring road. If you are traveling on Interstate 5 and want to travel over to the coast, you can take Hwy 299 west where it intersects I-5 at Redding, Ca. Hwy 299 west is a beautiful, highly scenic, curvy/winding route through the rugged mountains of Northern California. This route takes from Redding, through Weaverville and Willow Creek, along the Trinity and Klamath Rivers enroute to its junction with Hwy 101 at Arcata, CA. Depending on your speed and stops along the way, Hwy 299 will take you approximately two and a half to three hours driving time to reach the coast. (If you take I-5 north to the Hwy 199 cutoff at Grants Pass, Oregon, and head over to the coast, you are looking at a Five plus hour trip.) As a word of caution, Hwy 299 is not advisable during winter months due to Ice, snow and possibly slides that can cause long delays and/or road closures. If you are not prone to motion sickness and enjoy scenic, country roads (mostly two lanes) you might want to give Hwy 299 a try.

By plane 1 Del Norte County Regional Airport (CEC IATA). Is a small airport in Crescent City on the northwest side of town serving as a general aviation airport. Daily commercial flights with Advanced Airlines from Oakland and Los Angeles. Next nearest commercial airports are the Arcata-Eureka Airport (ACV) in McKinleyville at 70 mi (1

See

Point Saint George is a county park northwest of town. You may beach comb, whalewatch or birdwatch among other activities. Drive 15 miles inland to visit Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park. This state park is one of the very few redwood parks with trails that go into the deep interior. Must-see: Stout Grove. Must-hike: Boy Scout Tree Trail. This trail is a hidden gem, and arguably one of the most beautiful in the entire state. Drive a few miles south to Enderts Beach Road. This road will take you to the sound end of Crescent Beach, and beyond that a trail will take you to a small, rocky cove--Enderts Beach.

1 Battery Point Light House. Visit the Battery Point Light House, one of the oldest lighthouses on the California coast. Accessible at low-tide. The neighboring Lighthouse Jetty, built to protect the town's harbor from waves, is an intriguing piece of infrastructure, but potentially unsafe to explore as numerous warning signs attest. (updated Dec 2016) 2 Tolowa Dunes State Park, ☏ +1 707 464-6101. (updated May 2020) 3 Ocean World, 304 Highway 101 S, ☏ +1-704-464-4900. 9AM–6PM. Aquarium with multiple exhibits and a sea lion show. Kitsch, but potentially fun. Adult $13.95 Age 3 to 11 $9.95 Under 3 Free. (updated May 2023)

Eat

Good Harvest Cafe, 575 US Highway 101 South, ☏ +1 707 465-6028.

Sleep

Best Western Northwoods Inn, 655 US Highway 101 S, ☏ +1 707 464-9771, fax: +1 707 464-9461. Curly Redwood Lodge (US 101 South Edge).