01
Most iconic stop
Glass Beach
Fort Bragg Waterfront • Quirky Historic Cove • Iconic Glass-Strewn Shoreline
An easy-access cove where wave-tumbled sea glass sparkles across the rocky shore and tidepools.
If you’re making a first coast run from Laytonville, Glass Beach is the place everyone talks about, and it’s worth the short detour into town. The colorful glass is more subtle than in old photos, but kids still love hunting for tiny treasures between the rocks. Aim for lower tide to explore tidepools and stay on marked paths to protect the crumbly bluffs.
02
Best quick family stop
Pudding Creek Beach
North Fort Bragg • Family-Friendly River Mouth Beach • Best Quick Stop From Highway 1
A broad, sheltered beach at a creek mouth with a photogenic trestle bridge and mellow waves.
Just north of downtown Fort Bragg, Pudding Creek Beach is one of the easiest spots to roll up to with a car full of kids, snacks, and beach gear. The old railroad trestle frames the cove and doubles as a walking and biking route with big views. The creek makes a shallow play area when the surf feels too rough, and the sand is flat enough for long walks in either direction.
03
Best for long walks
Ten Mile Beach
Mackerricher State Park • Wide, Wind-Swept Shoreline • Best For Long, Quiet Walks
A seemingly endless stretch of sand backed by dunes and bluffs, ideal for roaming and clearing your head.
Ten Mile Beach feels wild and expansive, especially if you’re used to the enclosed feel of redwood valleys around Laytonville. Start from one of the pullouts north of Fort Bragg and you can walk for miles with only the sound of surf and wind for company. Dress in layers—this part of the coast runs cool and breezy even when it’s hot inland.
04
Best with dogs
Seaside Beach
North Of Mackerricher • Dog-Friendly Open Beach • Best Off-Leash Romp For Pups
A wide, informal-feeling beach where locals bring their dogs to run, play fetch, and splash in the shallows.
Seaside Beach is a go-to choice if you’ve brought the dog along on your Mendocino Coast day trip from Laytonville. The parking is straightforward, the sand is generous, and there’s plenty of room to spread out away from other groups. The surf can be strong, so most people stick to the dry sand for walks, kite flying, and sunset watching while dogs chase balls along the shoreline.
05
Most rugged setting
Westport-Union Landing State Beach
Westport Coast • Rugged Blufftop Shoreline • Best For Dramatic Coastal Camping
A long line of bluffs and pocket coves with campsites perched right above the crashing Pacific.
Westport-Union Landing feels like the edge of the continent, with raw wind, steep bluffs, and big open sky. It’s a natural extension of a Laytonville redwoods drive, especially if you continue north from Leggett onto Highway 1. Stop for a blufftop picnic and wave watching, or book a campsite if you want to fall asleep to the sound of surf just below your tent.