Love this town. It's unique and friendly. Walk the streets, take in the beauty of the architecture, mingle with the locals, have a cocktail at the palace , and the best burger money can buy on your way out. You won't be disappointed
Picture perfect town with redone Victorian houses and businesses. One of the cleanest little villages I've ever seen and good restaurants and shops makes this a great place to stop when traveling or staying in the area.
Stayed at Shaw Inn--beautiful 10 room B&B with friendly hostess, Paula. Short walk to several restaurants, including an organic little place almost hidden on Main Street a block from the B&B.Several unusual shops with quality merchandise and a special shell shop that has wonderful items, jewelry, etc.Weather was perfect for strolling!
While on a trip to Northern California this summer, we took the Ferndale exit a few miles into the delightful little historic town of Ferndale. Be sure to check out the lovely Victorian homes that will take you back in time, and be sure to wander the Main Street where you can enjoy old fashioned candy, bakery and visit the oldest drug store in California. Plan on spending a few hours here, it is definitely worth it. We ended our afternoon at the Ivanhoe Hotel where we enjoyed an elegant dinner in their Victorian dining room and checked out the antique funished saloon and lobby.
many of the buildings are historic and built with a Victorian design as imported to the States. you also get buildings from the early 1900s - try the post office for example. Its like going back in a time machine. even the residents seem to fit in! My wife kept saying the residents must say, like actors "places everyone! here come tourists!"
This kind of reminds me of home, as I was raised in a town similar to this (but less affluent) in Canada. Whoever had the foresight to see that this was going to be a tourist attraction really should be a local hero (and I'm sure they are). A really nice way to spend an afternoon walking down main street seeing the authentic old buildings and the interesting businesses inside. A very deserving side trip!
We drove here after leaving Eureka and so wish we had stayed here rather than Eureka. Having said that it is a small town so finding accommodation might have been more difficult than Eureka and probably more expensive. It's such a pretty town and well worth a mooch around for an hour or so.
You will love this down-town, as it is not "made" to look like an old Victorian villiage, it "IS" an old Victorian Village, with it's old woodworkings, gingerbread and charming people.
We visited Ferndale as a way point on a drive to McKinleyville from Fort Bragg. After almost two days of coastline and forrest since we left San Fransisco, it brought us some nice variation. The Victorian houses are mostly larger than the ones in Frisco (for obvious reasons), better maintained than some of the Frisco ones and usually easier to photograph, because there are less wires and trees blocking the view. That being said, it's probably not really worth a detour, just a nice stop if you're in the neighborhood.
If you like Victorian architecture, take a short side trip off Hwy 101 and spend an hour strolling along Ferndale's beautifully preserved streets. Ferndale is also the site of the Humboldt County Fair in late August.