Fort Bragg

With a population of 7,300 Fort Bragg is the only city on the Mendocino Coast, albeit a small one. Historic buildings line the downtown, while the primary residential area, laid out in a classic grid formation, offers home buyers a range of properties from smaller craftsman-era homes to larger grand dames of the Victorian period. You’ll find most services here: shopping, dining, health care (including a hospital), schools, churches, and a world-class recreation center with two indoor pools. Kayak on the Noyo River, charter a fishing boat from Noyo Harbor, or just eat the day’s catch at one of the excellent restaurants. The town’s crown jewel is the Noyo Headlands Coastal Trail, which spans the length of the city and connects to beautiful MacKerricher State Park to the north. Pristine beaches and redwoods forests are a stone’s throw away, including the 50,000-acre Jackson State Forest, a mostly secret playground for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.