Area Guide

 

Arcata: A Gem in the Northern California Redwood Region

 

For a tour of the area in photos, click here.

 

 

 

Local Highlights

The city of Arcata is located on the California coast in Humboldt County, just 7 miles from the city of Eureka, 278 driving miles north of San Francisco, and 90 miles south of the Oregon border.  It is home to Humboldt State University, one of the oldest and most beautiful colleges in the California State University system.

Travelers to Arcata can explore and experience outdoor adventure, art and artisan crafts and manufacturing, culture, music, theater, shopping, community events, locavore fine food and drink, being “green” before it was groovy, heritage shopping districts, architecture, history, Humboldt State University , and a friendly embracing community.

Within the city limits of  our progressive little town, visitors can hike through 600 acres of redwood groves within Arcata’s Community Forest, beach comb along pristine coastline, paddle on Humboldt Bay or the Mad River, enjoy birding in a famous wildlife sanctuary, watch the Humboldt Crabs baseball team, or attend University functions or the popular events held on our lively town square.  Within a 15-45 minute drive from Arcata, folks can visit Redwood National and State Parks, Avenue of the Giants and Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Old Town Eureka’s Victorian Waterfront Heritage District, the Victorian Village of Ferndale, or the quaint fishing village of Trinidad, Trinidad Head, lighthouse, beaches, and Patrick’s Point State Park.

Unspoiled Scenic Beauty Abounds on the Redwood Coast

The redwood region boasts millions of acres of wondrous unspoiled scenery: protected ancient redwood groves (the tallest trees in the world), 160 miles of pristine coastline with miles of sandy and rocky beaches, sea stacks and dunes, Humboldt Bay, lagoons, wild and scenic rivers, wetlands, recreation areas, hundreds of species of birds on our Pacific Flyway, County, State, and National Parks, wildlife refuges, lighthouses, harbors and waterfronts, and small town charm.

Area Recognition

• Humboldt County has been ranked the “second most beautiful county in the U.S”
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture has called Humboldt County “America’s Most Scenic Rural County.”
• National Geographic Adventure magazine described our hometown of Arcata as one of its “50 Next Great Adventure Towns.”
• California AAA May/June 2014 Via Magazine listed Lady Bird Johnson Grove in Humboldt County’s Redwood National Park as “1 of 8 high points not to miss within the US system of 58 National Parks.”  Also included in the incredible sights were Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, to name a few.
• The City of Eureka, Humboldt’s County seat, has been designated “The #1 Best Small Art Town” in John Villani’s book “The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America.”

For more information please:  Click here for links of Special Interest  or Click here for a Map of Humboldt County.

 

Arcata Activities

 

Top things to do in Arcata	Top things to do on a budget	Top things to do with a family
Shopping, dining, wine-tasting, galleries, music Shop organic at Farmers Market on Saturday Events at Humboldt State University April Godwit Days Birding Festival Open Art Studios & Oyster Festival	Visit Arcata Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary Hike/Bike in 2000 acre Redwood Park Kinetic Sculpture Race 4th of July & Equinox Fairs on the Plaza Pastels on the Plaza	Humboldt Crabs summer baseball games Kayak/canoe/fish/view seals on Mad River Play and beach comb at Mad River Beach Arcata Skateboard Park Explore Arcata Community Forest Redwood Park

 Redwood Coast Activities

 

Outdoor Sports	River & Ocean Activities	In-Town Activities
Hiking Biking Birding Horseback riding Marathons Golf Tennis	Kayaking Canoeing Rafting Boating Sailing Surfing Windsurfing Kite surfing Stand-up paddleboarding Salmon & steelhead fishing Beach combing Whale watching	Arcata Plaza Festivals and Saturday Farmers Market Humboldt State University Sightseeing Old Town Eureka waterfront Ferndale Victorian village Trinidad seaside village Shopping Restaurants Wine-tasting Live theater Art community and galleries Touring Victorian architecture Music festivals Museums Cinemas Sequoia Zoo Humboldt Bay Harbor Tour on the M.V. Madaket Humboldt Botanical Garden Blue Ox Millworks Samoa Cookhouse