Flying 

United Airlines subsidiary Sky West, with service from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver, flies into the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport in McKinleyville (ACV), which is 9 miles north of Arcata.  Avelo Airlines flies in from Burbank.  Car rental agencies have desks in the main terminal of the airport.  The Door-To-Door Airporter shuttle stand is right outside of the north door of the terminal.

Driving

Arcata is 90 miles south of the California/Oregon border, 278 miles drive from San Francisco traveling north on HWY 101, 647 miles north of Los Angeles, 587 miles south of Seattle, and 150 miles west of Redding from the Interstate HWY 5 and HWY 299 interchange.

Scenic Detours

Driving on HWY 101 north of Garberville, exit at Phillipsville to take Avenue of the Giants, which parallels the highway, through incredible redwood groves.  Access HWY 101 north again at Pepperwood.

Driving on HWY 101 south of Klamath, exit at the Newton Drury Parkway, which parallels the highway, through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park to view beautiful redwood groves, enjoy a photo op at Big Tree, and see elk in the meadow.

Driving on HWY 199 west, exit just before the entrance to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Campground, left over the Smith River bridge to Howland Hill Road, to view 44 acres of giant redwoods at Stout Grove and incredible old growth forest along the road until you come to Humboldt Road.  Turn left onto Humboldt Road, which parallels HWY 101 south, until it merges with HWY 101, and continue south 76 miles to Arcata.