Crescent City

Fog rolls in, covering the rugged coast, the humble town, and then the majority of the redwoods in the nearby national park. The wind whips through the trees, creating a creak, a whistle, a whisper, almost a wave of sound. You have to wear winter clothes in summer. You may not even spot the sun. So why encourage you to trek to California's northernmost city? You will not get this close to the majestic sequoias sans crowds anywhere else on the planet. Besides picking up some essentials in the actual town of Crescent City, you probably won't spend much time in this somewhat depressed community. After the demise of the lumber industry and a ...

Fog rolls in, covering the rugged coast, the humble town, and then the majority of the redwoods in the nearby national park. The wind whips through the trees, creating a creak, a whistle, a whisper, almost a wave of sound. You have to wear winter clothes in summer. You may not even spot the sun. So why encourage you to trek to California's northernmost city? You will not get this close to the majestic sequoias sans crowds anywhere else on the planet. Besides picking up some essentials in the actual town of Crescent City, you probably won't spend much time in this somewhat depressed community. After the demise of the lumber industry and a devastating tsunami in 1964, Crescent City shriveled into a pit stop on the way to greater pastures. However, Crescent City lies next to the pristine Smith River. Her windswept beaches house exuberant mammal residents. And a few miles up the mountain is the majestic Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (the northernmost outpost of the Redwood State and National Park, and the least visited). Crescent City doesn't offer much in the way of restaurants or nightlife, but the redwoods alone make a visit worthwhile.

About the Expert

Michele Bigley is the author of Northern California: An Explorer's Guide and Great Destinations Kauai from Countryman Press.