Shelter Cove with Kids

Day 5-6: Shelter Cove with Kids or 
                       "The Beginning of the Lost Coast of California"

After spending a few hours hunting for treasures at Glass Beach, we headed north for the town of Shelter Cove.  To call Shelter Cove a "town" seems like a stretch. It is more like a small grouping of homes, bed and breakfast style hotels, and a few restaurants sitting on a very secluded beach. Shelter Cove is the start of California's "Lost Coast,” a stretch of coastline that is undeveloped, remote, and surprisingly untouched.  The steepness and challenges of the coastal mountains made this stretch of coastline too costly for state highway to establish routes through the area, and as a result communities in the Lost Coast region such as Shelter Cove, Petrolia and Whitethorn remain romantically secluded from the bustle of the rest of California.

Things to do with kids in Shelter Cove:
1. Lunch at Cape Mendocino Tea House. A kind and quirky couple just shy of retirement run this wonderful tea house. The husband took our order for delicious shepherds pie and then the wife took a break from her bridge game to whip up the food. Our pot of chai tea was delicious and the homemade food reminded me of going to grandmas. (Well, not my grandmas, because she didn't cook, but it reminded me of someone's grandma.) The husband/owner even had a box of little prizes for my daughter to choose from. (She picked the bubbles.) The owners are scheduled to retire as of August 2012, so hopefully the new owners will keep up this wonderful spot for tea and food in Shelter Cove. (Try checking yelp for updates info on owners.) Cape Mendocino Tea House is located in the center of the small town, across from the lighthouse, at 1176 Lower Pacific Dr, Shelter Cove, CA 95589. 

2. The lighthouse and the rocky beach below. Just across from the Tea House is a restored old light house that is perfect for exploring. The volunteers manning the lighthouse are friendly and knowledgeable about the area, so feel free to run any questions by them!  Past the lighthouse, stairs descend to a rocky beach. Kids will love scrambling over the craggy rocks on the ocean and looking for crabs in the pools of water that fill the gaps in the stone.

3. Black Sands beach. Just a few miles from the heart of town is black sands beach, a beautiful stretch of beach that was mostly deserted when we visited.  This is the start of the “Lost Coast Trail Hike.”  To get there, follow Beach Rd until it dead ends at Black Sands Beach.
There is a sign indicating the King Range NCA and the main parking is up top. Visitors will need to walk down the sidewalk to the beach access.

Black Sands Beach is also the start of The Lost Coast Trail Hike.  From here, hikers begin the three day 24 mile hike along California's rugged and remote Lost Coast.  Obviously, this is not a kid-friendly hike, but while we were at Black Sands Beach we did watch a group of hikers start the journey and we daydreamed about coming back with out the kids someday to walk the wilderness beach hike ourselves.

Accommodation in Shelter Cove:
There is plenty of accommodation in The Cove.  Most costs around $200/night for bed and breakfast style lodging, but there are also two very low budget hotels for around $125 right down by the water.  Check out yelp for recommendations.

Because we were traveling with a three year old and an 11 week old, we rented a two bedroom cabin on VRBO.com just a few minutes up the hill from the ocean.  The cabin was spacious and absolutely beautiful, and it had a stunning view of the water.  Our three year old Stella loved the wrap around deck and large jacuzzi bathtub. A family of deer even came to graze outside of our windows each morning! This was gorgeous accommodation and well worth the price (approx $200/night).

How to get to Shelter Cove:
Continue north on the 1.  Then travel north on Highway 101 to Humboldt County.  [Look out for cars parked along the side of the road at a great swimming hole just after joining Highway 101.] At the second Garberville exit, turn west towards Redway. Garberville or Redway are your last chances to shop at a full-fledged market, so stock up here for an extended stay in the Cove.  Take your time to travel the 24 miles to Shelter Cove.  The road is twisty and steep at times, and watch out for potholes on the not-so-well-maintained county road.  (But at least it is paved.)  Save your brakes on the last steep incline down into the cove by placing your transmission in the lowest gear and go slowly.  The windy decent into the cove takes about 45 minutes.

Next stop on The Two Week Lost Coast Trip: Arcata or "An Ideal Launching Point for Incredible Outdoor Daytime Adventures"

Have you been to Shelter Cove with kids?  What other suggestions could you give to travelers visiting Shelter Cove with their kids?  I would love to hear from you in the comments!