Hill House at Trailborn Mendocino
Fall on the Mendocino Coast
As summer fades, Mendocino settles into a quieter rhythm.
Spend the day wandering the headlands, exploring the redwoods, tasting your way through Anderson Valley, or simply staying close to home at Hill House.
Where the Forest Meets the Sea
Fall is the perfect time to explore Mendocino’s rugged coast and ancient forests.
COAST
Walk the Mendocino Headlands, watch the Pacific change with the weather, and find a quiet stretch of bluff to take it all in.
FOREST
Follow fern-lined trails beneath towering redwoods and look for the mushrooms and other signs of the season after the first rains.
WINE COUNTRY
Head inland to Anderson Valley for cool-climate wines, local farms, harvest flavors, and scenic drives through the hills.
Fall at Trailborn Mendocino
Fall on the Mendocino Coast
Your Fall Field Guide
The easiest way to get acquainted with the coast. Follow the blufftop trails around the village for dramatic Pacific views, hidden coves, and plenty of opportunities to stop and take it all in.
Trade ocean views for towering trees. Explore Van Damme State Park and other nearby redwood trails as the forests take on that unmistakable cool, damp feeling of fall.
Fall is a beautiful excuse to head inland. Spend the day tasting local wines at places like Navarro Winery and Husch Winery before returning to the coast.
Walk or bike the flat Big River Trail along the calm estuary. It's an easy way to experience the forest and water without committing to a strenuous hike.
After the Rains
Welcome to Mushroom Season
When the first rains arrive, Mendocino’s forests take on a whole new personality.
Look closely and you’ll find fungi appearing among the moss, ferns and fallen leaves. Fall is also when mushroom lovers descend on the coast for forays, workshops, tastings and celebrations of one of Mendocino’s most distinctive natural treasures.
Local Fall Happenings
Mendocino Open Paint Out
September 7–13, 2026
Watch artists capture the coastline in real time during a week of plein-air painting, exhibitions, demonstrations, and community art events.
September 7–13, 2026
Watch artists capture the coastline in real time during a week of plein-air painting, exhibitions, demonstrations, and community art events.
Winesong Weekend
September 11–12, 2026
Celebrate Mendocino wine, food, music, and art with a Pinot Noir tasting followed by the Grand Tasting and Auction at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.
September 11–12, 2026
Celebrate Mendocino wine, food, music, and art with a Pinot Noir tasting followed by the Grand Tasting and Auction at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.
Mendocino County Fair & Apple Show
September 18–20, 2026
Head inland to Boonville for apples, agriculture, exhibits, live entertainment, fair food, and an Anderson Valley tradition that feels unmistakably fall.
September 18–20, 2026
Head inland to Boonville for apples, agriculture, exhibits, live entertainment, fair food, and an Anderson Valley tradition that feels unmistakably fall.
Mendocino Grove Fall Festival
November 6–8, 2026
Welcome the cooler season with a weekend of live music, local food, creative workshops, crafts, and gathering around the fire.
November 6–8, 2026
Welcome the cooler season with a weekend of live music, local food, creative workshops, crafts, and gathering around the fire.
Fungi Festival & Cultural Convergence
November 14–15, 2026
Celebrate Mendocino’s remarkable mushroom season with expert-led forays, workshops, talks, food, drinks, art, and fungi-inspired goods.
November 14–15, 2026
Celebrate Mendocino’s remarkable mushroom season with expert-led forays, workshops, talks, food, drinks, art, and fungi-inspired goods.
Do as much—or as little—as you like
A Fall Day in Mendocino
Morning: Headlands & Ocean Air
Start with complimentary breakfast at Hill House, then walk toward the Mendocino Headlands for blufftop trails, crashing surf, and an easy introduction to the coast.
Afternoon: Redwoods or Wine Country
Choose the forest route with a Van Damme hike, Big River outing, or Skunk Train ride. Or head inland through Anderson Valley for wine tasting and the season’s harvest scenery.
Evening: Pizza & Après
Return for Trailborn Après Hour, then settle in at Pizza Standard Time for wood-fired pizza, seasonal plates, cocktails, and a dinner that does not need to be rushed.
Night: Firelight & Stars
Pick up a s’mores kit, bring a bottle from Hill House Wine & Grocer, and finish the night around the firepit or beneath the stars on the Discovery Deck.
For Any Traveler
Fall on the Coast, Your Way
Walk the Headlands, visit Point Cabrillo, explore tide pools, and stay out for sunset before returning to the firepit.
Hike Fern Canyon, ride the Skunk Train, look for seasonal mushrooms with a local expert, and come back to Hill House for a warm drink and a quiet night.
Drive through Anderson Valley, visit Navarro and Husch, build a picnic at Hill House Wine & Grocer, and plan around Winesong or the County Fair and Apple Show.
Browse village galleries, visit the Mendocino Art Center, catch the Open Paint Out, and reserve time in The Landing for movement, sound, or a private massage.
Fall Offers & Packages
Winesong Weekend
Includes a bottle of wine and 2 tickets to: VIP Welcome Reception and Auction preview, a Pinot Celebration, and Grand Tasting & Auction at Winesong.
Wine Country Whimsy
Enjoy the local bucolic bounty of Mendocino. Includes two bottles of local Anderson Valley wine to experience the terroir of this iconic wine region.
Stay More, Save More
Settle into Mendocino a little longer, from coastal rambles to lawn picnics at golden hour. Stay five nights or more and enjoy 10% off your stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Fall brings cooler coastal weather, quieter trails, wine-country harvest season, mushroom season and a slower pace along the coast.
Explore the Mendocino Headlands, hike through the redwoods, visit Anderson Valley wineries, bike into town, explore Big River, look for mushrooms and enjoy the seasonal experiences at Hill House.
Mushroom season generally follows the first substantial fall rains, with activity varying each year.
Gray whale migration begins in late fall and continues through winter. Point Cabrillo and other coastal overlooks are good places to watch for migrating whales.
Guests can enjoy complimentary bikes, kite rentals, picnicking, Live Music, Saturday Morning Yoga, Sound Meditation, The Discovery Deck, The Lookout, Trailborn Après Hour and other wellness and recreation experiences.
