*STATIC* We interrupt your regularly scheduled program of meaningful content to bring you something different. *STATIC*

It’s no secret that when I travel, I love – above all else – to learn, to experience something new and meaningful. And this trip to Humboldt County, California has been chock-full of that. So occasionally, it’s nice to turn off my brain, to soak in beauty, to relax, and to contemplate. Today is one of those days, and this is the perfect place to do so.

Trinidad, California is a small town of roughly 300, about a half hour north of Eureka. It occupies a tiny peninsula, the blue waters of the Pacific on both sides, between the mainland and a small hill called Trinidad Head. It is, objectively, stunningly beautiful, and I am here on a quiet Sunday morning to revel in that beauty. Even the overcast day – it will burn off in a few hours – can’t dampen the idyllic vibes of this place.

My day starts with hiking the head, as it’s called, taking the path that is a combination hiking trail, gravel path, and paved road leading up and around Trinidad Head, overlooking both the town and the bays on either side. The trail is well maintained, and though growth causes it to be narrow in places requiring walking single file, I never worry about my footing. That’s a relief, because looking down is the last thing I want to do.

The hike is a short couple miles, uphill one way and down the other, although it’s up to you which direction you wish to go. (I went counterclockwise.) Benches are placed strategically all along the trail at the most beautiful viewpoints, so I take my time and enjoy many of them. As I walk, the views change, although small rocky islets seem to be everywhere I gaze. These are all part of California Coastal National Monument, which protects thousands of such outcroppings up and down the coast of the state. Trinidad Head Lighthouse is also part of the monument, although it is only open the first Saturday of each month, so I am out of luck on the fourth Sunday.

Hike finished, I walk out the pier for some more views (it is right by the start of the hike so it’s nice and convenient) and then decide that I want some fried shrimp at Seascape, the restaurant sitting here. Good fries, good shrimp, average garlic bread, but the view is pretty much unbeatable. And by the time I finish, blue has broken through the gray, changing the view so entirely that I am tempted to hike the head all over again. I don’t, but I’m tempted.

The town itself is tiny, less than a square mile, but has some cute features: restaurants and cafes, beautiful flowering trees, art galleries (I buy a hand carved driftwood cribbage board for my mom for Mother’s Day) and Crossing, a local winery’s tasting room. And what could be better on a day like today than a glass of a crisp Sauvignon Blanc? The answer is Don Bremm and Sharon Hanks, the owners.

The tasting room is small, though an outdoor portion probably doubles the size, and simply adorned with local art and wine bottles. Laughter echoes from a group sitting on one side – Don tells me they are servers at a local restaurant – and from Sharon joking with a couple of tourists from Redondo Beach. This is a casual place, one where you’ll feel at home, and where Don and Sharon will know your name and your story before you leave. The four of us sit in comfortable chairs around a small table made from an old bar stool, talking about wine, about Trinidad, and about life.

A final look at the beautiful bay, and my day in Trinidad comes to an end. In a world that can be overwhelming, and in a life that leaves us searching for deeper meaning, it is nice to have a day dedicated to beauty, to relaxation, and to escape. Trinidad is perfect for that.

*STATIC* We now return to our regularly schedule meaningful content. *STATIC*

Thank you to Moonstone Crossing for hosting me, and to Visit Redwoods for making this entire trip possible.

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