I traveled from the Bay Area to Eureka one Sunday afternoon in August to help my daughter Natalie move into her college dorm at Humboldt State in nearby Arcata. (She and my husband Bruce drove over from Boise, Idaho, where they still live.) Although Amtrak's California Thruway service has a stop in Arcata, I chose Eureka for our rendezvous because I figured room rates might be more reasonable there during the college move-in period.
The Quality Inn in Eureka is close to a mile from the bus stop at Denny's, but I'd packed light and enjoyed the walk. After a 100-degree lunch stop a few hours before in Ukiah, Eureka -- at half that temperature -- felt cool and welcoming. As I checked in, the friendly desk clerk told me that Old Town Eureka began just behind the motel and that there are many restaurants, shops, and sights within easy walking distance. I told him I'd spotted my first destination on the way over: Lost Coast Brewery is one of several craft brewers based in Humboldt County, and I was eager to sample its wares in person. A pint of Raspberry Brown Ale and house-beer-battered fish and chips made a satisfying finish to my day.
The next morning, after the free and full breakfast at the Quality Inn, I covered the Eureka waterfront. Ducking behind the handsome Humboldt County Library main branch, I found a path leading along Humboldt Bay -- a good spot to watch pelicans splash-dive for fish near shore and seals swimming lazily a bit farther in the distance. A few blocks to the west, a boardwalk offered some more strolling opportunities and good views of Woodley Island. Semaphor flags on a plaza at the foot of F Street spell out "Welcome to Eureka," while gulls take flight in "Following Current Events," a new kinetic sculpture by Jack Sewell where C Street meets the boardwalk.
The C Street landing also is the embarkation point for Humboldt Bay tours aboard the Madaket, which -- according to the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum -- is "the oldest
passenger carrying vessel in continuous service in the United States," first launched in 1910. The classic wooden boat offers 75-minute afternoon cruises on Humboldt Bay May through September, as well as a happy hour cocktail cruise. You can actually get drinks on the earlier excursions, too, as the Madaket makes use of what the crew calls the smallest licensed full bar in California. The cruise is a good way to learn more about the area's Native American history, glimpse cool waterfront homes, and identify waterfowl.
The enhanced waterfront complements Eureka's Old Town district, which is packed with Victorian and Queen Anne architectural gems. Unfortunately, the city's grandest building, a mansion built by lumber magnate William Carson, is now a private men's club open only to members and their guests. But dozens of other interesting buildings beckon, many of them housing galleries, restaurants, and shops. Don't miss the exhibit at 315 Second Street of folk art created over three decades by Romano Gabriel, an Italian immigrant who surrounded his home with wooden sculptures.
You won't go hungry on the North Coast. I had a delicious turkey sandwich at Ramone's for lunch on my solo day in Eureka. The next day -- before our Madaket boat cruise -- my family went a bit off the beaten path to check out Pho Thiên Long Vietnamese Restaurant, which also features Thai fare. If you do wind up here with a car, the Samoa Cookhouse gets rave reviews for its family-style meals in an old lumber camp a few miles out of town.
Eureka is a full day's ride on the Amtrak Thruway bus north of the train station at Martinez. (Like Carfree California on Facebook and watch my short video about Amtrak Thruway bus service.) But it's a comfortable, scenic ride -- and once you reach Eureka, you can spend several enjoyable days exploring on foot in a town that's built for walking.
For more information:
Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce
Amtrak California
On tap: The first Humboldt Beer Week is set September 29-October 7, 2012.
