Listen to jazz. Watch whales in the distance, off the coast of the Pacific. Listen to more jazz.
And repeat…
Yes, this can be your routine this month at the 8th Annual Whale and Jazz Festival, which runs through Friday, April 23, throughout Mendocino County. There are 16 different events spanning four weeks, including numerous jazz events like Sunset & Jazz at the Sea Ranch Lodge in Sea Ranch; BBQ, Brews & Jazz at Bones Roadhouse in Gualala; and Romance & Jazz at Whale Watch Inn in Anchor Bay.
You can also catch jazz films at the Arena Theater in Point Arena, like A Great Day in Harlem and The Legend of Bop City. (And since you’re in the area, check out the Stornetta Public Lands, an undeveloped stretch of the coastline just north of Point Arena that’s worth exploring, as suggested by Bay Area photographer and Trazzler writer Galen Leeds.)
Throughout the festival, there’s daily whale watching between 10 am and 3:30 pm at Point Arena Lighthouse, one of the best places on the Northern California coast for whale watching.
Check out the full schedule of the Whale and Jazz Festival for specific dates and times…
Looking for places to stay in the area? John Vlahides suggests trying out Mar Vista Cottages in Gualala, a cluster of vintage-1940s hideaway cottages on 10 acres of land 35 miles south of Mendocino village. But if you want to stay in one of Mendocino village’s charming inns—so you can wander its quaint seaside blocks—check out: