As a mom to four kids (4 – 20 years old) I am always busy. Between school, sports, friends, schedules and everything else, we are always on the go. So as we were looking forward to the end of the school year and our older daughter’s high school graduation, I decided that a weekend away would help conquer the upcoming craziness that was about to consume us all. I wanted something that would be perfect for our varied ages and at the coast. I was thrilled to find the Little River Inn in Little River (Mendocino, CA). It looked delightful, overlooked the Pacific Ocean and backed up to Van Damme State Park.
It’s about a 4 hour drive to reach Mendocino from the bay area. You’ll enjoy views of beautiful vineyards which make way to a twisty curvy drive through the amazing redwoods and then come upon sweeping coastal views as you near Little River.
The Little River Inn sits high above the ocean with a spectacular view, hosting guests for five generations. A charming Victorian style Inn that we all fell in love with! Hubby and I adored the peacefulness and cleanliness of the inn. Our teenager loved the view, the Jacuzzi tub and free wifi. And our youngest two loved it all: the view of the ocean, walking down the trail to the nice beach across the highway from the inn, the large expanse of beautiful green grass to run around and play on, the little walking path throughout the property, the rocking chairs on the private deck and, of course, the Jacuzzi tub.
Check in was quick and easy with friendly interactions. We received our keys (real keys even!) and a map that easily showed us where to park and find our rooms. Since we were blessed to be traveling with our 18 year old daughter we had two private rooms (Ocean View Deluxe) next to each other instead of a two bedroom unit. This was awesome! The three kids shared a room with two queen beds while we enjoyed one king bed. Both rooms had a fireplace, very large bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and huge shower with its own deck and two rocking chairs (made out of recycled milk cartons, even!). The rooms were large and also featured a television, mini fridge and a coffee maker. The inn also supplied us with a nice list of things to do in the area with young children.
After unpacking, my husband and the kids took off to explore while I sat on the deck in one of the rocking chairs enjoying the sea air and seriously amazing view. When they returned, the kids played on the expansive green lawn just past our deck while hubby joined me to relax and enjoy watching the kids play. The weather was perfect at mid-70’ while back home the temps were nearing 100’. Perfect escape from the heat!
We had made dinner reservations at the on-site restaurant. The five star chef, Marc Dym, has been Executive Chef at Little River Inn since 2006 and is married to Cally Dym, the fifth-generation Innkeeper. Let’s just say we were impressed! The dining room is small and filled up quickly while we were there so reservations are highly recommended.
We started dinner with an order of Arancini (crispy risotto balls stuffed with fresh mozzarella cheese and fennel marinara sauce) which our children loved and an order of Calamari that was delicious. The New York Steak was cooked perfectly and very tender and served with a yummy green beans almondine and smashed red potatoes. The Pinenut Crusted Salmon was fresh and very tasty. Our kids all ordered from a nicely varied children’s menu. One enjoyed the Fish and Chips which were fresh and perfectly crispy. Another enjoyed a huge Monster Burger with fresh fruit. And the third (18 year old) ordered Pasta Alfredo with grilled chicken added. Was exactly what she wanted and they were happy to add the chicken to the order for her. We had been told to not miss out on the Warm Olallieberry Cobbler, so we also enjoyed this while the two youngest enjoyed their own Hot Fudge Sundaes. We all left very full and very happy with the meal we had enjoyed together. The restaurant boasts a HUGE wall-sized window along one end that looks like a beautiful picture. The back French doors open into a small garden-esque space with a small brick staircase. It was simple, yet elegant to enjoy while dining.
After our nice walk back to the rooms we let the kids play in the Jacuzzi tub for a while before bed. They were in heaven and it was a nice way for them to enjoy the end of their day. The following morning we enjoyed some muffins and fruit on the deck before heading to Fort Bragg to ride the Skunk Train (review about that coming soon).
On our second morning we enjoyed a delicious Sunday brunch in the restaurant. They offer complimentary champagne. My daughter was excited to see her favorite – Blintzes – on the menu and enjoyed the crepes with cream cheese and olallieberries, olallieberry sauce and whipped cream. The rest of us loved Ole’s Swedish Hotcakes (that were the size of the large plate). Of course there were eggs, bacon, ham, hash brown potatoes and fresh squeezed orange juice as well. The Hotcakes were yummy and served with warm syrup and olallieberry jam. While they do not have a children’s menu for breakfast, they will happily offer you smaller portions for the kids if you ask. Needless to say, we left there quite full and content.
We were sad to be packing up to head back home, but happy to have had a brief break from the craziness that the end of the school year always seems to bring.
While the Inn is located right on the highway, it is quiet and peaceful, situated up above the road overlooking the beautiful coast. The inn boasts a 9 hole golf course that can play like 18 with three placements and dual greens on holes 7 and 9. There is also a driving range, putting green and a fully stocked Pro Shop. In addition they have two lighted championship tennis courts free to guests. Non-marking shoes are the only uniform required. Finally, The Spa is the perfect place to relax, indulge and rejuvenate. Sadly, the weekend went too quickly with the kids joining us for us to enjoy The Spa services such as massage and body treatments, facials, etc. Maybe next time!
The Little River Inn is located at 7901 N. Highway One, Little River, California (707) 937-5942 or toll free (888) INN-LOVE. WEBSITE: www.littleriverinn.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LittleRiverInn TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LittleRiverInn
The Little River Inn is located at 7901 N. Highway One, Little River, California (707) 937-5942 or toll free (888) INN-LOVE. WEBSITE: www.littleriverinn.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LittleRiverInn TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LittleRiverInn
As is common in the travel/media industry, our family received complimentary and reduced rates for our stay and meals for the purpose of this review. This has not influenced this review or our opinions, which are honest and true.
