Nestled amongst the redwoods right off the coast of Highway 1, you can find a peaceful campsite with luxury safari tents, fun outdoor activities, pristine bathrooms, and all the amenities you need for an enjoyable, yet unplugged weekend.

This haven is called Mendocino Grove.

getting There

Mendocino Grove is roughly 3-hours from the Bay Area depending on your starting point. On your drive up, you can stop in Santa Rosa at the Russian River Brewery for lunch and a beer tasting or Anderson Valley for wine tasting. Although, we must warn you, the roads are a bit windy the closer to the coast you get so make sure your driver is fully alert and your stomach can handle the twists and turns.

Upon pulling off Highway 1 at the Mendocino Grove mailbox, you’ll travel up a well marked road past the below Mendocino Grove banner and towards the check-in tent. The staff will greet you, provide a campground map, and direct you to where to park given your tent location. There are luggage carts available, so you can minimize your trips from your car to your tent, as well.

The check-in tent is the staff’s office and camp store, so if anything comes up during your stay, like purchasing firewood or a s’mores kit, they’re around until 9 p.m. to help you out.

The ACCOMMODATIONS

The tents at Mendocino Grove are easy to access from your car, yet 30’ apart from other visitors so you have a sense of convenience but also privacy. Situated on a wooden platform, these large safari tents are already a big step above your usual camping tent with heated, queen-sized beds, a coat rack, table and chairs, lamps and electricity to charge your phone. If you’re traveling with a pet, your tent will also come with a dog bed, bowls, and a blanket.

All campsites include a picnic table and fire ring with grill for cooking and nearby electric grills for your tent neighborhood are also available if you’d prefer to cook that way. If outdoor cooking isn’t your thing, downtown Mendocino is just a couple minutes down the road with several great restaurant options, many of which have dog-friendly patios.

There’s a basket in your tent stocked with fresh towels when using the bathhouses. The two centrally located bathhouses have beautiful indoor and outdoor showers and well appointed restrooms, they are nicely lit and stocked with EO Marin bath products and dryers. There are even oversized stalls for family clean-up.

Meadow Commons

The Meadow Commons offers morning coffee, tea, cocoa and light breakfast from 7:3010 a.m. with a heated patio, Wi-Fi, and hammocks for relaxing. They also host evening campfires here, have a bocce court, and a fenced in dog park for off leash potty breaks.

The campground also has a loop trail around the property where you can take in nature, head to Big River to enjoy a canoe rental or take in ocean views at the Mendocino Bay Overlook. All nature hikes convene in the Commons.

The camp store is a small general store with some snacks, merch, games to borrow, firewood and s’mores kits for sale. And if you want to avoid the hassle of starting a fire, you can request their fire valet service and they’ll bring a bushel of wood to your tent and start the fire for you.

Pet Policy and Pet Amenities

Mendocino Grove welcomes well behaved pets over the age of 1 (no puppies) to the campground. The nightly pet fee is $35 per pet and no more than 2 pets per reservation. Guests with pets are asked to sign a liability waiver upon check-in. They have a number of amenities designed especially for your dog including:

Dog bed, bowls, & blanket provided in tent
Fenced in dog park
Dog Wash

What to Pack

For a short 2-night stay we probably packed more than most, but I like to be prepared. We each had our own bag of clothes and shoes appropriate for our planned activities. We also had a container for our dry food, container for our cooking/outdoor supplies, and a cooler for our drinks and cold food.

It’s easiest to pack all your items in their respective containers with lids/handles, because before bed every night you need to put all of your food related items in the car or food safe bin to ensure the scent doesn’t draw any critters to your tent.

Here’s a quick list of some items to consider to make your glamping experience safe and cozy:

first aide kit
flashlight
outdoor blanket
table cloth for your picnic table
camping utensils / cookware / insulated mugs
bug spray
extra water jug (There is a water bottle fountain at the bathhouse and running water to wash your hands/clean your dishes, but it’s always nice to have some on hand at your tent.)
power bank if you need access to more electricity in your tent

Here’s a quick list of some items to not forget beyond the essentials if traveling with your furry-friend:

dog first aide kit
comb / brush + other grooming supplies
towel for cleaning up after adventures / paw wipes
outdoor bed / blanket
travel water bottle
collar tracker / light to keep an eye on your dog in the dark
jacket for cold mornings / evenings
white noise

You can shop these recommendations at our Amazon Storefront.

How to know if your dog will like glamping?

If you’ve never been glamping before or haven’t experienced it with your pup, here’s a few things to consider before booking your next adventure:

How does your pup do when traveling? Is this your first outdoor adventure?
Does your dog really enjoy nature? How does he/she do when seeing a wild animal? (we saw several birds + rabbits)
How alert is your dog at night? Will nature noises create a sense of stress/need to investigate?
How strong is your dog with voice control? Are you going to have to hold a leash 24-7 and be on high alert for your pup getting into something?

If after reading this you know you and your pup will love glamping, then book your stay today! You can save 30% off your weekday reservation starting June 1, 2024 by using code RUBY30.

If you’re not so sure but still want to visit Mendocino, then find a cool bed and breakfast and check out our dog-friendly guide for Mendocino.