A Perfect Staycation: The Brewery Gulch Inn, Mendocino

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Earlier in March, Kushal and I took our first burnout break of the year with a short weekend getaway to Mendocino. It was our 7th engagement anniversary (WUT?) and just as we were exploring our options, had the Brewery Gulch Inn graciously offer to host us to which we said… SEE YOU IN A FEW! 😭🙏🏽 It was the staycation that we hadn’t known we’d needed, and in recapping it here in a long-ish blog post, I hope to encourage you to escape to this nearby haven when the next opportunity arises!

Read on for a few reasons why the BGI deserves a spot on your travel wishlist.

1) It’s both a homely inn and a luxury resort at once.
Think of the BGI as a B&B on steroids!
The rooms felt like home, if a design expert were outfitting home and included the most thoughtful details- a hot dinner + dessert waiting in the room for the weary travelers checking in, adult coloring books to relax with, warm throw blankets by the fireplace, luxurious bath and self-care products in the bathroom… a million little things that show that they care. :) It isn’t for no reason that it’s on Travel + Leisure’s Best Awards list!

2) The BGI kitchen is a gift that keeps on giving.
All stays at the BGI include breakfasts and dinners and boy, were they good! All meals provided are farm-to-table gourmet feasts made to order from freshly sourced local ingredients. We found a delightful breakfast menu every morning that included healthy options as well as indulgent treats, and dinners in the form of leisurely nightly ‘wine hours’ that included a delicious buffet meal.
Turns out that if I’m happily full and have had a few glasses of vino, I can support non-words like ‘doc’ and ‘veg’ in a game of Scrabble. ✌🏽

3) Bird watching in the BGI gardens is an A+ activity.
The outdoor deck was my favorite spot on the property! Watching the birds fuel up at the bird-feeders while doing the same with my cuppa… blisssss. The outdoor firepits were a no-go while we were there because of the rain, but I can only imagine what a cozy addition to the scene that would be!

4) The BGI is basically Entertainment Central.
A library stocked with classics, a DVD collection with old and new favorites, board games if you’re in the mood - between the options available, I simply swapped things out at different times of the day as I rotated between all of the coziest corners on the property!

5) All of the main Mendocino attractions are a few minutes away.
During our weekend stay, we made use of the few hours between brunch and dinner to explore the local sights. This is the second time we’ve been to Mendocino (recapped in this blog post) and this section of the rugged Norcal coast was just as stunning this time around as the last. Some things to do if you find the strength to escape the cozy confines of the BGI:

  • Ride the Skunk Train- This quaint little joyride makes for the perfect daytime activity, specially if your lazy weekend self wants to skip a hike into the forests. The Skunk Train takes a winding route through the redwood trees, so that if you take yourself to the open car, you can smile up at the tree tops while the forest sings around you. ☺️

  • Whale watch at the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse- It’s worth the visit just to snap a picture with the iconic red lighthouse perched on the bluff and the swirling Pacific right below, but with some prior research, you could easily spot migrating whales. The nicest park rangers helped us spot several in the short time we were there… it was such an unexpected treat!

  • Explore the many ‘parks’ in the area- Mendocino county is as beautiful as it is because of the abundance of conserved nature, so I’m always greedy for getting lost in the trails or on the beaches when I’m there. We spent some time driving through and walking around Russian Gulch State Park, Mendocino Headlands State Park and Van Damme State Park on our trip, and the views along the coastline rival the best of the best in the world! Had it not been raining, we’d have definitely snuck a short hike in. Oh well, something for next time. 😝

  • Go wine tasting in the Anderson Valley- Anderson valley is prime wine growing region and only a short drive from the BGI. For our first time wine tasting in the region, Maple Creek Winery made for the perfect introduction! Being an artist and vintner, the owner Tom served us some excellent chardonnays and reds in his winery that doubles as his art studio while sharing his amazing story and experiences with us. Add two adorable dogs named Buster and Posey to the buzz 🍷 and I promise you’ll have a good time!

Hope you enjoyed this account of our lovely stay at the Brewery Gulch Inn, and I hope you can enjoy a stay at this charming resort too. :)

This stay was graciously sponsored by Little River Inn, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Thank you for reading and have a great weekend!
XO Sushmitha :)