Out on the Water
Overlooking the waterfront in Old Town Eureka, the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center (HBAC) is one of the easiest and most exciting ways to get out on the water this summer. With a friendly, knowledgeable staff and a wide range of rental options, HBAC makes exploring Humboldt’s myriad waterways accessible for adventurers of all skill and…
For Outdoorsy Types
Humboldt has the right beach for you. Each has its own charms, but all come with the same warning: Sneaker waves are called that for a reason. Best to keep an eye on the Pacific Ocean no matter where you roam. For those who like a stroll, Clam Beach (1100 Clam Beach Drive south day…
For Foodies
Begin at the beginning with a breakfast at Big Blue Cafe (846 G St., Arcata; 707-840-6111) that keeps you tanked up all day. The crowd-pleasing Karen’s Potatoes come under a blanket of eggs of your choice or tofu scramble to savor with guacamole. Colorful veg mingled with jack and cheddar cheeses conspire to make this…
With the Kids
Redwood Discovery Museum (612 G St., Eureka; 707-443-9694) is the answer to a parent looking for an educational activity that truly engages their child’s sense of wonder. The interactive exhibits encourage visitors to let off some STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math). Hands-on play ignites a life-long love of knowing stuff. Watch your child…
Perfect Trips
All the signs of summer are here! Like the fabulous Wiyot language signs you see popping up along the Eureka boardwalk. Once you see one, you start seeing them everywhere. Like when your feet carry you along ancient paths like the Vou’gul Trail, named for the delicious huckleberries that sustained the people. Celebrate the bounty…
Flow State
Now, friends, is not the time to lock in. Now is the season of drifting along with the current, at least for the weekend. Make waves while the sun shines. This issue of the Insider has a slew of slowed-down activities to enjoy at your leisure. Flip through our Perfect Trips and plan (or don’t…
Not Strictly for Tourists
Humboldt’s particular brand of cultural offerings easily lures you into learning something new. The celebration of culture could not be more profound than witnessing the Wiyot Tribe reestablishing their language on ancestral lands through the Speaking Soulatluk project. Support this lingual renaissance by heading down to Eureka’s waterfront. Stroll the F Street boardwalk as you…
For Art Lovers
Humboldt’s bright cultural stars fill up your summer nights with sinuous words and your days with blazing artworks. From a simple verse to epics, poetry has been with us from the start. A Reason to Listen at Septentrio Tasting Room (650 Sixth St., Arcata; 707-672-2058; @humboldtpoetryslam; cover charge cash or Venmo), brings local poets straight…
The Ever-Eccentric Gyppo
Shelter Cove may be the most remote part of Humboldt County, with its own unique subculture and vibe. Isolated on the true Lost Coast, the village is home to approximately 800 year-round residents, who brave seasonal sea winds in exchange for some of the most dramatic scenery in Northern California. While lacking a true downtown,…
A Feast Among Giants
Amid miles of wild forestland and meandering river valleys lie hidden pockets with must-eat restaurants that evade most people’s radars — those “if you know, you know” kind of places. Those of us with a wanderer’s spirit are constantly in search of something novel, something exceptional, something worth the journey it takes to get there…
Welcome to Ernie’s
Over cocktails, I’ll ponder the great questions. What is the sound of one hand clapping? And when is a dive bar not a dive bar? Who knows about the first, but a defensible answer to the second is: when it’s Ernie’s. We’re talking about a snug little spot at 608 A St. in downtown Eureka,…
Hash and Rosin Basics
Humboldt County and the greater Emerald Triangle are well known throughout the world as a cannabis destination and the historic center of American cannabis production. But for much of that local history, cannabis was identified by consumers as one product: cannabis flower that could be smoked in bongs, pipes and joints. Historically and globally, that…
Bubbles Takes You Back
Forget rage rooms. People should be cutting 4-pound loaves of colorful, translucent glycerin soap to relieve stress. Just watching Carla Hayes, owner of Bubbles, slice them into fragrant, candy-colored chunks is soothing. In fact, your cortisol might cool just walking in and taking a deep breath. Bubbles has been open since January of 1973, when…
