This Is the Most Charming Town in Northern California-and It Has Victorian Architecture and Stunning Redwood Forests

"A few miles inland from Northern California's famed Lost Coast, a colorful village rises out of the misty redwood forests. 19th-century homes, stores, and hotels line the streets in brilliant hues, taking visitors back to a simpler-and more colorful-time. And while the Victorian architecture of San Francisco may be better known, in my humble opinion, the tiny town of Ferndale has the big city beat."

"Indeed, if you want to see California's redwoods, you'd be hard-pressed to name a better destination. Humboldt-Redwoods and Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park are within easy reach of Ferndale, and you can get to Redwood National and State Parks in roughly an hour. But it's not all about the trees. Ferndale is also five miles from the coast and sits on the bank of the picturesque Francis Creek, a tributary of the Salt River."

Ferndale is a small, colorful Victorian village set amid misty redwood forests and rolling dairy pastures in Northern California. Main Street features 19th-century homes, stores, and hotels painted in brilliant hues, and the entire Main Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town lies five miles from the coast on the bank of Francis Creek, a tributary of the Salt River. Humboldt-Redwoods and Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park are within easy reach, and Redwood National and State Parks are about an hour away. The town offers walking tours, shopping, restaurants, and cinematic history with films shot on its streets.

Read at Travel + Leisure