11 Most Unique Towns in Northern California
Unique doesn't even begin to describe these US towns that embody true Americana spirit, of course, with a Cali twist. From gold mining hubs to Sierra Nevada gems and coastal slices, this list will take you through a journey in the state's history.
Step into the horror classic "Birds" with Bodega Bay views, or visit Angels Camp, where Mark Twain's spirit persists. Visit Silver City, and you may feel the ghostly presence when the purple violin plucks itself amid mannequin structures. Seek reclusion in Fort Bragg and Bolinas, renowned for bohemian style, which you can also find in Occidental, a New England Dopplegnager in the fall, or at the luxurious Carmel, an inspired French Riviera destination!
Angels Camp
This mountain town, with its charming and stately name of the City of Angels Camp, is a former host to the renowned writers Bret Harte and Mark Twain, who wrote their best works here. The three-acre Angels Camp Museum & Carriage House adds a layer of history to the downtown area, revealing insight into the region's gold rush era. Ensconced in the Sierra Nevada nature with views all around, it's no wonder that even as the foothills hub for gold miners in the 19th century, Angels Camp was and stays the right of passage to new beginnings and fame.
There is so much to get inspired by here in your favorite way, like hiking, mountain biking, and excellent fishing at New Melones Lake, or just wait for it to hit you while relaxing in the serene Sierra environment. You can stroll along boutique shops, a bakery, and restaurants housed in the old, preserved buildings and the Utica Hotel, all witnesses to the frog jumping jubilee through the years. You can learn more about this unique annual event, inspired by Mark Twain, in the last week of May at the Calaveras Visitors Center with its Frog Hop of Fame. Minutes away, the fascinating Mercer Caverns are a spelunking destination for millenia-old formations underground that Native Americans considered sacred.
Bodega Bay
Some 70 miles (113km) north of San Francisco, seek out Bodega Bay, just like Hitchcock did to film his "Birds" horror classic in this bucolic town, looking over the ever-mysterious Bodega Bay coastline. The small Sonoma County town is perfect to get away from the ordinary, where the stress melts away with perfect Pacific Ocean views, renowned birding, and gray whale sightings from Bodega Head. You can take the Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail with waterfowl, songbirds, and shorebirds in their natural habitats.
From hiking to coastal trails and onto the shores, the untamed coastline is popular among the creatives to hunt with a camera or an easel for the special atmosphere and alluring views of Bodega Bay with no crowds no matter the season. The beaches are extraordinary here, with a moody surf for kayaking, swimming, and surfing! Headiling the small ocean town, downtown and waterfront restaurants have you covered in the fresh food department, as well as a thriving drinking scene like at Shoreside Drakes Sonoma Coast over surf and turf.
Bolinas
Ah, the hippie Bolinas! This appealing Northern California coastal town, at the border of Point Reyes National Seashore, is perfect to reunite with your long-lost sense of quirkiness away from the city and share special moments with your loved ones. With a one-of-a-kind vibe where everything goes, it is a long-beloved destination for artists and free spirits, as well as simple professionals to lighten the soul, with beach access from the downtown area. There is so much to do here, like hit the protected marine sanctuary, Agate Beach country park with varied wildlife, many bird species, tide pools, and Alamere Falls, the country's only two coastal waterfalls!
Point Reyes Lighthouse is popular among photographers and picnickers, particularly when whales migrate behind it. You can stop by Bolinas Museum, a one-stop shop for local art, historic exhibitions, regular events, and even auctions. Under 30 miles from San Francisco, the unique town, with roots dating back to the mid-19th century, feels reclusive, so don't get too wild before showing the locals that you're just as much into the hilly-billy lifestyle at the RV parks within easy reach of downtown. So the next time you want to roughneck it, Bolinas, serious about no kitsch or too much clowness, will take you as you are.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
This charming European-style village with a sense of luxury makes it easy to catch the vibe of being on the French Riviera! You can dive into the high life for a weekend of fine dining, boutiques, and a state-of-the-art performing arts center at the town center, Carmel Village. The former public school at Sunset Cultural Center from 1926 is dramatic on the inside with a beautiful modern Gothic exterior. Repurposed as a performance venue with exceptional acoustics, it hosts stand-up comedy, rock bands, plays, dance, and touring concerts by the Monterey Symphony. You can sip Pinot Noir in tasting rooms like the Central Coast Wine Country and browse Bittner for a unique gift or a treat for yourself, dedicated to the art of writing.
The spectacular coastal community, one of the best Northern California beach towns, has a bohemian appeal and a magnetic pull on artists and authors, with former residents like Mary Austin, Jack London, and Sinclair Lewis. Incorporated in 1916, the poet Robinson Jeffers called it “our inevitable place” after settling here with his wife just two years earlier. The fairytale-like cottages along the gorgeous white-sand beaches envelop you in a sense of magic, including 100 galleries with 19th-century impressionism and contemporary pieces from world artists. From the beautiful historic Carmel Mission to the one-of-a-kind coastline of Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Cypress Grove Trail features otter sightings, while barking sea lions bask in the sun along the Sea Lion Point Trail.
Fort Bragg
Three and a half hours north of San Francisco, this town, a California historical landmark, was founded before the Civil War. A century-plus ago, this military garrison turned into a gritty lumber town skirted out in Mendocino County and, recently, an offbeat destination. Home to rugged beaches, sand dunes, and coves, it feels disconnected from reality with long-standing attractions like the Skunk Train through the Woods. Home to the renowned Glass Beach in MacKerricher State Park, you can spend days in search of colorful glass, worn down by the waves into rounded, ready-made souvenirs, amid the unique landscape and sea views.
From whale-watching excursions to departing fishing charters from the rustic Noyo Harbor, Fort Bragg is the place to get back to the basics. Perfect for family visits to bond over down-to-earth pursuits, there's also the transformed Company Store building at Redwood and Main with boutiques and galleries. The 47-acre conservatory of coastal flora at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens cozies up against the coastline. You can drive around local Mendocino County dairies and vineriers for artisanal cheeses and unwind over a glass of Pinot, as well as visit the unique Triangle Tattoo & Museum. The historic Noyo Harbor Inn offers sweeping views of the working harbor and the sounds of seals and seabirds.
Mariposa
First settled in 1849, this town in the Sierra Nevada is one of the southernmost Gold Rush towns, with the original street grid from 1850 by John C. Fremont. Meaning "butterfly" in Spanish, its literally colorful roots dig deep into historic mineral wealth and natural beauty when monarchs come through to winter in the south. Starting in mid-fall, the Western Monarch butterflies migrate from the foothills to the coast of California and “hang out” on ridges like Stumpfield Mountain, attracted by the nectar-rich Mexican sunflower.
Mariposa Butterfly Festival celebrates the historic Gold Rush town downtown and at the Fairgrounds with food, music, vendors, a car show, butterfly releases, rides, and more. From games, activities, and gigantic bounce houses for kids to jaw-dropping skydiving performances and breathtaking movies, you can also tour the Jurassic Building. The California State Mining and Mineral Museum houses the state’s official collection with over 13,000 gems, minerals, and mining artifacts, along with the 13.8-pound “Fricot Nugget,” a rare, beautiful piece of crystalline gold dug from the American River in 1864.
Niles
The small town of Niles, smack in the middle of the East Bay, feels stuck in time, isolated by the topography of Niles Canyon from Fremont. Rising to fame during the Hollywood silent film era, today you can feel both a world apart and back in history—a dreamy reclusive escape for nature lovers and solitude seekers. Charlie Chaplin made five films here, which you can rewatch today on the big screen at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, including the iconic 1915’s film, The Tramp.
With "favorable" geography for an escape, Niles surprises with easy access, surprising many with modernity through an array of ubiquitous antique stores and a fetching train depot along the high street, Niles Boulevard. This NorCal town, a "quiet reminder of Hollywood's Silent Film Era in the East Bay," is like stepping back into the black-and-white amid the golden hills of the ditto era.
Occidental
Occidental, established in 1876 as the final stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad, became an accessible destination hotspot in the far reaches, just a 25-minute drive to the Pacific Coast. Home to a population of 1,126, you can enjoy the unique small town vibe along the laidback streets in the prominently bohemian downtown with an eclectic boutique scene. The Bohemian hideaway with modern-day charms rooted in its past houses new businesses in a former train station, railroad saloon, and boarding house.
The quiet town of Occidental, with quaint shops, art galleries, cafes, and sights harkening back to the past, feels as cozy as a hug, particularly in the fall. Becoming a real New England village-Doppelganger, with house studs along the hillside, its numerous steeples peak from dense foliage. Tucked among the redwoods of Central Sonoma County, you can seek outdoor delights and drive down the pastoral route that winds among ancient redwood groves. The scenic ten-mile Bohemian Highway, with the town right midway, connects to the sleepy village of Freestone at the southern end.
San Juan Bautista
Founded in 1797 as one of the state's earliest missions, there is no other town like San Juan Bautista, a quick and unforgettable trip from the San Francisco Bay Area. Offering a refreshing switch to a simpler time, the town, "A State Historic Park With a Shady Past," comprises historical museums of the Plaza Hotel, Zanetta House, The Plaza Stables, and the Castro-Breen Adobe. Adjacent to the original San Juan Bautista Mission, there is the historic jail, a blacksmith shop, an early American settler’s cabin, and even the original mission church. While the Spanish Mission brutally destroyed and enslaved the indigenous Amah Mutsen, it evolved into a lovely modern village.
Alameda, or Third Street, is lined by adobe homes and businesses from the early 1800s, housing modern shops and restaurants. The Michelin-starred barbecue restaurant and whiskey bar, The Smoke Point, was born during the pandemic under chef Jarad Gallagher. You can stay at the boutique Hacienda de Léal to explore this unique part of California history in the most picturesque way, as a nationally registered historic district. With multicultural performing arts and artists, festivals, and street fairs, the pristine hillsides, organic fields, and natural habitats complement the authenticity with untouched, rustic appeal.
Sea Ranch
This unique community of about 1,100 residents at the northern end of the Sonoma Coast is particularly beautiful and eco-friendly, but even its distinctive name isn’t the most remarkable aspect. Stretching over a 10-mile stretch of coastline, it is privately owned and welcomes families, couples, and solitude seekers for a sublime vacation filled with unique and rewarding experiences.
In addition to its fantastic location, guests can enjoy a Scottish-style golf course, tennis courts, and 50 miles of private coastline and wildlife trails, all offering stunning ocean views. You can hike the easy Stengel Beach Coastal Access Trail to a staircase overlooking a tranquil beach below, where, well, the rest is up to you. The Ranch Cafe provides fresh options for breakfast, lunch, or pastries to fuel your experiences.
Silver City
Serving as a museum, Silver City, which had only two residents this summer, is a truly unique destination in Northern California. In a state of arrested decay since the gold ran out and subsequent abandonment, it showcases Kern Valley's long and vibrant history as a local gold outpost. Visitors can explore the Apalatea/Burlando House, now functioning as a saloon and country store within the valley's oldest standing structure, and view the former residence of gunslinger Newt Walker circa 1905 at the original Isabella jail. A leisurely stroll past buildings like miners' cabins, post offices, and general stores reveals thousands of intriguing period artifacts, including the popular Instagram shot of the church, rustic in its charm! With informative signs posted throughout, Silver City—a census-designated area—is an exciting self-guided tour perfect for a family vacation like no other in Northern California. Capturing the essence and tranquility of the region's historic mining camps, it has been featured in numerous films and video productions since 1990, including those for A&E, The History Channel, and even a Nissan commercial. From eerie mannequin displays to the mysterious violin outside the general store that plays itself, and the roaming spirits within these buildings, the modern Silver City Mountain Resort is just minutes away in the wilderness.
Northern California is a diverse part of the vibrant Golden State, where mountains and beaches conceal some truly strange and exciting places. From the spectacular redwoods to the secluded beaches, you can explore these towns in your preferred way for an unforgettable city getaway or vacation with your loved ones. Ideal for a year-round escape into the unusual, you can spend a sunny day at the beach or take a rainy day drive down the scenic Bohemian Highway. Indulge in luxury in Carmel or visit a wealth of historical sights at the San Juan Bautista State Park.
