It’s easy to play on the Bay during the summer, but Fall requires special appreciation.  For those of us who love to be outside, we make the most of these shorter days.  We venture into the wet wearing rainboots and gortex or we say fuggedaboutit and head out in cotton and shorts.  The rain comes in gentle mists and ferocious downpours.  If you live here, you embrace it in all its forms. 

Another one of our favorite ways to while away a rainy day is touring cozy spots to eat, drink and shop in Old Town Eureka.


Eureka

Start the morning with a at Los Bagels (403 2nd St). With great coffee and organic bagels this spot is a community staple.  Order a few of the freshly baked goodies to go and walk around the corner to shop at our favorite Old Town boutiques - Shipwreck (430 3rd St) and The Bodega (426 3rd St).  Shipwreck is a funky, curated collection of vintage and handmade goods for men, women, children and the home. The Bodega features exquisitely made clothing, jewelry and apothecary. The products in both shops are gorgeous and the shops themselves are lovely places to spend a rainy day.

Brave the elements a bit by bringing your walk down F Street to the boardwalk. The Eureka boardwalk offers views of the bay, the marina (and the Fisherman statue that inspired Humboldt Bay Provisions’ logo) that are especially poetic in the grey and the rain. Keep your eyes open for seals, egrets, and herons as you walk to Jack’s Seafood (4 C St).  The industrial interior and bayfront patio perfectly complements the seascape viewed through its large windows.  Get a bowl of soup and watch the waves, knowing you’ve embraced winter on the Bay.

Arcata

The Arcata Community Forest has trails from easy to challenging for hikers, bikers and horseback riders. The redwood canopy offers shelter from the elements and the sound of rain in the dreamscape of ferns, creeks and towering redwoods is ethereal. Since many national forests and parks ban mountain biking, Arcata Community Forest offer knobby-tire riders the special opportunity to bike among the redwoods. The trail system includes tight, flowing single track connected by wide fire trails. Pick up a trail map at Arcata City Hall, download one to your phone or print one from the city’s website.  If you get lost, just head downhill on a marked trail and you’ll eventually end up in Arcata.

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This little jaunt through Humboldt’s Fall is brought to you by Humboldt Bay Social Club. The Social Club offers vacation rental beach cabins, boutique hotel rooms and and a comfortable bar and restaurant located just minutes outside of Arcata and Eureka on Humboldt Bay. The Social Club’s bar and restaurant are open every day to the public and offer abundant outdoor seating and cozy fireside lounging inside too.