Before or after you venture into the redwoods, Old Town Eureka is a must-see. Restaurants, galleries, theaters, coffee houses, boardwalks and antique shops make up only a portion of everything this cozy quaint Victorian town has to offer. The arts are very much alive in Old Town Eureka from the renowned Native American wing in the Clarke Historical Museum to the murals that adorn the walls of buildings in the area. Experience Eureka’s history on walking tours or take in the sights while relaxing in the back seat of a horse-drawn carriage.

Witness this iconic example of Victorian architecture, which towers above the Bay in Old Town Eureka. Since 1884, this gingerbread, storybook mansion–a Eureka landmark–has been one of the most written-about, photographed and celebrated Victorian homes in the country. Built by lumber magnate William Carson, it boasts towers and turrets, columned porches, gables and striking ornate details, all topped off with a radical paint job.

The Blue Ox Millworks is where Victorian craftsmanship of the 1800s is used to create authentic custom products for homes around the world. They have done custom work for governor mansions, national parks, historic cathedrals and even President Bill Clinton. Come to the Blue Ox to watch antique woodworking machinery in operation, visit a skid camp, learn about traditional boat-building, and meet the blue oxen, Babe and Blue. You can take a self-guided tour or call in advance and have one of the crew show you around.

In 2021, the Magnolia Network produced “The Craftsman,” a series following master woodworker and Eureka native Eric Hollenbeck as he restores historic homes and other local treasures at Blue Ox Millworks. Two seasons are available to stream.

There is something for everyone down at the Humboldt Bay. Here you can stroll down the wooden pier as the clouds roll by and ships sail back into the harbor after a long day at sea. Enjoy a nice evening of waterfront dining and then book a sunset cruise and see the Pacific Ocean in all of its glory. Venture over to Table Bluff Lighthouse to take photographs of the beautiful landscape on Woodley Island or grab you kayak paddle and hit the waves.

Take a one-of-a-kind guided tour on the Madaket, the nation’s oldest passenger ferry. This 8.5-mile, one-hour cruise travels along the inspiring Eureka Waterfront. You will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the colorful Humboldt Bay, the timber industry, wildlife, shipping, maritime lore, local indigenous histories and so much more. Seasonal schedule: Daily Mid-May — October. 

This amazing aerial experience in Eureka, California, takes visitors to new heights among the world’s tallest living things. The $4 million canopy trail, the longest in the western United States, rises more than 100 feet above the forest floor in Eureka’s Sequoia Park, a 65-acre community forest that features trees rivaling those of nearby Redwood National Park and the Avenue of the Giants. The quarter-mile sky walk, most of it ADA compliant, is included with admission to Eureka’s Sequoia Park Zoo, the oldest certified zoo in the state of California.