NorCal’s Redwood Coast Named the Top Place to Visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet

Northern California locals know the Redwood National Forest as one of the great beauties on this planet. The tallest trees on the planet create a sort of dome around the trails in the park, producing an unparalleled experience of feeling at one with nature.

The beauty of the Redwood area along the Northern California Coast is not much of a secret anymore, as the massive travel website Lonely Planet named it as its top place to visit in the U.S. in 2018.

Here is the description of how they chose 10 destinations:

Lonely Planet’s travel experts have scoured the States to bring you our top 10 underrated, rejuvenated and out-of-this-world spots to visit in 2018. From natural wonders to captivating coastlines and up-and-coming cities, these destinations promise big things this year.

We couldn’t agree more. The Redwood National is certainly underrated (at least on the national scale), rejuvenated (how do you rejuvenate 1,000 year old trees?) and out of this world (see Star Wars: Return of the Jedi to confirm). Here is what they said about California’s Redwood Coast:

Lose all track of time (and cell signal) along California’s Redwood Coast. Movie buffs might recognize the region’s scene-stealing backdrops from Hollywood blockbusters like Jurassic Park, E.T. and Star Wars. But the full wonder of California’s 2000-year-old redwoods – some reaching 20 stories high – is impossible to capture on any screen. Look up at the forest canopy: that last 100ft of redwood growth marks 50 years since Redwood National Park was established in California’s tree-hugging triumph over logging. And this year, in celebration of their 100th anniversary, Save the Redwoods League are offering free entry to over 40 redwood state parks every second Saturday of each month.

In 2018, another kind of greenery has been making headlines as California introduces the state-wide legalization of marijuana. But the draws of the Redwood Coast far surpass changes in this industry, inviting travelers to achieve the ultimate California mellow with its quirky shops, brewpubs, coffee roasters and oyster happy hours.

We’re not going to sit here and say that we need Lonely Planet and their bazillions of followers for validation of our great NorCal destinations. But it’s certainly fun, right?

They probably don’t know a whole lot about the area, so here are a few of our articles about the Redwood National and State Parks (ya know, for educational purposes):

Exploring the “Lost Coast” of Humboldt County

Exploring Trinidad and Fern Canyon in Humboldt

The Tallest Trees on Earth – The Redwood National Park

13 Beautiful Hikes in the Redwoods State Park

Among Giants – The Story of the Activists Trying to Save the Redwood National Forest

The 25 Best Movies Filmed in NorCal

By the way, you can see the beauty of the Redwoods by watching a little movie called Star Wars: