MENDOCINO CO., 9/12/24 – The hype around Elk has been mounting over the past few years. The unincorporated coastal community with a population of around 200 has witnessed an evolution from sawmills in the 1960s to fine dining and luxury hotels in the 2010s.
Locals have noticed the influx over the years, as more and more out-of-towners from the Bay Area flock to the area. Most recently, during the pandemic, wealthy city folk escaped stay-at-home orders for fresh ocean air and luxury hotel stays.
Even some of those locals who may gripe about the occasional inland heatwave escapees taking up their favorite parking spot at Greenwood State Beach were once inlanders themselves. Others are residents whose families have been farming, logging, fishing and serving the coast via small businesses for generations.
Now another publication is catapulting Elk to the national level.
Last week Travel + Leisure magazine named Elk “America’s Best Small Food and Wine Town.”
“Elk, California, may be small, but it’s mighty, with some of the state’s best wineries and an abundance of fresh food,” the article opens.
The story showcases the luxury and hipness of Elk. The village’s three luxury inns and onsite restaurants receive recognition: The Michelin-starred Harbor House Inn (both the hotel and restaurant have stars); the Sacred Rock Inn, which is open again after a decades’ long closure and its higher-end Greenwood Restaurant and more casual Elk House, which replaced Bridget Dolan’s Pub; and the Elk Cove Inn & Spa, a favorite for locals celebrating special occasions since the late 1960s and its Sibo restaurant, which was paving the way for sea-to-table cuisine years before Michelin stars arrived on the scene.
The author also mentions visitors head south to Point Arena’s Gama for Japanese cuisine.
Activities to do in Elk when not dining include Greenwood State Beach, horseback riding at Manchester Beach, wine tasting at Drew Winery and in nearby Anderson Valley, and driving through Navarro River Redwood State Park. The author also suggests visitors spend their hard-earned cash at the Artists’ Collective, Matson Mercantile and the now for-sale Elk Store.
Elk is a “perfect mix of coastal beauty, fine dining, and charm,” says Ramon Jimenez, executive director of Visit Mendocino County.“ We see Elk as the perfect mix of coastal beauty, fine dining, and charm. Elk is a key driver of sustainable tourism and offers an unforgettable experience.”
Two notable spots that weren’t mentioned are the Maritime Cafe, which opened in July, and the Beacon Light by the Sea, which will remain our little secret.
Read the article from Travel + Leisure here.