The Avenue of the Giants and the Benbow Inn

The Avenue of the Giants is one of the "Must See" sights of the world. These trees will leave you in awe and give you a new appreciation of nature and time. The Avenue is a scenic section of US Highway 101 in the Northern section of California.

You can stop your car and walk right up to these magnificent beauties. Several are fallen and you can check out their amazing root systems - which are huge (as one can imagine). The Southern entrance is in Gaberville and the Northern entrance is in Fortuna. The Avenue is a great tourist attraction and is completely free. You can literally spend the day admiring this gentle giants.

There are other more 'curious' tree attractions along the way. Such as the Immortal Tree which is 950 years old and has withstood a logger's axe, a lightening strike and a flood. Next to the tree is a hollowed section of a log which makes a great photo opportunity.

Founder's Grove takes you on a 1/2 mile self-guided walk where you can see some fantastic trees - most notably the Dyerville Giant (370 feet tall) which fell in 1991.

The Tree House is a lot of fun for kids. It is a hollowed out tree that is now a playhouse with windows and doors. A must see.

My favorite is the Drive Thru Tree. Drive your car through a real tree. It is wildly fun and tests your nerves (wondering if your car will fit through the tree!).

The Benbow is a wonderful historic hotel and a terrific place to relax and unwind. The hotel has had its share of famous visitors from US Presidents to Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable. It is still a causally elegant place to relax set in the forest with a beach on a river below.

The bar is a charming hang-out and the restaurant absolutely superb. Don't miss it if you are traveling near the Humboldt Redwoods.

If you're looking for a great family adventure that combings nature, history and lots of fun try this fabulous combination.