Mendocino Grove Review: Why We Love This Woodsy Glamping Retreat
Just one mile south of the charming small town of Mendocino on the beautiful Californian coast, Mendocino Grove is one of my favorite places for a more elevated camping experience. Outfitted with canvas safari-style tents, real beds with heated mattresses, and—as of 2023—amenities like a steam sauna and espresso bar in the meadow, their communal hangout space, it’s a chance to reconnect with nature without sacrificing comfort. Don’t believe me? Just ask my mom, who “hates camping” but loved this experience.
LOCATION
9500, 9601 CA-1, Mendocino, CA 95460
See on Google Maps
OVERVIEW
A woodsy glamping retreat near a charming small town on California’s Mendocino coast.
HIGHLIGHTS
Firepits, restaurant, and coffee bar in “the meadow”
Comfortable and private tents
Excellent stargazing
Dogs allowed; family-friendly
TENTS
60
WEBSITE
Who’s the hotel for?
Anyone and everyone who loves nature. It’s a family-friendly, dog-friendly space, yet tents are spaced out well enough that couples or adults-only friend groups will feel separate from the kid chaos.
The first time I stayed here, it was with my husband and parents. It was a great option for this family trip since we were each able to have our own tents but could still hang out around the large picnic tables at either one. The second was for a girls getaway with one of my best friends. It was perfect since we just wanted to get out of the city, relax in nature, and catch up. It was also a lot more low-key and easier logistics-wise than if we had chosen to do a more traditional camping trip.
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What’s the vibe?
A peaceful but elevated camping experience. Though right on the coast, it’s more of a woodsy retreat, with most of its 37 acres hidden in the hills above the Pacific Coast. The communal meadow space, with fire pits, hammocks, and a picnic area, encourages guests to socialize and meet one another, while other more secluded spots—like the personal campfire next to each tent or pairs of Adirondack chairs scattered about the 37-acre property—give moments for privacy too.
Pros
Comfortable tents and warm beds. Beds are comfortable and heated.
Amenities. We loved the sauna, espresso bar, and variety of hangout spaces.
Actually nice bathrooms. This isn’t a public campground, y’all, these bathrooms are actually nice, clean, and outfitted with EO products.
Location and nature. It’s peaceful and set back from the road, so you can really immerse yourself in the nature. At the same time, it’s just a mile from town.
Affordability. Yes, it’s more expensive than a public campground, but it’s more affordable than most nearby hotel or bed and breakfast options. A basic tent starts around $200 per night.
Cons
Food. Granted, we tested their dinner program when they first launched it in spring of 2023, it may have improved. But at the time, I found the quality of the food just OK. Unless I was feeling tired after a long drive, I’d probably skip it in favor of cooking or going to town. We enjoyed their oatmeal breakfast, though!
Not open year-round. Not a con per say, but something to be aware of. They are only open from May - September.
What are the tents at Mendocino Grove like?
This is a glampsite, not a hotel, so there are no rooms at Mendocino Grove, but canvas, safari-style tents. Unlike a traditional camping experience, these tents are semi-permanent and already set up for guests when they arrive. Each one has a small porch area with two butterfly chairs so you can relax and enjoy the views (perhaps with a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea, which they put out extra early each morning), a real bed with heated mattress, a clothes rack, and table.
It gets cold at night on the Mendocino Coast, even in the summer, and my friend was worried about how warm she would be in these tents. I brought my pair of Rumpl Blankets just in case but we didn’t even need them. Both of us were plenty warm thanks to the heated mattress.
I’ve also stayed in other glamping accommodations where the tents were too close and lacked privacy—but that’s not the case here. Both times I’ve stayed I felt like the tents were well spaced and I never felt like I was on top of my neighbors.
Bathrooms and sauna
Most of my non-camper friends have one major concern when it comes to sleeping in the great outdoors: the bathroom situation. Although the bathrooms at Mendocino Grove are similar to a public campground in one regard—they’re shared and located in a central spot easy to access from all tents in that cluster—that’s where it ends. They’re clean, modern (no steel toilets here, y’all), and shower stalls are stocked with EO bath products.
More on par a high-end gym, they’re good enough for even the most skeptical camper. I especially love how some of the showers have a half open roof, so you can feel like you’re showering in the redwoods. But, if you (like my friend) are worried that would be too cold, there are some with a full roof as well. Best yet, they added a sauna to the most central bathhouse in 2023, adding a touch of extra luxury.
Property and location
One of my favorite things about Mendocino Grove is its gorgeous, quiet 37-acre property. They have seating areas scattered around—from loungeable hammocks in the meadow, to a large platform with Adirondack chairs overlooking the coast—an outdoor yoga space, and plenty of firepits to gather around.
If you can stay here on a weekday, it’s even more peaceful, as it tends to fill up on weekends. To encourage more weekday guests, they even upgraded their WiFi in 2023 so guests can “work from the woods”. We tested it out and had no problems.
Nearby, there are so many beautiful hikes and outdoor activities—including a few within walking distance of your tent. There’s a lovely coastal hike across the highway from the campground and Catch-a-Canoe, a canoe and kayak rental company, is down a short path on the northside of the property.
Amenities
It’s not just the tents that make Mendocino Grove different from a public campground. They have also elevated the camping experience and made it more accessible to someone who hasn’t done it much, or ever, before through their amenities.
To start, they have a “campfire concierge", who will light the campfire in front of your tent for you if you’re not sure what to do. They have a breakfast bar with hot oatmeal and toppings, along with ready made coffee and hot water for tea each morning. On Fridays and Saturdays you can tuck in to a simple 3-course dinner (we had a salad, ramen, and lemon bar for ours) at their mess hall in the meadow. And at their camp shop at the reception area, they have all of those little things you may have forgotten.
Overall: Is Mendocino Grove worth it?
Yes! I had an excellent experience both times I stayed here, and especially loved all of the new additions they introduced in 2023. Prices can be as low as $200 per night for a tent, which—though more expensive than a public campground—is affordable for the area of Mendocino. You also get a lot more for the experience than you would at a public campground, including access to their sauna, free coffee and oatmeal breakfast, a campfire concierge, nice showers stocked with EO products, and even access to gas grills. Aside from personal items, everything you need for a camping trip (tent, blankets, chairs, towels, etc.) are provided, making it an excellent option for inexperienced campers or first-timers, as well as weekend getaways where you want to stress less about logistics.
If you go… packing tips
While Mendocino Grove provides most of what you’ll need for a camping trip, be sure to bring personal items like:
A warm jacket (it gets cold at night, year-round)
Wool socks (I like Smartwool)
A beanie
Hiking shoes or sneakers
Flip-flops, for walking to and from your tent and the bathroom/sauna
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