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Northern California Road Trip

Are you up for a Northern California road trip? It might shock you to know how few California natives fully explore their home state. (Holding hand in air 🙋‍♀️) Then, one day, along came a pandemic.

And we hit the road.

This California native jumped at the chance to explore - finally. Growing up, traveling north through California was the way to get to Oregon. Between then and now, I made a few trips to Mendocino - and that’s about it.

No time to read now? Pin this for later.

So late October 2020, I finally hit the road to drink up the beauty of Northern California. And there is so much of it (beauty and California itself - the state’s gargantuan.) So read on and then follow in my footsteps when you get the chance.

What you need to know about taking a Northern California road trip during the pandemic:

  1. You travel in your car with a pandemic pod mate
  2. You have touchless check-in at hotels/rental homes 
  3. Rental homes and hotels have a 24 hour decontamination-cleaning period between guests
  4. Hotels have individual HVAC systems per room - you’re not sharing air with the neighbors
  5. Dining is outdoors. Period.
  6. This trip was a masked adventure - 99.9% of the people we encountered wore them.

While it’s a loss of potential connections and conversations with locals, you’re out, you’re safe, and it’s a road trip. Oh, and heads up for some great news - you’ll be out of cell phone service for much of this trip. 

 

North on Hwy 101 From San Francisco

Hopland, California

We started this journey from San Francisco and, once across the Golden Gate Bridge, it was an hour and 35 minutes to our first stop in Hopland.

first leg of northern california road trip

It’s a straight shot north on Hwy 101, but you’ll find yourself wanting to zig and zag at almost every exit. When the cities drop away, it’s one quaint town after another wrapped up in beautiful fields, farms, and vineyards. 

Vineyards?!? Yep, welcome to a not-so-secret, much less expensive, California wine region located northwest of the famous Napa and Sonoma. Definitely not as crowded and it produces all types of varieties, including world-class Pinots and Chardonnay. 

The town of Hopland is filled with great restaurants and wine tasting rooms. The wines come from all around the area and, according to the Mendocino Winegrowers webpage, the Mendocino appellation is filled with many small, family-owned wineries. 

The problem? There are so many wineries, the wine is so good, and you’re in a dang car. (tiny road trip drawback.) Plan around this by spending the night in the area - then relax and drink, er, taste wine. We did this on the return leg of the trip.

Stay tuned for those details below. ⬇️

Where to Eat

We stopped in Hopland for lunch and even though dining options were limited in the Pandemic Fall, we had choices! Hopland Tap was the winner, located right on Hwy 101, which turns into a 2-lane road a bit north of Santa Rosa.

Hopland Tap has a large side yard area for dining outdoors. Even in late October, the weather was sunny and warm (welcome to California.) If you’re in the mood for breakfast at lunch, hit the Bluebird Cafe right across the street.

Where I wanted to stop and eat and eat and eat...is The Golden Pig, but alas, pandemic hours made it unavailable. I have health issues with gluten, and their menu includes many gluten free items. This is a spot that came highly recommended, so I’ll be back!

Another sad-to-miss-mid-pandemic is the Stock Farm Restaurant and Inn. And this is where I’ll stay and dine on my next visit north. The sister property of Campovida, an organic vineyard, winery, and garden, Stock Farm includes a 7-room inn and restaurant, serving locally sourced ingredients.  

Winery stop on northern California road trip

I won't say “don’t stop and taste some wine” but there are incredible little shops on the main drag, too. It’s a quiet, relaxing break - which is mandatory on a Northern California road trip. Soak it up. Or stop long enough to do some hiking.

In the foothills east of Hopland, the University of California has a Research and Extension center that offers nature walks. While the center itself is closed to the public during the pandemic, there are self-guided hikes sponsored. Take a look at the info on the website before you go since you’ll need a reservation. 

Book a Room, Stay Awhile

Staying in the area means either snagging one of the 7-rooms at the Stock Farm Inn, backtracking to Cloverdale, or venturing further north to Ukiah - less than 15 miles in both directions. Or - you can stay at a winery! We stayed in the 3bd/2ba guest house at the Jaxon Keys Winery, just 3 miles up Hwy 101. (Bonus: winery tasting room at the bottom of the driveway.)

Where to stay on northern california road trip

 

Make "The Lost Coast" Part of Your California Coast Road Trip

The next destination is 2 hours and 33 minutes north and west from Hopland. We’re headed to Shelter Cove, a little village where the hiking is epic and the sand is black. The drive will lead you into and through beautiful, ancient Redwood forests. 

California coast road trip route to Lost Coast

After a long, twisty-turny drive, you’ll drop down onto the very edge of California’s coastline. It’s known as the Lost Coast because Hwy 1, which covers 660 miles of the coastline of California, cuts inland just above Fort Bragg. The geography is so rugged - the highway builders said NOPE. 

You can fully explore the Lost Coast of California by hiking the Lost Coast Trail, stretching 25 miles along the coast. This wasn’t on our agenda but if it’s appealing to you, check out the information on the Bureau of Land Management site. (full transparency, they lost me when I read “Bear Spray required.”)

Our route took us off of Hwy 101 at Garberville. We exited onto Redwood Drive to Redway, and then a left onto Briceland Road to travel through the King Range and Redwoods. At Thorn Junction, the road changes names to Shelter Cove Road and takes you to the ocean and into town. (did I mention it’s steep, twisty, and turny?)

 Gas up before the turn-off and if you need any other supplies, you’ll find them across the street. (cough cough)

Supplies in Garberville

 

While You’re There

We planned our trip to include a sampling of what Shelter Cove had to offer. If we go back for a longer stay, we’ll charter a boat for fishing, whale watching, and the glorious view from the ocean. This trip we explored:

  • Cape Mendocino Lighthouse
  • Black Sands Beach, starting at the trailhead on Beach Road
  • Harbor seals, sea lions, and tide pools

Shelter Cove CA Lighthouse

 

Shelter Cove Black Sand Beach

 

Sea Lions and Seals

On the northern California coast, sunshine is fickle. You can ask locals what time of year has the best weather and you’ll hear every possible answer. It's either going to be foggy, sunny, or rainy and possibly all three. We had a little sun, a lot of fog, and it was beautiful.

The village has a small airstrip, residential areas, and several non-descript hotels all built to capture the oceanfront views. But the effect of the sea air on buildings is rough.

Also accessible a short distance from Shelter Cove are several shorter hikes in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Anytime you can be among these giant trees - take advantage of it. If you can only fit in a short hike, try the Hidden Valley Interpretive Trail, a moderate 2-mile hike in the King Range National Conservation Area.

Where We Stayed

Our room on the top floor of the OceanFront Inn practically hung over the cliff at the oceans’ edge. It was a night filled with the sound of crashing waves and barking sea lions. Beautiful and restful. The pandemic left us with few options but this Inn was perfect.

Where to Eat

Restaurant choices were also difficult due to the pandemic. The OceanFront Inn's on-site restaurant was open when we planned the trip. By the time we arrived, the chef had fled home to Thailand to be with family sick with the virus. We made do with dinner on the deck at Mi Mochima, a Venezuelan restaurant. Lunch was also outside for pub food at Gyppo Ale Mill. 

The Southern Loop 

Heading South to Fort Bragg

route from Shelter Cove to Fort Bragg, CA

 

Take a look at the map image. The roads look like blue-colored intestines because they’re winding roads. The routes to Hwy 101, from Shelter Cove, and then over to the coast again north of Fort Bragg, are more narrow and curvy. But the whole drive is so beautiful. 

You’ll find yourself driving through a Giant Redwood cave with dappled sunlight (if you’re lucky to catch a sunny day as we did), or driving parallel to the Pacific Ocean. Don't be surprised by diversionary driving, as in  -  you’re gonna want to stop and divert from the course. 

Driving through giant redwoods

 

Northern California Coast

 

Go ahead - there are areas to access the beach, with parking, as you drive south to Fort Bragg. If you want to stop or even camp near the beach, check out this California State Park information.

Our stop in Fort Bragg was 3-hours long. We had time for lunch and a little exploring around town. Rather than disappointed at the shops and restaurants that were closed - we were surprised by the cool places we found open. 

Where to Eat

Pandemic dining is about planning ahead and making reservations. We did not do that. So we found parking off of Main Street and explored our options. 

What felt like the last choice turned out to be so yummy and perfect. Mayan Fusion Restaurant at 418 N. Main Street was serving outside in the back of the restaurant. The highlights on the menu are fresh seafood choices, tapas, and creative drinks (the blood orange, ginger, pomegranate sangria - mind blown.)

What we missed enjoying was the North Coast Brewing Co Taproom and Restaurant at 444 N. Main Street (on the corner of E. Pine). The taproom has a large tent and open area located right on the corner. So perfect for pandemic dining it was completely full with a waiting line. Next trip!

What To Do

Brace yourself - we shopped. Well in our defense, we love it, so there’s that. But with a little over an hour to kill after lunch, we set out to stroll the shops on East Laurel Street with little luck. Not much is open on a Sunday afternoon crossed with a pandemic.

But what was open was like falling into a rabbit hole. The Sherwood Company, 142 E. Laurel St., was filled with artist-ware, and unique crafts. You know, the kind of place where everything your eye hits is a potential keeper. Go, see, buy!

If you’re going to be in Fort Bragg long enough, here’s what we recommend (and will be doing on our next visit). Take the walking tour of Alleyway Art Project, a series of murals in Fort Bragg. Check out this webpage for a map and more background information on the artists. 

The other two not-to-miss things in Fort Bragg are Glass Beach and the Skunk Train. Glass Beach, to the north end of Fort Bragg near MacKerricher State Park, is a treasure trove of sea glass. The source of the glass is not romantic: the beach is the site of an old trash dump. Get more info about visiting the beach and nearby hiking trails at this website.

And make time for a ride on the Skunk Train! It’s been around since 1885 and offers a perfect way to view the old-growth redwoods and all the nooks and crannies of the surrounding area. Get the information on the website here.

My plan for the return trip is to hop on the Skunk Train two-person railbike. It’s a two-hour excursion on an electric-powered rail bike and you can even bring your dog now! Pack a picnic for the stopover in Glen Bair Junction and come prepared for rain showers. Find all the details and information here.

 

California Coast Road Trip to Mendocino

Route from Fort Bragg to Mendocino CA

 

We headed south on Hwy 1, hugging the very edge of the coast, for our 45 minute trip to Mendocino. On the drive, the redwoods are mixed with Eucalyptus groves and, most of the time, wispy coastal fog.

Road to Fort Bragg CA

 

The town of Mendocino was not left unfazed by this pandemic and we found many stores and restaurants closed - some permanently. But there was live accordion music! ❤️ 🎶

 

Mendocino Bar Closed for PandemicLIve music in Mendocino CA

 

We didn’t spend long in town but while we were there, we walked the streets for close-up views of the Victorian architecture and ocean views. The town is jam-full of bed and breakfasts, perfect for a romantic weekend. And hiking. Lots of breathtaking hiking trails and you can find info here.

Our final destination for the day, and the trip, was just 5.4 miles south of the town of Mendocino in Little River. The Heritage House Resort and Spa. Sadly, the spa and the restaurant on site were closed for the pandemic. However - it was the big bang ending to the trip.

Heritage House Resort and Spa Little River CA

 

Once upon a time, in 1978, a movie starring Ellen Burstyn and Alan Alda was filmed at the Heritage House Resort. Universal Studios built a cottage, on the edge of the cliff the resort nestles on, to film “Same Time Next Year.”

If you’re old enough to have seen this movie - imagine arriving an hour after check-in only to learn your room is still not ready. But then they upgrade you to the “Same Time Next Year” cottage...Yup. 

The cottage is now split into two rooms and we had the one closest to the cliff. From the Adirondack chairs on our deck, we watched whale spouts dotting the inlet just below our cliff. And the entire sunset. Perfect time, the perfect place for wine.

Heritage House Resort overlooking Pacific ocean inlet

 

Overlooking Pacific Ocean

 

Sunset over Pacific Ocean

 

At the end of the day, we made our way inside, settled in comfy chairs, turned on the television over the fireplace, and found “Same Time Next Year” playing automatically. Perfect touch, Heritage House. We drank more wine, laughed, and cried and it was the perfect finale.

Heritage House Resort and Spa

 

Same Time Next Year Heritage House

 

If you could take or leave the movie experience, you’ll still find the Heritage House a perfect spot. The trails wind around the edge of the bluff and you can’t find any place without a view.

Bluff trail at Heritage House Resort

Our dining options were limited but we planned ahead with the big, late lunch in Fort Bragg. We packed our own wine and tapas for a light view-infused dinner. When you visit post-pandemic, book a dinner reservation onsite. Otherwise, look here for other dining options.

 

Closing the Loop

We had a 3 hour and 20 min drive home to San Francisco, but this final leg of the trip took us down Hwy 128 before connecting to Hwy 101 in Cloverdale. The route passes through Boonville and miles of vineyards. If you do plan a trip focused on wine tasting - this is where you want to stay.

Route from Little River to San Francisco

 

Boonville

Right in the heart of Anderson Valley with all of its amazing world-class wines, sits the hamlet of Boonville. Well, who knows if anyone calls it a hamlet but me? It looks like I imagine a hamlet would look. 

There are Pennyroyal Farms (think handcrafted goat and sheep cheese), winery tasting rooms, restaurants, and galleries. Since we were headed home, we just made a quick stop for lunch at the Boonville General Store and were pleasantly blown away by the food. 

Ok, full transparency, we stopped to shop in the Farmhouse Mercantile. Stocked with a combination of artisan-made items both locally and around the world - we were hopelessly caught in its amazing net. 

 

The Pick-Your-Story California Road Trip

Before you take this Northern California road trip, decide which aspect you are interested in - from hiking and wine tasting to romantic destinations. You can follow in our footsteps exactly and still have a different experience with a tweak of your timing, a little longer here, a little less there.

Northern California coast line

Most importantly, I hope you have the chance to take this trip post-pandemic. In some instances, where to eat and where to stay are left out due to all the changes occurring as a result of the pandemic.

But I promise you, while some places may disappear, other amazing replacements will come to life. So take this road trip - you know you want to.

If you're spending any time visiting San Francisco, check out these off-the-grid nighttime ideas.

Safe Travels,

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Traveling While Reading? Here Are the Best Audio Book Apps to Try.

Best-audio-book-apps-for-traveling

I’m a Big Reader. Seriously, whenEVER I find myself sitting still or waiting, I grab my book and read. Anywhere and any kind of waiting. I'm in love with paper books despite their bulky heaviness. That’s just me. So why would I care about the best audio book apps?

Because there are times when I need to lean into technology for reading, like when I’m traveling. Hey, just because I ALWAYS check my bag doesn’t mean it’s heavy. Packing a few paper books can make it heavy, though, so I use an audiobook app when I travel. 

Click here for the headphones I LOVE to use for listening to audiobooks while I'm traveling. 

Without doing any research on the best apps for listening to audiobooks, I started out using Amazon’s Audible app. 

How much is Audible?

I paid a $14.95 monthly subscription fee for a full year. But I don’t travel every month. After a year, I’d paid a whopping grand total of $179.40 for the luxury of being able to download audiobooks for the few trips I took. I think this is like the Gym Membership income model - you continue paying even though you don't go to the gym. Gym owners love it. Audible and Amazon love it!

Here's how Audible works. The monthly subscription fee gives you one credit. Each credit allows you to buy one audiobook and credits have to be used within 12-months of issuance. Audible sends an email if any of your credit(s) are expiring in the next 30 days, which makes it much easier to keep track. (I should know because I received that email - proving my point that I don't 'read' with audiobooks unless I'm traveling.)

What could be worse than spending $14.95/month and not using the credit? Having it go away forever. If not for the email warning from Audible, that would have happened to me! Yikes. But that got me wondering if there are other audio book apps like Audible? Apps that are better, or just as good? Well, it turns out there are several! 

Other Audio Book Apps

I don’t know if there is one audiobook app that’s the absolute best for travel. There are some that require a monthly or annual subscription (like Audible,) some let you read completely free, and some are subscription-free but you do pay for the audiobooks.

If you like to listen to audio books even when you’re not traveling, you’ll want to compare subscription costs, audiobook costs, and availability. Why is availability a consideration? Because some audiobook apps are connected and accessed through your local library membership. 

Waitlists!

If waitlists don’t bother you, join your local library and ask about the audiobook apps they’re connected to. Here's an overview of the most used apps by library systems.

Want to find out about other amazing apps to make your travel smoother, lighter - better? Then check out this post about the best apps for planning travel , or learn about the apps that keep your travel details organized while you're on your trip here. 

Library Books on Audio

If you have a library card, you might already access audio books, ebooks, movies, music, and magazines online for free. If you don’t have a library card - take a minute and go online to your county library and follow the directions to obtain a free membership. 

I didn’t have one (“WHAT?!” Yep, just got mine recently.) Even though libraries in my county are not physically open due to the Pandemic - I was able to apply in two minutes for an Ereader card online. The next day I received an email with my card number and Pin. 

Next, I learned about the services my library system is hooked up to for audio books apps. They’re popular and shared by most library systems, so read on and then check out your own library system!

  • Hoopla is one way I can access audiobooks and ebooks from my library. This app connects me to my library’s collection for both types of “reading” books, plus a whole lot more. I can use it to watch movies, TV, and listen to music and those are all things I actually do when I travel.
  • Overdrive is another source of audiobooks and ebooks from your public library. You can search for books on their site and then access them via your library. Search for your library on the Overdrive site and use your library card. Or, use the new app Overdrive now offers to make the process mobile - Libby.
  • Libby By OverDrive is a mobile app for Android, iPhone, or iPad. It even gives you the option to download straight to your Kindle. I use the Kindle app on my iPad to cut down on devices but either way works great.

Use the app with your library card, and your public library, to search for book titles. Once you find books to listen to, or read, you can download them immediately or get on the waitlist. Downloaded books will disappear on their due dates so you don’t have to worry about fines.

Like a Library Virtual Assistant!

The app is free and super easy to set up. All you have to do is make sure you have enough books in your queue to last for your trip and read them before the due date. Using one of these apps is like having an extra $180 to spend during your trip compared to a subscription service like Audible!

best-apps-for-listening-to-audiobooks

A Quirky Audio Book App

  • LibriVox is one more free option even if it’s a bit quirky. This app identifies itself as an “acoustical liberation of books in the public domain.” Books in the public domain are not the hot new titles advertised everywhere. But you know what - there are some wonderful books published in the past and this is your chance to listen to one or two. (How about “A Foreign Office Romance,” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?) The quirky caveat is the actual people recording the books - they’re all volunteers. It’s potluck on who you’ll be listening to but definitely an adventure. Feel like volunteering yourself? Check out the information on the website and take a look at the Forum there too.

Another Way to Access Books on Audio

Outside of the library, there’s a whole world of books to buy, of course. I’m an On-Demand kind of person - an impulse shopper at my core. Sigh. (Maybe I’ll change my ways now that I have an e-library card?) But is paying for a subscription the only other way?

Not at all, it turns out. There are apps you can use to find and access audiobooks and ebooks without a subscription called pay-as-you-go apps. Meaning you pay for the audiobook in order to read it. A great option for paper book lovers, like me, who only use audiobooks when they’re traveling.

Check out these options.

  • Google Play Books is available as an app for Android or iPhones. No subscription needed to access, you just log in and search for the title you want, purchase and download to listen. You can buy ebooks and audiobooks, but you’ll need to go to the website to purchase and then access your book via the app.

Here’s an example of an audiobook on Google Play Store and the cost is $14.95. Depending on how quickly you read and how long you’ll be traveling, you may want to buy 2 or 3 titles. Looks like that might get expensive. 

best-audio-book-apps-for-travel

 

Titles seem to range from $14.95 upwards to $25.99 for newer release books. There are definitely older titles available there which cost less, though. And one more cool tip about the Google Play Store - you can also rent movies and download to watch on the go!

  • Nook Audiobooks is an app available for Android and iPhone/Apple devices. This is the Barnes & Noble ebook/audiobook app and there is no subscription fee. But like Google Play, you buy the audiobook before downloading to read. Prices for bestsellers and new releases look like they run from $18 and up. For Android users, you can buy audiobooks directly from the app but iOS users need to log into the NookAudiobook.com site to purchase before downloading on the app to listen.
  • Chirp is another free app (Android and iOS devices) that doesn’t offer a subscription service - a ‘pay-as-you-go’ that looks easy and affordable. In fact - I smell a deal! You can access bestsellers on this app and website, but you can also hop on their limited-time deals. When I checked out the deals, there were several newish books at the $1.99 and less price point! There’s even a way to sort books by different deal prices like $6.99 or less, $4.99 or less, etc. The way my brain works - I’m already planning ahead to buy a new release on Google Play Audiobooks, or NookAudiobooks, and then grab two or three bargains on Chirp!

Audiobook Alternatives to Audible

Back to the paid subscription audiobook app model in search of affordable alternatives to Audible. Surprisingly, I did find options and options make me feel like I’m in charge of my own destiny.

Feast your eyes on these options:

  • Scribd is an app (Android and iOS) and a website where you can access audiobooks, along with ebooks, magazines, and articles. At only $9.99/month, it’s a bargain compared to Audible, and the book list is extensive, including new releases. It’s an even bigger bargain when you realize that a $9.99 subscription entitles you to listen to as many audiobooks as you want each month.

Are there restrictions on that? I haven’t personally tried Scribd but I read this on the Premier membership disclosure page here:

How many books can I read each month?

As many as you can! We strive to provide the most comprehensive catalog to all of our members.  We can’t guarantee the immediate availability of any specific title, but our members can always read an unlimited number of books and audiobooks each month. Occasionally, some titles in our library may be temporarily unavailable to you depending on your recent reading activity.

Still seems like a great deal and I’ve had nothing but positive personal recommendations for this app. I’m going to try it out and if you have personal experience please comment below or email me and let me know what you think! (cindi@travelinglater.com)

  • Downpour is a paid subscription app that’s a lot like Audible but for $12.99/month. You get one credit per month and you buy the audiobooks in exchange for a credit. But Downpour has one cool feature - you can rent books. And it costs much less while not taking up digital space.

The reality is you are bound by most app agreements to not share the audiobooks you buy. Plus, if you’re like me - it’s Uber rare that I ever reread a book. Except for Atlas Shrugged every five years, but that’s a different story (book reader pun and dangerously close to a Dad joke.) Rentals are for 30 days, generally, although for longer books (like Atlas Shrugged) they automatically give you a 60-day rental.

Downpour works on Android or iOS devices and if you go the rental route, it looks like you can access those without a subscription. Rentals have to be done on the desktop site and then you will be able to access the audiobook from the app on your mobile device.

  • Audiobooks.com is priced at $14.95/month but the difference between this app and Audible is the monthly subscription will let you access two books. One book will be from the Premium Titles section (new releases) and the other from the VIP section. 

What kind of books are in the VIP section? It’s a curated selection of books that is updated on the first of every month. You will also have access to podcasts (their website states over 1.2million podcasts) and the ability to trade your monthly credit for 30 days of unlimited reading via one of their book clubs.

All in all - if you’re an adventurous reader - this might be a good option to try.

  • Serial Box is something completely different. It’s not a place to buy audiobooks - but it is a place to get hooked on Sci-fi and Fantasy stories that are released, episodically, every week. Or - you have the option of buying the whole “season” and binging reading a la Netflix.

I saw titles for $9.99/season and I saw titles for $1.99/season. If you’re a true Sci-fi or Fantasy fan and also open to exploring new writers, this is a very cool way to entertain yourself on a long, long road trip (or, one day, on a long international flight.)

Check out this post about the travel hack for your iPhone! This tip might take a lot of travel anxiety out of the trip!

Not Interested in Audible Alternatives?

If deep down in your heart of hearts Audible is your favorite, you can still save some money. Choose the annual fee option and get all 12 credits at once. The plan gives you the first year for $119.50 which is equal to about $9.96/month. After the first year the annual fee increases to $149.50 which is $12.46/month. 

Had I chosen the annual subscription plan, I would have saved $59.90 in the first year and another $29.90 in the second year. A $90 savings over two years compared to paying $14.95/month! And yes -  you can buy 24 credits at once (for an annual payment of $229.50.)

Reading keeps me entertained when I’m in transit on a trip, which includes airport lounges, plane rides, and train rides. I can even read in the car! But my go-to is listening to an audiobook. My next challenge is to find and read some great travel books. Or maybe just books about far off places. Have any good suggestions?

 

Safe Travels,

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Best Tips For Your First Ancestry Trip

 

Best Tips for Ancestry Trip

Photo by Melissa Berry

True confessions: I've fallen headfirst and hard into researching my family tree. If you haven't done it - word of warning - it's a deep, dark rabbit hole. My plan, once I've researched enough, is to take an ancestry trip to explore my family tree - one branch at a time.

Then I talked to my dear friend, Melissa Berry of the Everyday Spokane blog, about her first ancestry trip and the plans for her second. I immediately asked for all her tips on how to plan my own heritage journey.

If you want to take your own Ancestry trip - read on and then execute, People!

You’ve probably seen the commercials: happy families with percentages over their heads, getting together for the holidays. Or a single woman, visiting all sorts of unique and interesting locations, from frozen wonderlands to tropical beaches. Each of the commercials ends the same way: encouraging you to sign up for a genealogy program, like 23AndMe or Ancestry, to learn more about your heritage. 

Whether you sign up for a program to learn more about your specific genealogical history or you decide to take an ancestry trip given the family history you have, there are a few things you’ll want to do before heading out. Chances are your trip will be long and may include a flight over an ocean, so make sure to read up on Cindi’s awesome post on the best travel carry-on essentials for long flights and her best tools for travel planning in order to get good deals and plan your trip. 

Once you’ve planned your trip as best as you can (best to plan a little loosely, in case you find out something really interesting in one city and want to stay longer), it’s time to prepare for your first ancestry trip!

Taking My First Ancestry Trip

I have to say, when I went on my first ancestry trip, I was unnecessarily cocky. This was pre-23AndMe and pre-DNA-Ancestry info. I had done some genealogical work on Ancestry.com, made sure to ask my grandmother all of the information she could recall on her family, and basically figured that was enough.

I figured I would show up in Ireland, easily find our records based on the information gathered, and bring back a goldmine of information I could show off to my completely-not-interested-in-genealogy family.

Ancestry Trip to Ireland

Photo by Melissa Berry

I’m sure you see where this is going - it didn’t turn out that way at all. When I and my cousin (who’d come along to learn more about this side of her family, too) reached Cork, Ireland and began looking in the library records, we were immediately stymied. What I hadn’t known was how... creative... people could get with spelling names. Plus, all of the men for some reason shared the same first name and, apparently, everyone had the same occupation (or so it seemed).

At one of the church libraries we were working in, a kindly priest tried to make me feel better by telling me some of the records had been destroyed in a fire. “In the 1860s?” I asked. “Sure,” he replied - but I’m pretty sure he was lying to make me feel better.

Preparing for and Getting the Most Out of Your First Ancestry Trip

After drowning my sorrows in some Guinness and encouraging my cousin to go after some cute Irish guys (her response: “no - they’re probably related to us!”), I realized we could have been more successful if we had taken a few key steps before we got to Ireland.

First, realize that not every ancestry trip is the same.

If your family kept very good records, or is a recent arrival and still has living family abroad, the trip should be a lot more successful for you. The further away you are from living relatives from ‘the old country’, the harder it will be. But just because we struggled finding our relatives (only 4 generations away - not as far as some!) doesn’t mean you will!

While ancestry trips are different for everyone, use these tips for getting the most out of your ancestry trip:

  1. Do some research before you go. Which side of your family came from this country? What do you know about them? Do you know the region from which they came? If you know, start by planning your trip there. Some countries are very big, and being able to narrow it down will help shape your itinerary.

When I took my first ancestry trip, I hadn’t yet taken an Ancestry.com DNA test. While the results didn’t surprise me, since I’ve taken it, I’ve been connected to more people who’ve done serious research on my family tree. I’ve even connected to someone around my age who lives in England (and is related to that side of my family!).

If you can, before you go, take a DNA test, do some research within your own family and whatever records you can find online, and get to know as much as you can about where you’re visiting. If you really want to research your history, this prep work will be invaluable - and may connect you with a living, breathing relative!

  1. Attend events, places, museums, hikes and more from the area where your family is from. We did some hiking, museum-touring, and bed and breakfast stays around Ireland because we really wanted to get to know and experience it. Visit churches, libraries - any place that may have more information about your family can be informative. You may find information you never would get from an online search!
Hike and Explore On Your Ancestry Trip

Photo by Melissa Berry

Not only is it just a great idea to get out and do things when you travel, but you may also learn more things about your family history while out. Most of our (limited) success came from visiting churches, but even the museums gave us an interesting backstory of what was going on when our ancestors lived there. Museums gave us a background and hiking around the countryside made us feel we were connected to our family, as they may have walked those same or similar trails. 

  1. Live like a local. As much as possible, try to get into the culture while on your ancestry trip. We visited Ireland for a little over a week, and we toured the whole island. We rented a car and stayed at bed and breakfasts along the way, so we could take our time, talk to locals, and feel like part of the community. There’s nothing like driving on tiny roads in the middle of Ireland, trying to get to a museum before it closes, only to be waylaid by sheep!

For me, it felt like a homecoming. I looked like I fit in while in Ireland - not particularly tall, curly, reddish-brown hair. People didn’t treat me like an American ‘outsider’ when I was in Ireland, because I didn’t really stand out from the crowd.

This was not my cousin’s experience (taller, darker-haired) and it may not be yours either - but that’s okay! Depending on your genealogical history, the first ancestry trip you take might not feel like a homecoming. None of your trips may feel like a homecoming - and all of that is okay too. But keep an open mind, because you never know what you may learn or experience while taking an ancestry tip - and it might surprise you.

Best Tips for Planning Ancestry Trip

Photo by Melissa Berry

Planning My Second Ancestry Trip

Needless to say, I’m planning my second ancestry trip (for my Dad’s side) but taking my own advice this time. For this trip, I’m very glad I took a DNA test, because where we thought my Dad’s family was from (Germany) is not… it turns out, he’s mostly Scottish. A surprise to everyone (including my family’s last name, which is a top 10 common German name). So it’s off to Scotland for me next - not Germany!

However, I learned my lesson in a variety of ways, and this trip will be significantly different because of three key factors:

    1. Planning ahead - I’ve done much more research on this side of the family, and have planned my trip accordingly. I’ve researched where I want to go, roughly where I want to stay, and the museums I’d like to visit.
    2. Not being disappointed by what I do or don’t find. I’m not expecting to find any traces of my Dad’s side in Scotland - first of all, our family name isn’t Scottish, and I don’t know where I’d start. But you never know what you may find - from research, I discovered there was a war in Scotland around the time we think my ancestors fled to Germany. Could this be the reason we’re ‘German’? Maybe - but I’d like to go to Scotland and learn more about this time period to learn more.
    3. Realizing that ancestry is more than just ‘where you’re from’ - For some people, it can be easy to get discouraged and feel down about a country (or travel in general) if things you planned didn’t go right. This can feel even heavier if it’s an ancestry trip and nothing is going right.

There’s a chance you plan an ancestry trip to France because you’re 45% French, but you get there and absolutely hate it. Maybe you have 5% Spanish, so you head there and feel like you totally fit in and fall in love with the country. 

All of that is okay! It’s about what you want to get out of it and adjusting your expectations. If I had gone to Germany expecting to fit in, but felt very out of place, I might feel like something was wrong with me. But don’t forget: if you’re reading Traveling Later, chances are you’re traveling because you love to travel. 

Travel and affinity for other cultures aren’t dictated by your DNA - imagine how boring life would be if we only traveled to places ‘where we were from’ - I’d never love Morrocco if that were the case! 

Ancestry travel can be amazing, life-changing, and connect you to your heritage in ways you never dreamed. It also may be disappointing, sad, or make you feel out of place. I recommend everyone who’s interested take an ancestry trip, but (as with most travel advice) be realistic and roll with what you find!

Are you planning an ancestry trip? Where would you go?

 

Melissa Berry is a travel blogger at Everyday Spokane, a local travel blog for people relocating to and living in the Inland Northwest. When she’s not planning trips, she works as a freelance editor and website consultant. You can read more of her work at Everyday Spokane.