All Aboard the Skunk Train

Just because summer is over doesn't mean you can't take a fabulous family vacation. The secret is the weekend getaway, a two-day nugget of time when you and your kids can refresh yourselves without missing work or school. For busy families, weekends are easier to plan, simpler to schedule, and they cost significantly less than weeklong trips. Plus, you can just hop in the car on a whim and go.

As travel writers and working moms, we're not surprised that the popularity of weekend trips has increased by 70 percent in the past decade. As you'll see, we like places that are within driving distance of a major metropolitan area, compact enough to be explored in two days, offer activities for every member of the family, have several lodging and dining options, and provide plenty of outdoor activities so we can soak up this colorful season. Just remember to plan ahead, so that you don't waste precious vacation time deciding where to go and when.

If your kids enjoy train trips, they won't want to miss a ride on the old-fashioned Skunk Train. From Fort Bragg to Willits, this historic locomotive travels through some of California's most beautiful coastal state parks and offers passengers breathtaking views.

RIDE THE RAILS TO THE REDWOODS
What better way to get off the fast track than with a relaxed ride on an old-fashioned locomotive? The Skunk Train, in Fort Bragg, California, offers a unique way to explore northern California's Mendocino coast. From San Francisco, the drive to Fort Bragg takes about 3 1/2 hours, and October usually brings the best weather of the year, with days in the 50s and 60s.

As you board the Skunk Train, you'll become a part of history. For more than 100 years, the train has carried logs, loggers, freight and passengers into the heart of redwood country. The nickname refers to the original gas engines, of which locals complained, "You can smell 'em before you can see 'em!"

Now the classic red trains--no longer stinky--carry sightseers over a wooden track on a 40-mile route from Fort Bragg to Willits. Best for families is the half-day round-trip from Fort Bragg to Northspur Station ($35 per adult, $20 per child; 800-77-SKUNK). Highlights include a pitch-black plunge into a 1,100-foot-long redwood tunnel and close-ups of skyscraper-tall, scraggly barked redwoods.

Plan to spend half of Saturday on the Skunk Train and the other half stretching your legs at one of the area's magnificent coastal state parks. Our favorite is Mackerricher State Park (free; 707-937-5804), where a short boardwalk leads to Laguna Point. From the observation platform you can often see harbor seals basking on the rocks. On your way back to town, drive to the foot of Elm Street and take a peek at a local marvel. Glass Beach, as it's now known, was used as the local dump about 30 years ago. Today, Mother Nature has turned trash—old glass bottles and pottery—into treasure, and you'll see sea glass gems among the pebbles in the sand. (Keep your shoes on here, just in case some sharp shards still lurk.) For lunch, head 3 miles north for a casual Mexican feast at The Purple Rose (kids can split orders; 707-964-6507).

On Saturday night, we like staying in Fort Bragg at The Grey Whale Inn ($100 to $200, double occupancy, breakfast included; 707-964-0640). Known for its lumberjack-size breakfasts, it's just a short walk from the Skunk Train depot. For dinner, try regional specialties at the nearby Old Coast Hotel (707-961-4488).

On Sunday morning, venture to nearby Mendocino and check out Catch A Canoe & Bicycles, Too! (707-937-0273), a rental shop at the plush Stanford Inn By the Sea. Outfitted with an outrigger canoe ($50 for 2 hours, seats four easily), you can paddle along the 8-mile estuary of the Big River (look for bubbles on the surface of the water—a river otter may be nearby). Then knock around Mendocino, a pretty town reminiscent of a New England village. In fact, it stood in for Cabot Cove, Maine, on the TV show .

Eat lunch at The Wharf at Noyo Harbor (707-964-4283), a working fishing port in Fort Bragg. Sit by the window and get one last look at the seals in the harbor.

For more information, contact the Fort Bragg-Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce, 332 N. Main St., Fort Bragg, CA 95437; 800-726-2780.



Diane Bair and Pamela Wright write from their office in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005.