Welcome to the Redwood Empire
The "Redwood Empire" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For those fortunate souls who live here, it describes a portion of the coast of California made up of three counties - Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte. Through history it has been the home for many different people including Native Americans, Spaniards, Russians, Mexicans, and Americans. The name "Redwood Empire" is derived from the fact that it is also the home of the sequoia sempervirons - the coastal redwood tree. This was the tree that provided much of the lumber that built and rebuilt San Francisco repeatedly during the nineteenth century. As a result, much of the old growth redwood forest has been lost, but fortunately large sections of it have been saved in regional, state and national parks throughout the region. Today the Redwood Empire is a tourist destination of major importance.
This section of Wandering Lizard is dedicated to describing the Redwood Empire's many attractions and providing information about the travel resources that are to be found there, particularly the scenic wonders, the lodging & dining alternatives, as well as a few suggestions for scenic drives through the region.
