Whether you are a native of Humboldt County or you are coming from somewhere else in the world, you will find that there is plenty of enriching, interesting, or just plain fun things to do in your free time at the College of the Redwoods. From exploring the nearby nature trails or bird watching with a Meetup group, to a night out dancing with friends or attending cultural events, there never has to be a dull moment in this rural gem of global people with a small-town feel. Some favorites for all kinds of folks:
Plant lovers, go no further than your own backyard to find the botany you desire at Humboldt Botanical Gardens. HBG sits on 44.5 acres of beautiful forests and meadows overlooking Humboldt Bay and the Pacific Ocean. They have an ornamental terrace garden, an earth sculpture, the largest native plants garden in northern California, temperate woodlands, a riparian area, 5 miles of hiking trails, and year-round educational and recreational activities.
For those who like performance art and theatre, don’t miss out on a play at North Coast Repertoire Theatre or Ferndale Repertoire. The summer Dell’Arte festival is a much-anticipated event for those actor-creators and enthusiasts alike.
If you are 21 years and up, don’t miss out on DJ duo Pressure Anya, who produce a dynamic blend of electronic beats and world sounds, including Balkan, Latino, reggae, and African. Voted Best of Humboldt’s DJs 2012-14, you can find them at the Pearl Lounge in Eureka’s Old Town every week for “Dirty Thursdays.” There are numerous clubs, bars (dive and otherwise), and lounges throughout Eureka and Arcata, and for a more old-time country feel, head south to Fortuna. Don’t be shy!
Some annual events to put down in your calendar: Kinetic Sculpture Race is a 3-day artists’ triathlon that follows land and water from Arcata to Ferndale, pedaling along roads, beach, and even in Humboldt Bay! Racers compete for glory in all varieties of people-powered kinetic art contraptions: dragons, robots, whatever the imagination creates. The Rutabaga Ball usually is the following weekend in May, where the Rutabaga Queen is crowned and all dance at her feet. The annual Samba parade and dance happens on the Arcata Plaza each summer, as well as Pastels on the Plaza, where each square of sidewalk around the plaza is auctioned off for an artist to create an image; proceeds go to charity. And many more!
Places to visit and things to do. Trinidad is a small oceanside town just north of Arcata with panoramic views of the ocean and Redwood forests. Eureka hosts Arts Alive! each first Saturday of the month, where local artisans display their work in galleries and shops around historic Old Town, and street performers take to filling the alleys and gazebo with sounds and humor. Farmer’s Market on Arcata Plaza each Saturday, for 6-9 months of the year, boasts the best of the region’s locally produced and organically grown produce and flora. Head east on Highway 299 for a short drive to one of the Trinity River’s many swimming/fishing/kayaking/white-water-rafting spots, head south to Garberville for a boutique shopping experience or summer swimming on the Eel River, and just south of College of the Redwoods is the Victorian Village of Ferndale, home to the largest Christmas tree in the world, Victorian-era architecture, and turn-of-the-century (19/20th century!) shops.
Bonus: If you live on campus and don’t want or have time to stray too far, remember you get into many campus sporting, cultural and recreational events for free!
While students who attend College of the Redwoods spend much of their time studying and living a diverse set of lives, from family to single and young to old, there is never a lack of interesting, educational, and fun things to distract them in their free time.
If you liked this article, check out things to do at College of the Redwoods.
Holly A. Sisson, MA College of the Redwoods Alumna 2007, AA
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Humboldt Botanical Gardens like?
- It sits on 44.5 acres of forests and meadows overlooking Humboldt Bay and the Pacific Ocean, with an ornamental terrace garden, an earth sculpture, the largest native plants garden in northern California, temperate woodlands, a riparian area, 5 miles of hiking trails, and year-round activities.
- Who is Pressure Anya and where can you hear them?
- A DJ duo voted Best of Humboldt's DJs 2012-14, producing a blend of electronic beats and world sounds including Balkan, Latino, reggae, and African. You can find them at the Pearl Lounge in Eureka's Old Town every week for Dirty Thursdays.
- What is the Kinetic Sculpture Race?
- A 3-day artists' triathlon that follows land and water from Arcata to Ferndale, with racers competing in people-powered kinetic art contraptions like dragons and robots.
- What happens on the Arcata Plaza?
- The annual Samba parade and dance each summer, Pastels on the Plaza where sidewalk squares are auctioned for artists to create images with proceeds going to charity, and the Farmer's Market on Saturdays for 6-9 months of the year.
- What is the Victorian Village of Ferndale?
- Just south of College of the Redwoods: home to the largest Christmas tree in the world, Victorian-era architecture, and turn-of-the-century (19th/20th century) shops.
Sources
- College of the Redwoods, college site