The waterfront along Humboldt Bay is a great place to walk and to watch the water. Still very much a working port, Eureka's fishing boats and pleasure craft can be seen coming and going from the Woodley Island Marina and the new Small Boat Basin. Woodley Island is worth a visit to see the relocated Table Bluff Lighthouse and "The Fisherman," a striking memorial statue. A restaurant at the marina is the perfect place to sit and watch the bay. Another great view of Eureka is from the Humboldt Bay Harbor Cruise on board the Madaket, an original 1910 passenger ferry.

Tucked away on the south side of town, Eureka owns another gem in its Sequoia Park & Zoo. This 77-acre tract of old-growth redwoods contains nature trails, a duck pond, two playgrounds and charming small zoo which is perfect for spending an hour or two with the children. Even if you're just passing through Eureka, the zoo is a great place to stop and unwind (it's closed on Mondays).

Fort Humboldt State Historic Park, on Highland Ave. off Broadway, is another city treasure worth seeing. There are reconstructed army buildings from the mid-1800s, one of them containing an excellent museum, and an expansive outdoor museum of early logging equipment.

Art plays an important part of the Eureka experience. The Morris Graves Museum of Art anchors Eureka's growing Cultural Arts District. The museum is housed in the beautifully-restored Carnegie Library building.

 North across Humboldt Bay from Eureka, the colorful buildings of Arcata are clearly visible. The two cities are only minutes apart by highway, but are distinct in character. Originally named Union, Arcata's beginnings go back to the Gold Rush when it was a shipping and supply center for miners on the Trinity River. The docks are long gone, but Arcata retains (and celebrates) a sense of uniqueness. Sprawling over the hillside above Arcata, Humboldt State University dominates the city and promotes a youthful, artistic and intellectual ambiance.

The Plaza, with its lawns, flowerbeds and statue of President McKinley, is the social and commercial center of Arcata. Shops, boutiques and restaurants line (and radiate from) the Plaza, and it's the venue for numerous events including farmers markets, the Kinetic Sculpture Race, Pastels on the Plaza and the North Country Fair. Of particular note are the beautifully restored Jacoby's Storehouse, a California Historic Landmark; Humboldt State Natural History Museum; and the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. Arcata being a college town, the local bookstores and coffee houses are especially vibrant.

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