Where to Stay Near Redwood National Park (Top Places, 2024)

5 Best Areas for Lodging Near Redwood National Park 

Arcata

👉 Best Area For Entertainment | ✨ Best Arcata Hotels: Hotel Arcata•Hampton Inn & Suites Arcata • Magic Garden

Located in Humboldt County, Arcata is one of the bigger Northern California redwood cities. The city was established in 1850 and has historic architecture reminiscent of California’s Victorian era.

The Arcata community has a “hippie vibe” and a reputation for being environmentally- conscious. With resident parks and redwood forests nearby, Arcata is the perfect blend of nature and urban society. It’s one of the best towns in California, and it’s only 45 minutes away from Redwood National Park.

I recommend staying in Arcata when visiting Redwood National Park if you want access to city activities like shopping, movie theaters, and billiards bars. Students from the nearby Humboldt State University hang out in this town, giving the old-timey architecture a youthful exuberance.

You will want to stay close to Main Street Arcata, where all the action takes place. I recommend staying at Hotel Arcata, the only hotel located on the Main Square. You will find the bulk of the Arcata attractions around the main plaza and courtyard. Most locals hang out here, so you’re sure to make some new friends.

Pros of Staying in Arcata:

• Close to major amenities
• Many accommodation options are available
• Plenty of restaurants
• Not overly populated
• Bars stay open late
• Historic small town feel 

Cons of Staying in Arcata:

• 45 minutes away from the national park
• Can be noisy at night from local bars and live music
• Can be busy on holiday breaks

Trinidad

👉 Best Area For Coastal Access | ✨ Best Trinidad Hotels: Trinidad Inn • View Crest Lodge •Whalesong House

A small town by the sea, Trinidad sits right on the Pacific Ocean, only 8 miles from the Arcata airport. Travelers visiting Redwood National Park who want a quieter experience should opt to stay in this sleepy seaside town just 20 minutes from the park entrance.

Trinidad has 10 public beaches, so be sure to bring your bathing suit if visiting in the summer months. The other seasons are too cold to go swimming in the northern Pacific Ocean unless you bring a wetsuit.

Coastal cliffs define this town. You will wake up to stunning scenery and the serene song of waves cresting the shore. You can even stay at a vacation rental with beautiful ocean views, like the Whalesong House.

Trinidad is the best place to stay for beach lovers or visitors who prefer a more low-key environment. Catch the sunset from Trinidad State Beach or get toasty by your indoor cottage fireplace.

Pros of Staying in Trinidad:

• Private beach access 
• Less than 30 minutes from Redwood National Park
• In-room coffee is offered at many hotels
• Stunning views and natural beauty
• No traffic
• Quiet at night

Cos of Staying in Trinidad:

• Not many major hotels are available
• Fewer amenities are available
• Only a few restaurants offered
• Not a lot of entertainment

Eureka

👉 Best Area For Affordable Accommodation | ✨ Best Eureka Hotels: Best Western Plus Humboldt Bay Inn • Hydrangea Inn • Driftwood Cottage

Eureka is a historic city in Northern California, and the largest city in the Redwood National Park area. The port town has beautiful Victorian houses — some of which are even available to rent during your stay in Eureka.

Families enjoy a trip to the Sequoia Park Zoo or guided boat cruises on the early 1900s Madaket Ferry around Humboldt Bay. Adults over 21 should visit the Lost Coast Brewery, one of the best breweries in California.

Eureka is in the heart of the U.S. Redwood Coast and showcases both tall wooded giants and beautiful, rugged coast. Eureka is the perfect blend of city, redwood forest, and seaside town all in one. It is about 1 hour’s drive from Redwood National Park.

Eureka has the most options for accommodation. If you’re flying into town, stay somewhere like the Best Western Plus Humboldt Bay Inn, which has a free airport shuttle for guests.

Visitors usually love spending time in downtown Eureka at the various vintage and record shops. Various special events happen throughout the year, showing off Eureka’s pride. Be a part of the fireworks spectacular in July, the Woofstock celebration for dogs in August, or Redwood Coast Music Festival in September. 

Pros of Staying in Eureka:

• Plenty of accommodation options are available
• Festive city-wide events year-round
• Many foods and drink options
• Hiking trails and beach access

Cons of Staying in Eureka:

• Downtown has some sketchy areas
• House rentals can be expensive
• Furthest from Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park

👉 Best Area For Park Access | ✨ Best Redwood National Park Hotels: Woodland Villa Country Cabins • Elk Meadow Cabins • Holiday Inn Express Redwood National Park

What better way is there to experience the national park than staying inside its boundaries? Staying inside Redwood National Park will give you first-hand experience of the park’s beauty.

Sunrise and sunset are immaculate when witnessed through the giant redwoods, so I highly recommend camping or lodging inside the park if possible. Most accommodation options offered inside of the park are primitive camping- campsites without major amenities.

You can also backpack into the park and tent camp in the wilderness with a permit. The non-summer months can sometimes reach freezing temperatues, so if you’re not a fan of the cold, I recommend staying in a cabin or hotel just outside of the park. Make sure to check out my camping packing list before you go.

The closest accommodation options just outside of the park are the Woodland Villa Country Cabins, Elk Meadow Cabins, and Holiday Inn Express Redwood National Park. There are almost no amenities or entertainment besides hiking trails in this area, however, so keep that in mind.

Pros of Staying in Redwood National Park:

• Closest access possible to the national park
• Surrounded by beautiful nature and redwood trees
• Only a short drive to the main park attractions
• A good area for a base camp while you hike and explore
• Away from big city crowds

Cons of Staying in Redwood National Park:

• Far from big city amenities and entertainment
• No cell service, free wifi, hot tub, complimentary breakfast, fitness center, or spa services like other city hotels offer
• Can be cold at night

Crescent City

👉 Best Area For Coastal Views | ✨ Best Crescent City Hotels: Crown of the Coast • Redwood Beach Retreat • Anchor Beach Inn

One of the best California beach towns, Crescent City was named for its crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach. This is the gateway town to visiting Redwood National Park from the north.

Both fishing vessels and an abundance of redwood trees are common in this seaside port town. Many Crescent City locals are either fishermen themselves or huge nature lovers and are extremely welcoming to visitors.

The picturesque environment and proximity to Redwood National Park is the city’s main draw. The best part of Crescent City is the beautiful rugged coastline. Stay at a hotel with panoramic Pacific Ocean views, like the luxurious Crown of the Coast hotel.

Crescent City is the northernmost town in California and is very close to the Oregon border. If you have time to spare, I recommend making an extended day trip into Oregon if you’ve never been!

Pros of Staying in Crescent City:

• Incredible, freshly-caught seafood dinners
• Only 10 minutes from the northern entrance of Redwood National Park
• The city is quiet at night and on the weekends
• Stunning views of the Pacific Ocean
• Friendly locals 
• Close to the Oregon border, a fun day trip

Cons of Staying in Crescent City:

• Far from other tourist cities
• Few tourist attractions
• Few entertainment options besides hiking and swimming
• Few accommodation options and restaurants to choose from

Tips for Staying in the Redwoods

Download the Park App BEFORE You Visit

The National Park Service App was created by Forest Rangers to help visitors navigate the national parks with ease. Download the app before you go to the park so you can use it offline, as there is no service in the park.

The app includes interactive maps, tours of park places, accessibility information, and more to help plan your next national park trip with ease.

Trust me, having this app downloaded in advance will really help you better enjoy your trip to Redwood National Park!

Download Multiple GPSs

Redwood National Park is one of the best places to visit in California to go off-grid. As such, there is no cell service in Redwood National Park and you will want to download multiple offline maps before you lose service. 

Because offline maps can be spotty, it’s good practice to have a backup map just in case.

Check Current Conditions

The experience you have in California greatly depends on where you go and the time of year you visit California. While snow storms happen often in the mountains of Northern California, the Northern California coast rarely ever gets snow.

It is highly unlikely to snow in Redwood National Park. However, winter weather is often foggy and rainy. This adds a bit of mystical beauty to the giant redwoods, but if you’re hoping to avoid hiking in the rain, it’s best to visit in the summer months.

No matter what season you visit in, I recommend checking the weather conditions before your trip so you aren’t caught in any unexpected weather.

Reserve Accommodation Ahead of Time

Make sure your trip runs as smoothly as possible by reserving your accommodation ahead of time. If you wait too long, most accommodation options near the park may be sold out.

Reserve your hotel while you still have cell service so you can stay at the perfect place that meets your every need. Fireplaces are great due to the colder climate of Northern California, but many hotel rooms with a fireplace sell out quickly. Booking ahead of time ensures that you will snag one.

Most of the campgrounds and roads in Redwood National Park were created before RVs were around. The roads may be tricky to maneuver if you are in a bigger-sized rig.

There is RV parking at the Yurok Loop Trail, along Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, at the Big Tree Wayside, and at the Trillium Falls Trail. Your RV over 22 feet likely won’t make it to Simpson-Reed Grove, Howland Hill Road, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Fern Canyon, The Bald Hills, or Tall Trees Grove. 

Keep this in mind if you are set on camping in the national park. You may have to reserve a campsite just outside of the park’s boundaries.

🚙 Read Next: Best RV Parks in California

Get Off Highway 101

Many visitors miss the heart of Redwood National Park when they don’t exit off of US 101. Going down this highway, take the southern exit 753 or the northern exit 765 to drive through 10 miles of scenic, old-growth redwoods on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.

Pack Layers

Northern California can be cold in the non-summer months. You want to make sure you pack accordingly, especially if you plan on camping in California.

Pack enough layers to keep you toasty in freezing temperatures and cool when the hot sun comes out. I recommend always having a just-in-case pair of gloves, a beanie, a scarf, and a heavy jacket packed.

Leave No Trace

When visiting nature locations in California, you will want to leave the area cleaner than you found it. Leave No Trace means leaving the area so devoid of any human trace that visitors after you won’t even know you were there.

Putting this practice into place ensures that the beautiful Golden State stays beautiful and that national parks remain pleasant, trash-free areas for everyone.

FAQs About Where to Stay Near Redwood National Park

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Thank you for reading my guide on where to stay near Redwood National Park. With an overnight trip to the national park, you are sure to see everything on your itinerary! While you’re in the area, check out my guide on the best things to do in California.