Fortuna sits on US-101, the main north-south coastal route, about 20 minutes south of Eureka and about five hours north of San Francisco. By car it is the only sensible way to arrive. The drive up through Mendocino county is one of the great American road trips, particularly the section through the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, just south of Fortuna.
The nearest airport is Arcata-Eureka (ACV), about 40 miles north. United and a couple of regional carriers fly in from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver, but fares are typically high and weather cancellations frequent. Greyhound and the regional Redwood Transit System bus also stop in Fortuna for travellers without a car.