Mendocino's coastal microclimate means it stays cool and often foggy even in summer. August highs rarely exceed 65°F (18°C), and the fog can be so thick in the mornings that the headlands disappear entirely. It burns off by midday most days, but if you want reliably clear skies, visit in September and October — the warmest, driest months, when the light on the Victorian buildings turns golden and the tourist crowds thin out.
Spring (March through May) brings wildflowers on the headlands and the tail end of gray whale migration. The Mendocino Whale Festival in March draws crowds for guided whale watches, chowder cook-offs, and wine tasting. It is one of the most popular events of the year on the North Coast.
Winter is quiet and moody — some restaurants close or shorten hours, but storms make the headlands dramatic. The surf crashes through the sea arches with real force after a storm, and the light between squalls can be extraordinary. Prices drop significantly.
The Mendocino Music Festival runs for two weeks in July, filling venues across town and the headlands with classical, jazz, and folk performances. Tickets for popular events sell out early. The Fourth of July parade, a small-town affair that takes about ten minutes to pass, is followed by a fireworks show visible from the bluffs.