hi,i'm looking at moveing to arcata as a jump point to my new trip in the north west.I'm from Shreveport,La . I'm totally able to live in the wild.I've heard good things an bad about this place an want honest feedback on useing it as a jump-off point to start.Info on free camping,johnny-law,do's an don't in general.thanks for your feedback.
I know a LOT of travelers will setup simple camp in the redwood park in Arcata, but at the same time it's generally frowned upon by the rangers. There are lots of hidden little nooks and such within old trees or far enough back. More or less I found Arcata to be pleasant, but I wasn't camping out and had a place to stay. You'll find it's on the ocean which lends itself to temperate pacific-coastline weather patterns: foggy all winter, not too hot in the summer. I wouldn't want to be camping there during the winter, that much is for sure. It's one of the only towns I know of without ANY corporate/chain resteraunts / stores. They passed an ordinance that said basically "no chains" and it seems to have worked. Anyway, seeing as this post is old mainly posting this in case someone else finds it and wants to look into going to Arcata. Any others have advice for rolling through that area? I guess there is a bridge that you can sleep under, but I have no idea where. Good luck and hope you made it!
well, I'm moving there in august! alls i know for sure is that i've heard nothing but good things about the place. assuming that there must be a downside to the place, it can't be too bad!
"even our statues have their hands out." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arcata_McKinley_Statue.jpg When I was up for the season, lots of kids were just begging, not really looking for work.
"even our statues have their hands out." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arcata_McKinley_Statue.jpg When I was up for the season, lots of kids were just begging, not really looking for work.
It's great here. Too hard to find opies though Going to HSU and can't even catch some vicoden,,, somethin wrong with that.
The real story with Arcata is the same as most well placed 'smaller' Coastal Towns. As the cities become more and more disgusting - folks are looking for a refuge and putting pressure on the smaller towns which used to be based on land oriented lifestyles and resource extraction. Now, as the University grows & the economy switches more to service, tourism and second homes - the general conflicts between these two lifestyles becomes more pronounced. Like a lot of Cal towns - what was quaint and eclectic is becoming more homogenised and mainstream. Talk to a true Arcata local and they will lament about the rising costs and restrictions. Talk to a new transplant from the city and they will expound about the amazing freedoms, open space and eclectic life. Just like in Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Big Sur and the rest of Humboldt County. The real problem with the whole of the transition in Northern Cal is the mass movement of folks from the cities and middle America coming here and wanting all those things they had available in the city or mid Am. If you move to the North Coast - try and get with the lifestyle and enjoy the pace, rather than importing ideas of lifestyle from outside. If you give into the Redwood Coast Spirit - you will excel emotionally, physically and spiritually.
