Duncans Mills CA

Located four miles inland from the Sonoma Coast, the tiny hamlet of Duncans Mills (pop. 175) occupies a wide, flat area near the meandering Russian River. Often, blue skies smile on Duncans Mills while fog covers the surrounding hills.

Once a burgeoning lumber mill town established by brothers Samuel and Alexander Duncan, today it’s home to more than a dozen unique specialty shops offering hand-crafted goods, antiques, art galleries, locally-grown flowers, and more. A wide range of provisions and refreshments are for sale in the Duncans Mills General Store, and wine tasting is available at Sophie’s Cellars.

If strolling and shopping sparks an appetite, the Cape Fear Café offers a taste of North Carolina and the New South. The Blue Heron Restaurant & Tavern sports bar serves American grill and seafood. And in addition to fragrant cups of joe, Gold Coast Coffee and Bakery offers wood-fired oven-baked pastries and pizza.

For those who wish to stay awhile, campsites, including RV facilities, are available behind the railroad depot in the Duncan Mills Camping Club or across the river at the Casini Ranch Family Campground.