Welcome to Point Arena

   Beautiful Downtown Main Street, and breathtaking oceanfront Arena Cove District  - two core sections that are a must see!  Both offer a hub of dining and shopping experiences, lodging and many natural and historical landmarks. In our delightful downtown district also known as our Historical District, we proudly recognize our Arena Theater - a must see Historical Landmark beauty! Thoughtful expertise goes into the selection of music, film and artist venues. Downtown offers a variety of eateries, lodging, wine bars, and commercial and retail businesses.  In our Arena Cove District, you will find oceanfront dining, a taproom, boat launch facilities, commercial and sport fishing (no license required to fish off our City Pier), two bed & breakfast Inns, amazing surfing, fresh coffee, equipment rental, unique artistry and wares.  
           With neighbors like the Point Arena Light House (lodging and museum) and Stornetta Public Lands (trails,whale-watching and tide-pooling), the City of Point Arena, from wine tastings and art galleries to bluff top hiking trails,  has a variety of elements that create a vibrant and interesting cityscape canvas that benefits everyone who lives, visits, or does business in our community.  Come visit today!!

Historic Main Street, along Hwy 1,  is important to so many of us, for a variety of reasons. Downtown is a traditional gathering place, and our retail core. With our unique, irreplaceable historic architecture and walkable shopping district, downtown Point Arena is a showcase for our community. By supporting the maintenance and preservation of downtown, you are helping to preserve and communicate the history of our community.  Point Arena is rich in history that has been passed down from generation to generation. Did you know that the National Registry of Historical Resources has data on homes as early as 1859? Proudly, our local Historian, Steve Oliff, has spent decades preserving our story and several collections have been published.

Beautification and improvement projects are always underway - and a Community Action Plan and Master City Park Buildout Plans have been adopted.  The allure and the health of our business district affect everyone. People outside our community see the downtown as a reflection of Point Arena as a whole. It is a reflection of our community pride as well as our heritage. Downtown businesses are an important part of our community’s economic health. While so much of our lives are dominated by hectic schedules - the many restaurants, downtown shops and services offer a unique, personalized touch and provide an outlet for enjoyment.

Point Arena, though it has maintained a small town feel with only a population of approx. 425, is an actual legal city. A city is an incorporated area with it's own government and though it has some autonomy, as a city it has greater responsibilities, obligations and commitments at County, State and Federal levels than a town. A city must also have a sufficiant tax base - enough voters that agree to be taxed and tax dollars sufficient enough to pay for a city government and infrastructure - and it is held accountable for all funding received from Federal, State and Local agencies.

We are very fortunate to be a small city comprised of a community that cares about the future of our downtown and arena cove/harbor districts. As growth all around us influences Point Arena, it’s more important than ever that we work together to preserve our past and plan for a bright future.

Mission Statement
The Point Arena City Council's mission is to create and maintain a responsive and responsible government that enhances the quality of life of the people of the City of Point Area.  The City's mission is to deliver services that meet; Public safety, health, social, cultural, education, transportation, economic and environmental needs of our community.

Geography and Environment
The City of Point Arena has a total area of 1.4 square miles, all of it land.  The city itself is built around a small natural inland harbor named Arena Cove and home to the City's Municipal Pier.  The cove is located about a mile and a half south of the actual Point Arena, a narrow peninsula jutting around 1/3 mile  into the Pacific Ocean. This is the location of the Point Arena Lighthouse, at 115 feet the tallest lighthouse on the West coast of the United States. The lighthouse is also the closest location on the mainland (excluding Alaska) to Honolulu, Hawaii at a distance of 2,045 nautical miles or 2,353 statute miles.  The city of Point Arena is located at 38°54′32″N 123°41′35″W / 38.90889°N 123.69306°W.

The Point Arena Mountain Beaver
The Point Arena area is home to an endangered species of rodent known as the Point Arena Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra). According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the habitat for this sub-species of Mountain Beaver lies only within a 24 sq mile area around Point Arena. The biggest threat to the Point Arena Mountain Beaver is loss of habitat, and it was officially listed as an endangered species on December 12, 1991.  Much local folklore revolves around this mysterious creature.

Politics
The City of Point Arena has five elected City Council Members. The City of Point Arena is within the County of Mendocino, and is represented by the 5th District Supervisor Dan Hamburg.  In the state legislature Point Arena is located in the 2nd Senate District, represented by Democrat Pat Wiggins, and in the 1st Assembly District, represented by Democrat Patty Berg. Federally, Point Arena is located in California's 1st congressional district and is represented by Democrat Mike Thompson.