Curly Redwood Lodge

Crescent City, California

The Curly Redwood Lodge stands across the highway from the ocean, along the northern edge of redwood country, and is one of the more subtle giant tree attractions. It isn't shaped like a log or perched in a tree. The marketing hook is that all of the wood used to build its 36 rooms and lobby came from a single giant "curly" redwood tree.

From the highway, it first appears to be an aging, non-chain motor court. Up close, that's still accurate, but visitors will appreciate the mid-century style architectural details and careful preservation of its original wood features.

The one-log motel was the brainchild of Tom Wyllie. He selected a massive curly redwood tree along the Klamath River, "curly" because of the slanted and attractive grain that would be visible in the walls and furniture.

The tree came down in 1952, and ultimately produced 57,000 board feet of lumber. It was shipped off to area lumber mills, and the lodge was completed in 1957.

The Curly Redwood Lodge has operated ever since, and strives to maintain its retro travel appeal -- with many older room fixtures, details, and spacious rooms hewn from redwood. But they do have wifi.