Humboldt Lagoons State Park

"It's not one of the Redwood National and State Parks, but Humboldt Lagoons is a local favorite. One of the largest lagoon systems in the United States, this state park houses three of them: Freshwater, Stone, and Big Lagoon (from north to south). Freshwater is the most remote and least developed, whereas Big Lagoon even offers camping sites and kayak rentals. Because there are marshlands, wetlands, coastal sands, and scrub bushes, various kinds of wildlife can make their homes in or around these shallow waters. Keep an eye out while hiking, swimming, and boating and you may spot birds like grebe, heron, and osprey, or fish like salmon and trout. (Out in the ocean you can sometimes get a glimpse of harbor seals, harbor porpoises, sea lions, and even whales.) Since the water is protected from the sea and fairly calm, it's a popular spot for families and kayakers."