A Kelley House Museum Fundraiser

MURDER, SHE WROTE FESTIVAL FAQ
Friday, May 1st – Sunday, May 3rd, 2026

Here is a short FAQ to help plan your trip.

When should I arrive? When should I leave?
Ideally you would arrive on Thursday, as we have a full day of events on Friday and Saturday. Sunday event programming is lighter since we realize many of you will travel home that day.

Where should I stay? Check out our guide to local lodging. All of these inns have helped make this festival possible, so patronize them and help Mendocino thrive. If you don’t want to drive much, make sure to book lodging within the town of Mendocino.

Where should I eat? Mendocino only has a handful of restaurants in town so it is a good idea to call ahead and make reservations. Please book your reservation early enough to allow yourself enough time to get to the next event. If you get stuck, our local market, Harvest at Mendosa’s, always has some prepared food for takeout. Here’s a fairly comprehensive guide to Mendocino restaurants, just doublecheck the location if you are trying to dine in the town itself, since some of these require driving in a car to get to them.

How long will it take to get to Mendocino? If there’s one thing all first-time visitors learn, it’s that it takes longer to get here than your Google Maps tells you. The roads are windy, and you’ll want to stop for a stretch, a bite, and to admire the view. Bring carbonated beverages or Dramamine if you are prone to car sickness. These are the general driving times and do not account for traffic:

  • 4 hours from Sacramento Airport
  • 4 hours from San Francisco and Oakland Airports
  • 5 hours from San Jose Airport
  • 2.5 hours from Santa Rosa Airport

Can I get to Mendocino on public transit?
Getting to Mendocino on public transit is possible but not easy. It requires bus transfers in Santa Rosa and Fort Bragg and involves a long travel day. From the San Francisco (SFO) or Oakland (OAK) airports, take Groome Transportation (a private bus company) to the Sonoma County airport in Santa Rosa, and then transfer to the Mendocino Transit Authority’s Route 65 from Santa Rosa to Fort Bragg. In Fort Bragg, transfer to Route 60 Southbound to Mendocino. Give yourself plenty of time to make connections. If your lodging is in Mendocino, you can walk to all the venues once here.

Where and when do I check in?
Check-in will begin at 10am on Friday at Preston Hall in Mendocino. You will be able to check in at this location both Friday and Saturday until 4pm.

What do I need to check in?
Please bring the receipt from your pass purchase to expedite check in (we also have all ticket holder names so can check if you forget). 

Will there be Festival merchandise? Yes! We will have Festival merchandise for sale at Preston Hall where you check in and the Kelley House Museum. There will also be amazing one-of-a-kind merchandise at the Silent Auction,..

Venue addresses:

  • Kelley House Museum: 45007 Albion St., Mendocino (All walking tours depart from here. Also a pop-up exhibit on Murder, She Wrote in the museum).
  • Preston Hall: 44867 Main St., Mendocino (Check In, Merchandise Hall)
  • Crown Hall: 45285 Ukiah St., Mendocino (Solve-Along screenings, Disco, Speakers)
  • St. Anthony’s Hall.  10700 Lansing St., Mendocino (Trivia and Speakers)
  • Blair House Inn. 45110 Little Lake St., Mendocino (Mimosas)

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This event is an Unofficial event and is not associated with NBCUniversal.
Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote holding magnifying glass