Despite its small size, the town's scenic location on a headland surrounded by the Pacific Ocean has made it extremely popular as an artists' colony and with vacationers.

Mendocino is located 10 miles (16 km) south of Fort Bragg[5] at an elevation of 154 feet (47 m).

[2] For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Mendocino as a census-designated place (CDP).

[3] Prior to 1850, a Pomo settlement named Buldam was located near Mendocino on the north bank of the Big River.

The town was also known as "Big River"[2] Meiggstown,[2] and "Mendocino City",[5] before the current name was settled on.

Portuguese fishermen from the Azores also settled in the area, as did immigrants from Canton Province in China, who built the Taoist Temple of Kwan Tai in town.

The Census Bureau definition of the area may not precisely correspond to the local understanding of the community.

Mendocino averages about 43 inches (1,100 mm) of rain per year, concentrated mainly in fall, winter, spring, and early summer.

It has a downtown commercial district facing the ocean, with a number of art galleries, retail shops, lodging and restaurants.

[17] Federally, Mendocino is in California's 2nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Jared Huffman.

[18] Friendship Park, a municipal sports playing field, was constructed by local volunteers and opened in April 1993.

[20] Many films and movies have been filmed in and around Mendocino and Mendocino County, including Dying Young, The Russians Are Coming; Overboard; The Dunwich Horror; The Karate Kid Part III; Dead & Buried; Forever Young; Same Time Next Year; Racing with the Moon; Pontiac Moon; and The Majestic.

The Sir Douglas Quintet had a number 27 hit with their song "Mendocino" (from the album of the same name) in early 1969.

The singers Kate & Anna McGarrigle wrote and sang the 1976 song "Talk to Me of Mendocino" about someone returning to the happiness of the town after unhappy experiences in New York.

The TV series Murder, She Wrote has had perhaps the largest impact on the community in recent years.

Local residents looked forward to the yearly filming, as over a hundred and fifty were chosen to play background parts.

The residence of the main character Jessica Fletcher was an actual home in Mendocino and is now a bed and breakfast under the name "Blair House."

While scenes for Murder, She Wrote were being filmed in Mendocino, residents say that it was common to see Angela Lansbury, who played Jessica Fletcher, stop to speak with a toddler, or for Tom Bosley to sign his autograph on a Glad Bag box presented by a shopper stepping out of the local grocery store.

Cliffs of Mendocino, a musical arrangement composed by Alan Lee Silva that is designed for developing middle and high school bands, was also inspired by and named after the community.