Between Garberville and Eureka, a nice spot to pull over for a 30 minute walk in the primeval redwood forest is Founder's Grove, just off the 101 freeway. If someone had just one opportunity to investigate the redwoods between SF and Oregon, this would be my recommendation. It commemorates the group of individuals in the 1920s that decided to purchase some of the first lands for the redwood parks that exist today.

Just south of Orick (north of Eureka) is the Redwood National Park visitor center, located on the beach. All the facts about redwoods can be discovered here.

Further south, near Hopland, the Fetzer winery is adjacent to the road.