Bodega Head State Park (Sonoma County)

Address:  3799 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay, CA 94923

Bodega Head Trail State Park is in Sonoma County and situated on a small town called Bodega Bay. Bodega Head shelters the bay and harbor from the power of the Pacific Ocean and is about four miles long and one mile wide. Bodega Head is good for people who enjoy sightseeing, nature walking, photography, hiking, whale watching, or simply watching the sunset. Bodega Head has two trails which are family friendly and the trailhead protects both the North and West sides of the Bodega Harbor from the Pacific storms. Bodega head bluffs and cliffs have a 360 degrees views of the Pacific Ocean with the deep blue seas. There are 2 parking lots available onsite which are the upper area which is less maintained road and the lower area which is made up of sand and rocks with large potholes. There is no admission or entrance fee to visit the State Park. And no drones are allowed in Bodega Head.

The East Trail is a 1.7 mile loop that passes through the southern coastal bluffs of Bodega Head. While the west trail is a 1.2 mile loop that leads to the coastal bluffs and overlooks the view of the Horseshoe Cove. Bodega Head is one of the great spot to Whale Watch by the west trail parking area.

Bodega Head is about 1 hour and 30 minutes drive (77 miles) from San Francisco to Bodega Head State Park via US-101 North. But we came from Napa area (Yountville area) which only took us about 1 hour drive to Bodega Head. We passed through a couple of towns, local stores along the way such as the Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery, Estero Cafe, Valley Ford Supermarket. The cool place that we made a stopped over and ate is the famous “Bodega Bay Oyster Company.” We had our late lunch and ordered the famous “Kumamoto” bbq oysters, clam chowder, shrimp tacos and garlic bread.

We also passed through the popular Bodega Bay “Spud Point Crab Company” which is famous for its signature clam chowder. Bodega Head is about 3 minutes away from Spud Point. We made a right turn at the end of the road and drove up on a two-way, winding, narrow paved road. We had to be careful and paid attention to the other oncoming cars driving downhill and leaving the area. The large parking area was very busy since it was almost sunset and made up of sand and gravel with large potholes.

Overall, it was a fun, beautiful place to watch sunset with a 360 view of the Pacific Ocean with the deep blue seas. We enjoyed and experienced the power of the ocean as the waves crushed at the huge rocks and mesmerized by the beauty of nature at sunset. There were other hiking trails available at Bodega Head that you can explore with the entire family.

Tips: Watch out when you are driving uphill towards Bodega Head as the roads are narrow, slightly winding and two-way streets. Always watch out for oncoming traffic and pay attention to cars coming in and out of the parking space. There are public restrooms onsite but without a sink, so bring your toilet paper and hand sanitizer.. Bring binoculars to see all the different species of birds, wildlife and whale watching. Parking lot is made up of sand and gravel (unpaved) with large potholes. Watch out for dangerous cliffs and bring a jacket or sweater as the weather changes.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Bodega Head State Park after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve Park.

The Tides Wharf and Restaurant (Bodega Bay)

Address: 835 Coast Highway 1 Bodega Bay, Ca. 94923

In the early 1960’s the Tides Wharf and Restaurant were made famous by the popular Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movie “The Birds”. The restaurant was used as a backdrop in one of the scenes from the movie. It’s one of the popular restaurants on the Sonoma Coast with an amazing view of Bodega Bay. It’s situated a few steps away from the Inn at the Tides. And it is also famous for its seafood, fish market, and gift shop. It’s a great place to stop for fresh seafood when driving up the coast. The Tides Restaurant is about 1 hour and 30 minutes from San Francisco via US-101 North ( 85 miles) and is open 7 days a week from 8 am-8 pm. Breakfast is served from 8 am-11 am, lunch from 11 am-4 pm, and dinner from 4-8 pm.

Our drive to The Tides Wharf and Restaurant was very fun, scenic, and had a few winding roads. The view of the beautiful Bodega Bay during our travel was well worth the drive. We even stopped by at the famous St. Therese Church and the Potter Schoolhouse from the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock’s horror movie “The Birds”. We arrived at the restaurant around 9 a.m. and parked in front of the restaurant. There were a lot of parking spaces available but can get crowded during weekends or lunchtime. The weather was beautiful and sunny but later became windier in the afternoon.

The restaurant wasn’t too busy since we got there early at 9 am. We were seated inside since the outdoor tables are not available until 11 am. There were 3 of us at our party which includes 1 kid and 2 adults. We ordered fried calamari as appetizer for $8.95, hot crab sandwich for $26.50, 1/2 pound Bodega Bay Burger for $12.95, Filet of Petrale Sole for $26.00. And for dessert we ordered the cheesecake, apple pie with ice cream and lemon meringue. The hot crab sandwich is a grilled open face with jack cheese and tomato grilled while the deluxe burger came with sourdough bread and sautĂ©ed onions. The Filet of Petrale Sole is pan fried with lemon butter. All the foods that we ordered were good and delicious especially the dessert.

Overall, we enjoyed our fun brunch experience at the Tides Wharf and Restaurant especially on a sunny day overlooking the beautiful Bodega Bay. It’s a great quick stop spot with good quality food and a great view on your way to the Sonoma Coast.

Tips: There was ample parking in the morning but it gets busy during lunch and dinner. Bring a sweater or jacket as the weather can change quickly to cold and windy since the restaurant is located on the bay. The outdoor tables are usually busy especially during lunchtime and people are waiting for them to become available. We also ordered some crab sandwich to take home from the Fish Market inside the restaurant. They also have a giftshop available onsite and a small Cafe if there is a long line (wait time) at the restaurant. There were a few covered or shaded outdoor tables available near the Cafe for customers. It’s a great place to eat and watch the sunset.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about The Tides Wharf and Restaurant after your visit in the comments below. And kindly subscribe, comment, and share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Fishetarian Fish Market in Bodega Bay

Address: 599 CA-1 Bodega Bay California 94923

Fishetarian Fish Market opened in 2012 at Bodega Bay by Shane Lucas due to his passion for fishing. Shane Lucas has sold fish for over 20 years in the wholesale fish business. The restaurant serves fresh seafood, gluten-free and vegan daily on their menu. It’s a great place to stop for a quick bite of fresh seafood when driving up the coast. Fishetarian is about 1 hour and 20 minutes from San Francisco via US-101 North ( 85 miles). Fishetarian Fish Market is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Our drive to Fishetarian was very fun, scenic, and had a few winding roads. The view of the beautiful Bodega Bay during our travel was well worth the drive. We even stopped by at the famous St. Therese Church and the Potter Schoolhouse from the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock’s horror movie “The Birds”. We arrived at Fishetarian around 11 a.m. and end up parking on the side of the fish market in front of the dock with a view of the bay. We were surprised to see that there were a few people already in line ahead of us. We ordered through the order window and waited for our name to be called. All the outdoor picnic tables were separated to adhere to the Covid-19 safety regulations. We even saw a few customers with their dogs having lunch and enjoying the gorgeous view. The weather was beautiful and sunny but later became windier in the afternoon.

There were 3 of us at our party which includes 1 kid and 2 adults. We ordered both the grilled garlic butter oysters which are $15.99 for 6 pieces, grilled bbq sauce oysters topped with cilantro and green onions which are also $15.99 for 6 pieces, clam chowder on a bread bowl for $12.99, crab sandwich for $19.99, and fried calamari for $13.99. Our name was called by the staff from the pick-up window and carried our orders to the table. Luckily we found a nice picnic table closer to the bay water with an obstructed view of the Bay. My wife loved the flavorful grilled bbq and garlic oysters while I enjoyed the savory popular crab sandwich. My daughter enjoyed their famous clam chowder on a bread bowl and it was very delicious with fresh ingredients.

Overall, we enjoyed our fun lunch experience at Fishetarian Fish Market especially eating outdoor on a sunny day at a picnic table on the beach overlooking the beautiful Bodega Bay. It’s a great quick stop spot with good quality food and a great view on your way to the Sonoma Coast.

Tips: Make sure to call in or order your food online ahead of time to avoid long lines. And get there early to find parking as it is limited and shared with the Lucas Wharf Bar and Restaurant. Bring a sweater or a jacket as the weather can change quickly to cold and windy since it is on the bay. The outdoor picnic tables on the beach are usually busy and people are waiting for them to be available.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Fishetarian Fish Market after your visit in the comments below. And kindly subscribe, comment, and share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to Fishetarian Fish Market in Bodega Bay.