Bodega Bay
Enjoy the northern California coastal towns of Bodega Bay & Mendocino.
Bodega Bay is located about 70 miles north of San Francisco (10 miles north of Windsor) on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. This lovely, quiet fishing town was chosen as the location for one of the most famous films ever made – Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." Bodega Bay is also home to a scenic 18-hole golf course, many restaurants specializing in seafood and the pristine beaches of Sonoma Coast State Beach. Bodega Head, the peninsula that shelters the Bay, is considered an ideal point for whale watching (mainly between December and April.) For more information, visit www.bodegabay.com.
Mendocino
With its breathtaking coastline and picturesque wine country, Mendocino welcomes all adventurous romantics who travel the scenic path. Natural wonders abound-from the smallest to the tallest trees in the world to glass bottom beaches and the only oceanfront botanical gardens in the country. Stroll through beautiful oceanfront Victorian Villages with unusual boutiques and galleries, lively entertainment, fun activities, events and festivals. Cool coastal breezes, warm days and the fertile soils of the Mendocino wine country combine to produce world-renowned, award-winning wines. A favorite patime of locals and tourists alike is spending a relaxing day wine tasting along Highway 101 and 128. Mendocino is 150 miles north of San Francisco and 90 miles north of Windsor. For more information, visit www.mendocino.org/.
Windsor, California Hotel Near Bodega Bay and Mendocino
Escape to the affordable, family-friendly Holiday Inn Express Windsor – Sonoma County where peaceful Wine Country lodging awaits you. Savor spacious guest rooms and suites, impeccable service and upscale amenities for both business and pleasure. Our convenient location makes it easy to explore the charming northern California coastal towns of Mendocino and Bodega Bay.
Bodega Bay Beaches
- Salmon Creek. A wide expanse of beach at the point where Salmon Creek meets the ocean makes this a great spot for families. Surfers find this one of the best places to catch a wave, kids like the spot for skim-boarding, and the youngest in your group can splash in the calm wave-less waters of the creek.
- Portuguese Beach. Portuguese Beach is one of the best beaches for walking and surf wading. It's also one of the Sonoma Coast's most expansive beaches, with lots of sand between the steep interior cliffs and the ocean.
- Bodega Bay dog-friendly beaches
- Doran Beach
- Marshall Gulch
- Carment Beach
- Schoolhouse Beach
- Portuguese Beach
- Duncans Cove
- Wright's Beach
- Furlong Gulch
- Shell Beach
- Blind Beach
- Dogs are prohibited at these Bodega Bay beaches
- Salmon Creek North
- Salmon Creek South
- Miwok Beach
- Coleman Beach
Bodega Bay Film Locations
Movie trivia buffs, especially fans of suspense and horror movies, will be drawn to Bodega Bay. The area has served as a location for several Hollywood movies, including
- “The Birds” (1963). Except for a short opening sequence that was shot in San Francisco involving a purchase of love birds and Alfred Hitchcock’s brief on-screen appearance being led by a pack of black Scotties, “The Birds” was filmed entirely around the two towns of Bodega (small inland village) and Bodega Bay (larger village on the bay), which were made to appear as one. Special sites used for shooting included Potter School, the Bay and the home and barn across from the town of Bodega Bay.
- “The Pack” (1977). This suspense/horror film, which starred Joe Don Baker and was filmed around Bodega Bay, centered on vacationers on an isolated resort island hounded by a pack of fierce dogs.
- “The Goonies” (1985). Some scenes of this Chris Columbus scripted movie about a group of kids who embark on a wild adventure after finding a pirate treasure map were filmed along the Sonoma Coast and Bodega Bay.
Mendocino Art Center
Overlooking a rugged expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the Mendocino Art Center has been a have for artists since 1959. Today, the Art Center is a highly regarded artistic and educational institution offering nearly 300 unique retreat-style workshops each year in ceramics, computer arts, fine arts, jewelry, sculpture and textiles. Four art galleries feature monthly exhibitions spotlighting the creative works of local and national artists. For more information, visit www.mendocinoartcenter.org/.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
The only public garden in the continental United States fronting directly on the ocean, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens offers everything from colorful displays to thunderous waves. Discover manicured formal gardens, a dense coastal pine forest, fern-covered canyons, diverse plant collections and flower-filled coastal bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Whale watchers can take shelter in the Cliff House to view winter and spring migrations while bird lovers will delight in the more than 100 species of birds that live in or visit the Gardens annually. For more information, visit www.gardenbythesea.org/.