Although there are plenty of attractions in Bodega Bay, you will find it very hard to leave the house and deck. :) From there you can see boats in the bay; Ospreys, Pelicans, Hawks, Gulls, and many other birds; and sunset reflected off the hills and houses. You can chat with the neighbors over the fence, or smell their BBQ and then cook your own (we have a gas BBQ). You can hot tub, read, chase the kids. Endless fun.
But if you do venture, here are some of our favorites:
Best walk-to Beach--Salmon Creek 1/2 mile away. Walk to the end of Whaleship Drive, take right onto path through empty lot, straight down to path that leads through the dunes to the beach. You'll get lost. Enjoy it. 15 minutes walk to beach if you don't get lost.
Best drive-to beach--North Salmon Creek. Drive North on Hwy 1 past main Salmon Creek entrance, over bridge (over creek). Parking lot on left. This is where the creek meets the ocean, so the beach along the creek is calm and the creek is often swimmable and always kayakable.
Please be careful on our beaches! The surf can be rough, and sleeper waves claim lives every year. Keep an eye on everyone, kids especially, near the surf.
Bodega Head (5 minute drive)--great walking trails on the bluffs (but be VERY careful of the edge--plenty of people have fallen off and not lived to tell), wonderful whale watching, good tidepooling
Bodega Marine Lab (2 minute drive)--open to the public on Fridays, UC Davis's Marine Lab provides tours, a small petting "zoo", and some insight into the coastal flora and fauna.
Kite Shop (2 minute drive on Eastshore Road at Hwy 1)--this is really the "candy shop"--wonderful women own and run it.
Boating--you can launch small vessels in the bay just down the hill from us (a stone's throw, if you have a good arm). We see kayaks, paddle boats, row boats. We hope to get a kayak soon, but haven't yet. So bring your own. And then accidentally leave it for us. Just kidding!
Clamming--also just down the hill, when the tide is low, we see people clamming all the time. If I liked clams, I'd do it, too.
Spud Point Marina Pier--no fishing license required. Just after Spud Point Marina is a long walking pier where people fish and crab sans permit. Pretty fun with kids, even just to walk down and see what people are catching.
Surfing at Salmon Creek Beach--great to watch. Though I don't necessarily recommend surfing these waters (Jaws theme song begins), we have plenty of crazy friends (you know who you are!), who do.
Tidepooling--does it get better than finding sea anenomes with 7 year-olds?
Bike riding (scenic mountain bike trails and road rides nearby, short or long; BYOBikes)
Hike through the dunes (access one block down Whaleship), or on one of the many scenic trails nearby.
Horseback riding
Goat Rock (10-15 minutes north)
Occidental's Osmosis spa (209 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone; 707-823-8231; http://www.osmosis.com/)--our favorite place for a massage in the world. A zen, Eastern style spa, with enzyme baths and pagoda massages.
Where to Eat:
Best coffee: Roadhouse Coffee (1580 Eastshore Road--really close to our house)--Great hole-in-the-wall coffee place owned by Jim, who's a character.
Best grocery store: the Pelican Plaza (1400 Hwy 1 opposite one of the kite shops)--They manage to carry so much variety.
Best sunset drinks/cocktails/dinner: River's End (11408 Hwy 1, 15 minutes north in Jenner, 707-865-2484; reservations recommended; http://ilovesunsets.com/)--wonderful sunsets and high-end dining (food good not great). Special occasion place. And since sunsets can be rare at certain times of the year on the coast, that qualifies as a special occassion. You can have drinks and apps on their deck overlooking the ocean.
Best local restaurant: Terrapin Creek Café (1580 Eastshore Road, 707-875-2700--reservations recommended http://www.terrapincreekcafe.com/)—no views, but fantastic food and charming ambiance.
Best fish n chips/chowder: The Fishetarian (599 Hwy 1, just to the right of Lucas Wharf)--Wonderful panko crusted fish, prawns, calamari.
Best take out: Pickings are slim, but we like Brisas del Mar ( http://www.brisasdelmar-bodegabay.com/ 2001 Hwy 1, just north of central Bodega Bay)--Don’t let the cheap décor put you off—just order to go. We’ve had solid food from there.
Best crab: Spud Point Crab (1860 Westshore Raod, across from Spud Point Marina super close to the house http://www.spudpointcrab.com/ )
Another food option: Rocker Oysterfellers restaurant in the Valley Ford Hotel (14415 Hwy 1 in Valley Ford, south of Bodega Bay) . Great bar and good apps. A solid restaurant, too. Comfort food.
Worth the drive: Wild Flour Bakery in Freestone (140 Bohemian Hwy; take highway 12 towards Sebastopol, then left towards Occidental http://www.wildflourbread.com/). Wickedly good breads, fresh and warm out of the brick ovens. Our favorite is the cheese fougasse, which has something like 4 kinds of gooey cheese, plus roasted garlic. Mmmm. Since the bakery is 15 minutes away from our house, we usually devour nearly the entire loaf before getting it home. Woe to those who don't volunteer for that drive.