Coastal Traveler - Winter 2008 - (Page 79)

coastalsonoma coast The Sonoma Coast By Peter Jamison Sonoma County’s coastline strikes the fancy of a motley array of visitors. The area has in turn hosted the easternmost outpost of tsarist Russia; the production set of Alfred Hitchcock’s famous horror film, The Birds; and a 24-mile wall of white cloth built over ranchland by conceptual artist Christo. Valley Ford and Bodega Traveling north, one encounters Valley Ford, a small town surrounded by grassy hillsides. Stop to stretch your legs and browse the Gabby Girl gift shop or West County Design. A few miles north is Bodega, where Alfred Hitchcock filmed The Birds. Antique hunters and flea-market buffs will enjoy Bodega’s roadside shops. Bodega Bay Five miles north of the Bodega turnoff on Highway One is Bodega Bay. The town has many places to eat; the bestknown are two bayside restaurants, Lucas Wharf and The Tides. But the gourmet’s favorite is the Seaweed Café. Lodging can be found at the nearby Inn at the Tides, where many of the hotel’s 86 rooms overlook the harbor. Boats take people out year-round from the Porto Bodega Marina. Beaches Beachgoers on the Sonoma Coast should come prepared with warm cloth- ing. In the mornings, fog banks off the ocean cling to the shoreline. But the fog often burns off by afternoon, and these beaches — some of the most ruggedly beautiful in the world — are hard to resist on a warm summer day. Jenner North of the Russian River Bridge, Highway One passes through Jenner – the last place to fill up on gas for 20 miles. Depot Museum recounts the days when trains hauled lumber to San Francisco from the Russian River area. Fort Ross North of Jenner, Highway One winds along steep ocean bluffs. The drive climbs more than 700 feet above the Pacific before descending into historic Fort Ross. Founded in 1812, the fort was the eastern-most out-post of tsarist Russia. The fort is now a state park, and its ancient wooden structures have been replicated and restored. Sea Ranch Still further north, a recreational subdivision called Sea Ranch lines both sides of Highway One for 10 miles. Sea Ranch has moden architectural appeal, a world-class, 18-hole golf course, a restaurant, and a lodge. The subdivision is private, but the public can use seven different paths across it to reach the shoreline. Where to Stay Sonoma Coast Living Vacation Rentals & Real Estate • 888.875.3240 Valley Ford Hotel 14416 Hwy 1, Valley Ford • 707.876.1983 Where to Eat Seaweed Cafe 1580 East Shore Rd. Bodega Bay • 707.875.2700 Rocker Oysterfeller’s Kitchen & Saloon 14416 Hwy 1, Valley Ford • 707. 876.1983 Where to Shop Antique Society 2661 Gravenstein Hwy So. • 707-829-1733 Gabby Girl 14430 Hwy 1, Valley Ford • 707.876.1993 West County Design 143900 Hwy 1, Valley Ford • 707.876.1963 Where to Play Osmosis Enzyme Bath Spa osmosis.com • 707.823.8231 Bodega Bay Surf Shack & Kayak Rental 1400 Highway One • 707.875.3944 Total renewal in an atmosphere of healing and peace. The only spa in North America offering the cedar enzyme bath - a heat treatment from Japan. 75-minute massages, and aromatherapy facials with organic skincare products. Reserve online at www.osmosis.com or call 707.823.8231 Osmosis Day Spa sanctuary winter coastaltraveler 79 http://www.osmosis.com http://www.osmosis.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Coastal Traveler - Winter 2008

Coastal Traveler - Winter 2008 Contents Coastal Hotel Coastal Adventure Coastal Gambler Coastal Rider Coastal Skier Coastal Art Santa Barbara Pismop & Avila San Luis Obispo Big Sur Carmel Monterey Santa Cruz San Francisco Sausalito Mill Valley Stinson Beach Bolinas Olema Point Reyes Station San Geronimo Fairfax Iverness Marshall, Tomales Sebastopol Petaluma Sonoma Coast Redwood Coast Napa Map

Coastal Traveler - Winter 2008

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