Ten Free Things to do in Bodega and Bodega Bay
Sonoma County is full of free and cheap things to do, and Bodega and Bodega Bay is no exception. Beach combing and wave watching is an obvious draw, but you can happily spend days in Bodega Bay without spending a lot of money (if you can avoid the taffy store). Here’s a look at 10 free or cheap things to do in Bodega and Bodega Bay to get you started:
See the Tribute to the Children at the Bell Tower
Over 130 bells of various sizes (farm bells, school bells, ships, bells, church bells) were donated to this 18 foot tall monument to Nicholas Green, a 7 year old Bodega Bay boy who was killed in Italy in 1994. It can be found next to the community center on the ocean side of Hwy 1 about 1½ miles north of the Bodega Bay Visitors Center.
Watch for whales. (Jan-April) Try Bodega Head in Bodega Bay.
- View harbor seal pups at Goat Rock (March-Sept).
Fly a kite. The Candy and Kites store hosts Friday Night Kite Flys Spring through September from 6 pm to 7 pm at Doran Beach Campground. Bring your own or try one of their demo kites. (Call 707-875-3777 to confirm they’re meeting on any particular Friday.) There is also an annual Sand Castles and Kites Day at Doran Regional Park in April.
View the wildflowers (Feb-June), whales, and sea lions along the short, popular (but somewhat hard to find) 2 mile long Bodega Head Loop Trail. Take Highway One to Bodega Bay. Turn left on Bay Flat Rd, go about 4 miles. You’ll see a sign for Campbell Cove and the road takes a sharp right. Go uphill and bear right at the fork until you reach the free parking lot by the cliff. Be careful along the sandstone cliffs and overhangs, they are brittle and break off without warning. It can be very windy and foggy. Or you can see forever. It’s hard to say. Be thankful, no matter the weather, a nuclear power plant was once planned for this site. You can still see the “Hole in the Head” that was dug before Rose Gaffney successfully led environmentalist in opposition to a nuclear power plant built on the San Andreas fault.
Give yourself the shivers visiting the Potter Schoolhouse in Bodega (the schoolhouse in Hitchcock’s The Birds.)
- Explore tide pools at low tide at Miwok, Carmet, Schoolhouse, and Shell Beaches.
Have a breakfast picnic at Goat Rock. (Note to East coasters: the sun doesn’t actually rise over the ocean on this coast, but it’s a gorgeous –and quiet—time of day to enjoy Goat Rock).
- Tour the Bodega Marine Laboratory.
Fridays, every half hour from 2-4 pm. for groups less than 10 people. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of $5. Take Hwy 1 past Tides Restaurant. Turn left onto Eastshore Road go to bottom of hill and turn right onto Bay Flat Road. Follow road around harbor. Gate to the Marine Lab is ½ mile past Westside Park. 
Stroll the beach, looking for sand dollars.
- Check out the most recent freebies, deals and events in Bodega Bay here.
This is part of a series. If you’d like to check out other ten free things lists click here: Healdsburg, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park & Cotati, Sebastopol, Sonoma Valley, Windsor. If ten free and cheap things isn’t nearly enough, check out102 Things to Do in Sonoma County.
16 comments
I have to add one thing. I talked about wave watching and whale watching and sunset watching, but I didn’t mention paraglider watching. Kathleen at Bodgea Bay Life has a post about watching the paragliders (with some great photos). Check it out: http://www.bodegabaylife.com/2010/03/paragliding-at-goat-rock-beach.html
Don’t underestimate the fun of rock pool hopping at low tide. It may not sound thrilling but, you can find all sorts of interesting creatures! I’ve got my fave spots to do this here in New Zealand, but I’m sure there are great spots in Sonoma as well.
I love Bodega Bay! I grew up visiting Lucas Wharf on weekends to watch the fishermen bring in their catch. Don’t think you can do that any more, but I do recommend a bowl of chowder at the restaurant.
Great ideas. I’d like to know more about the bells–can kids climb on these? Ring them? Looks really cool.
All of these sound great, but especially the whales, seals and the bells!
Thanks for all these great ideas, many of which sound like perfect activities to do with my CA granddaughter!
Sounds like lots of fun! This time of year I wish I were in CA instead of New England.
Reading this is making me want to get on a plane and head out to California right now…wish I could!
If you are in Bodega Bay on a Sunday afternoon (April-December) there is live music (usually acoustic guitar) at Gourmet au Bay. It’s free, but you do have to be 21 to enjoy the music on the deck.
[...] time for a Ten Free Things to Do in Cloverdale post. For samples of other Ten Free Things posts see:Bodega Bay HealdsburgPetaluma Santa Rosa SebastopolSonoma Valley Windsor The problem is, I only have 4 free [...]
This is such an inspiring list. I want to do ALL these things. I need to get down to Sonoma (we live in Oregon).
I enjoy Bodega Bay, even if my son and his friends refer to it as “Depression Beach” on account of how foggy it can be there. Great to have some new ideas for exploring the area.
[...] you’re exploring Sonoma County, see ten free things to do in….Cloverdale, Santa Rosa, Bodega Bay, Sebastopol, Sonoma Valley, Windsor, and Healdsburg. If ten free and cheap things isn’t [...]
[...] Westside Road, Bodega Bay (707)875-2211Looking for more things to do in Bodega Bay with kids? See Ten Free Things to do in Bodega Bay. 0 commentsThere are no comments yet…Kick things off by filling out the form below.Leave a [...]
Hi, great post! Thanks..
Hi, this is a great post! Thanks..