Bodega Bay, California Photos and Information


Bodega Bay, CA is a small town along the Sonoma County coast. It was discovered by Don Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra while he was exploring the Northern California coastline in 1775. Located 65 miles north of San Francisco, it was the location of the 1960s Alfred Hitchcock film, "The Birds".

 

Where to stay:
Checking all the hotel choices in Bodega Bay, we prefer the Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa. When you have never visited and are not sure that you'll be able to return to this location, you want to soak in the scenery, even just for one night.  The Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa rooms are actually suites, many with fireplaces and bay views. There is a restaurant and conference center on site, plus an exercise facility and spa.  This place has the Wow factor!  You may pay a little more and sometimes it can be booked but for those seeking luxury comfort, this choice is the best we found and we'd go back again.

 

Fishing

The beginnings of the fishing industry can be traced to the 1870's when rail links to Sonoma County made trade in fresh fish with San Francisco possible. It was not until World War I, however, that commercial fishing developed in earnest. Salmon fishing soon became the mainstay of the local economy and the center of community life. The fishing fleet grew to some 300 boats by the early `80s and the value of the catch reached more than $15 million. Perhaps its finest moment came in 1985 with the opening of Spud Point Marina, an $8 million state of the art facility.

Since that peak, the salmon fishing industry took a turn for the worse. The two years of record catches ended in 1989, and disastrous years for the salmon fishery followed as California plunged into a prolonged drought. This, together with human alteration and damage to the streams and rivers where salmon spawn took its toll on the fish population. This turn of events sent many a fisherman looking for other employment while those that remained looked for short term relief and long term solutions.

 

Salmon fishing aside, the fishing industry is an important part of Bodega Bay economy, with crab, rockfish and sole fisheries of major importance. More recently a sea urchin industry has developed to serve the Japanese market where the spiny creaturee's roe is considered a delicacy.

 

Tourism

The 16 miles of coastline north of Bodega Bay that comprise the Sonoma Coast State Beach is one of the most popular coast drives in the state park system. It is estimated that around three million visitors annually pass by Bodega Bay.

 

Bodega Bay's popularity as a vacation destination has increased dramatically over the past decade. In the 1980s a building boom increased the number of motel rooms by 150%. Today, Bodega Bay maintains a small hotel inventory for quality of life.


bodega bay wharf, restaurants bodega bay


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