Bodega Bay offers a wide variety of special attractions to suit anyone’s interests, be it the lively local or the traveling tourist. The places below are definitely worth a visit!
Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery
The Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery specializes in historic California and American paintings from 1850 to 1950. Vintage prints and custom framing are available. Open Wednesdays through Sundays, 10am to 5pm and by appointment. You’ll find the Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery at 1785 Highway One in Bodega Bay near the turnoff for the marinas and Bodega Head. Call 707-875-2911 for more information or a private visit.
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Bodega Marine Laboratory
A 362-acre coastal reserve meets a state-protected marine reserve at the University of California, Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory. The lab is home to various coastal explorations as well as marine life, and is considered a very valuable and integral part of Bodega Bay. Volunteer docents give tours to drop-in visitors on Fridays from 2pm- 4pm. You’ll find the Bodega Marine Lab at 2099 Westside Road in Bodega Bay. Call 707-875-2211 for information.
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Fort Ross Conservancy
Take a scenic drive up Highway One to Fort Ross, an historic landmark and faithful reconstruction of the Russian settlement on California’s coast. Russian fur trappers settled here, built the stockade, and constructed the tiny authentic Eastern Orthodox Church that you can visit today. Special “Living history” days recreate this fascinating glimpse into the history of the area.
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Local Color Artist Gallery
Located it the Blue Whale Shopping Center on Eastshore Road in Bodega Bay, Local Color features original art by established Sonoma County artists as well as emerging talent. Inside, you’ll find paintings, fine art prints, photography, luminous fused glass, decorative pottery, turned wood, handcrafted jewelry and hand-painted scarves. Custom framing is available on site. This is a must visit for anyone into the fine arts or an appreciation of aesthetics and beauty.
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Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center recognizes human interdependence with marine mammals and their importance as sentinels of the ocean environment, the health of which is essential for all life. It is our responsibility to use our awareness, compassion and intelligence to foster marine mammal survival and the conservation of their habitat. Open for public tours, the Marine Mammal Center is actually located in the Marin Headlands near San Francisco.
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Point Reyes Lighthouse
Built in 1870, the Point Reyes Lighthouse served as a beacon on the coast until 1975 when it was retired from service. At that time, the U.S. Coast Guard installed an automated light, then transferred ownership of the lighthouse to the National Park Service. The National Park service continues to preserve the lighthouse, which is located at the northernmost point of the Tomales Headlands. The lighthouse is open for tours and is well worth the hike up and down the stairs used to get to it.
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Potter Schoolhouse
Built in 1873 of virgin redwood, the Potter Schoolhouse was both a school and the town center, where dances and social functions were held. It is best known as the schoolhouse in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds” which was filmed in 1963 in Bodega, Bodega Bay, and San Francisco. You can drive by the schoolhouse daily, and it is available for tours on occasion.
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Sonoma Driving Tours
Sonoma Driving Tours offers a self-guided audio tour of Bodega Bay on CD. You can write to them at P.O. Box 412, Bodega Bay, CA 94923 or call them at (707) 328-0091 for more information. Visit them on the web by clicking here: Sonoma Driving Tours
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The Bell Memorial
Whenever the wind blows, as it often does on this exposed coast, the bells chime, sometimes a few at a time, emphasizing the solitude of the surroundings, sometimes an entire orchestra, sounding like happy children at play. You can find the Bell Memorial on the grounds of the Bodega Bay Community Center, just north of the building itself. The Bodega Bay Community Center is located at 2255 North Highway One, Bodega Bay, CA.
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