12 Best Bodega Bay Beaches, California

If you’re headed to northern California for a vacation, especially around Bodega Bay, you’ll be spoiled for choice with the sheer number of beaches you can relax, check out the nature, or swim and surf at.

While Bodega Bay is only about 5 miles long, it has so much to offer. From the great marine habitats you can visit to excellent surfing at Dillon Beach, and to finishing off with some great fishing and shellfish hunting, you’ll be able to spend some great days out on Bodega Bay beaches.

So which Bodega Bay beaches should you head to, and what’s there to do in this section of the California coast? Here are our favorite locations to visit:

  1. Dillon Beach
  2. Doran Beach
  3. Wrights Beach
  4. Shell Beach
  5. Arched Rock Beach
  6. Bodega Head
  7. North Salmon Creek Beach
  8. Portuguese Beach
  9. Carmet Beach
  10. Bodega Dunes
  11. Gleason Beach
  12. Pinnacle Gulch

12 Best Bodega Bay Beaches

Doran Beach

1. Dillon Beach

You can find Dillon Beach just over 3 miles west of Tomales. It’s a combination of public access beach and private resort, the only private beach in California. The location was named after George Dillon, its founder, who settled here in 1858 and started the tiny town.

Today, you can find surfers beading out beyond Tomales Point, and you can enjoy the public access beach with great views onto Bodega Bay. And, if you’re interested in checking out the resort, you can head to their private beach. There’s a historic inn from the late 1800s on-site, you can rent surfboards and various other kit for an adventure on the waves, and you can rent a home or cabin with an ocean view if you’re planning to stay for a few days.

2. Doran Beach

Situated along the spit at the entrance to Bodega Harbor from Bodega Bay, Doran Beach is part of Doran Regional Park. It has day-use picnic areas, as well as a popular campground that boasts excellent ocean views.

Not only does Doran Beach offer great oceanside sunbathing, but you also have access to lots of trails through the dunes for some spectacular walks. If you love birds, be sure to check out the Bird Walk Trail nearby, too.

3. Wrights Beach

Another great Bodega Bay beach, Wrights, is one of the biggest and widest, making it a great place to go when all other beaches are crowded. There are great views from here and some interesting rock formations to visit on your walk.

If you’re looking for good Bodega Bay beach camping as well, you can find more than two dozen great spots here with the required ocean views. Also, head to Wrights Beach for good fishing and hiking!

4. Shell Beach

This small beach is an ideal location for beachcombing, hence the name. If you’re interested in marine wildlife, you can even take a docent-led tidepool tour, and there are lots of spots to study tidal marine life.

Shell Beach is dog-friendly and can be found off Highway 1 by parking at Kortum Trail Parking Lot.

5. Arched Rock Beach

You can’t beat the views at Arched Rock Beach: stop here to take photos of the stone arch on your way to other locations or spend some time on the quiet, small beach. It’s not the best of Bodega Bay beaches, but it’s worth stopping for the view.

6. Bodega Head

Bodega Head

Easily the favorite of most tourists to this side of California, Bodega Head offers views of the ocean, rock formation, spectacular views, and even whales. You can set off on some gorgeous (but windy!) hikes from here, too.

Additionally, if you’re a fan of Alfred Hitchcock movies, this is where The Birds was filmed. The scenery should send the appropriate chills down your spine!

7. North Salmon Creek Beach

Just north of Bodega Bay, you can find North Salmon Creek Beach, where you can walk to the mouth of the Salmon River. It’s a popular place for surfers and one of the beaches in Bodega Bay that offers excellent walking opportunities on varied terrain. Head north to pass through other small beaches, notably Miwok and Coleman.

North Salmon Creek Beach is also known for shark attacks, so it might not be the best spot for surfing or swimming. However, walking or wading through the creek is low risk.

If you head south of Salmon Creek, you’ll technically be on South Salmon Creek Beach, where there is a small lagoon behind the dunes. It makes for fantastic birdwatching.

8. Portuguese Beach

This long wide beach sits between Bodega Bay and the Russian River. Incredible rocky formations, frothy waves, and a dramatic landscape welcome you when you head out along the coast. Park at the beach’s south end in the main parking lot, then enjoy walking above the crashing waves.

At low tide, stroll along the whole beach up to Scotty Creek Beach, the only point within a 17-mile stretch that’s outside Sonoma Coast State Park.

Be careful: it’s not safe to swim at Portuguese Beach, as there are strong rip currents and frigid water.

9. Carmet Beach

If you enjoy rocky beaches more than sand dunes, then Carmet Beach is the destination for you. It’s just outside a small housing community north of Bodega Bay, popular with fishers and those looking for a stroll in dramatic rocky scenery.

To get to the beach, you’ll need to walk down some steep trails from Highway 1. On the southern end, you can walk to connect with Marshall Gulch Beach. To the north, the shoreline is narrower, filled with boulders, and will take you to Schoolhouse Beach.

The area here is quite unsafe at high tide, and large “sneaker waves” crash onshore unpredictably all the time, too.

10. Bodega Dunes

This state park is named after the fantastic sand dunes you’ll find here. It’s one of the biggest Bodega Bay beaches, which means it has lots of amenities for spending the day there. Have a picnic, use the free BBQ grills for cooking in the open air, or stay overnight on the campgrounds.

Bodega Dunes beach is lovely to enjoy in all weather, and you’ll find many people here. However, if you want a less crowded beach, you should head to one of the smaller beaches listed above.

11. Gleason Beach

Gleason Beach

One of the best beaches in Bodega Bay to make the most of the rocks and cliffs is Gleason Beach. This rocky beach is an ideal destination for all lovers of geology. You can admire some cool sea stacks here, as well as enjoy a walk through the rocks. It’s not the best place for a traditional beach day out, especially as there are no amenities, and swimming is not advised on the rocky, windswept shores. So head here if you just want to explore the rocks.

12. Pinnacle Gulch

Our final pick of Bodega Bay beaches is Pinnacle Gulch, one of the area’s best-kept secrets (or not!). This is a beach close to Bodega Harbor, which takes some of the attention away from it. This means you’re likely to find locals here rather than tourists and fewer people overall.

Pinnacle Gulch features sea stacks and cool rock formations, as you’ll have become familiar with for this part of California, and it’s a great destination at sunset when the views are particularly scenic. Wildlife is also abundant here, thanks to the lower number of visitors.

Enjoy the Bodega Beach Waves On Your Next California Trip

To review, our picks for the best Bodega Bay beaches are as follows:

  1. Dillon Beach
  2. Doran Beach
  3. Wrights Beach
  4. Shell Beach
  5. Arched Rock Beach
  6. Bodega Head
  7. North Salmon Creek Beach
  8. Portuguese Beach
  9. Carmet Beach
  10. Bodega Dunes
  11. Gleason Beach
  12. Pinnacle Gulch

Whether you’re in Northern California to swim, surf, hike, or fish, there’s a beach for that in and around Bodega Bay. Known for their intriguing rock formations and incredible wildlife, Bodega Bay beaches are great for the entire family and make for a great stop off Highway 1.

Kris Peter

A positive individual enjoying the journey, and always searching for adventure. I created Sunlight Living to help my parents (and eventually myself) prepare for retirement. About Kris

Recent Posts