Protected by the massive bulk of Bodega Head, the fishing harbor of Bodega Bay has grown into an upscale vacation destination, with Sea Ranch–style vacation homes lining the fairways of golf resorts, and deluxe hotels overlooking the still-busy commercial wharves. On the waterfront, the Lucas Wharf Deli at 595 Hwy-1 dishes up fish-and-chips and clam chowder; the nearby Tides Wharf is bigger and has a large fresh-fish market.
South of Bodega Bay, Hwy-1 cuts inland around the marshy coastal estuaries, passing by the photogenic small town of Bodega, whose church Alfred Hitchcock used for many of the scariest scenes in his 1960 movie, The Birds. The next town you pass through, Valley Ford, is another quaint little spot that holds a great old family-run roadhouse, Dinucci’s (707/876-3260), serving huge portions of unreconstructed Italian food—minestrone, fresh bread, salad, and pasta—for around $12 per person. Dinner only, plus lunch on Sundays.
