Go West !

The views, the views, the views. The tall grasses which have white feather like tips are growing wild here, but they are a must have item back east, if you can find them. The road is curved at times, hilly at others, but always hugging a mountain. I faced some redwoods for the first time, but couldn’t get out and touch. I also learned about the Russian River. We saw some bathers along the way. Also homes which are built on its shores command a great view, but population is extremely sparse in these parts.

We were rolling on Highway 116. The sun kept going in and out of the clouds and it was getting chillier as we approached the ocean. Getting out of the car around Jenner and taking in the view of the ocean waves breaking on the rocks was breathtaking. This was the rugged coastline they had been referring to all along. I saw my first avian scavengers pick apart a highway casualty. Another startling surprise was to find a U.S. flag planted atop one of the deserted peaks of the area. It provided a formidable contrast to the desolation around, as it flew proudly.

Quick Tips:

Unfortunately, we were not able to stop at Jenner and have dinner as the entire place was taken over by a bridal party. The inn at Jenner appears to sprawl over a considerable stretch of land; it is not all contained within one building, but has cottages with cute names where you can choose to lodge, and have heart stopping views of the Pacific. As we started our way down from Jenner on Highway 1, the bridal party was doing photo shoots. There are a number of beaches and coves on the way to Bodega Bay where you can stop and bathe. The ocean was quite restless that day, and despite that, there were some people surfing the waves and literally disappearing under them. Stop and Dinner at Tides Wharf is a must. Details to follow. Oh, we did make one unexpected stop at Marion Bay as we spotted a small flea market. It was at the far end of the parking lot of a large supermarket, and we decided to get out to move around a bit. The only interesting stand presented photos and memorabilia of movie and rock stars of the 40’s, 50’s & 60’s.

Best Way To Get Around:

You need a car for this trip. You will pass by very charming hamlets with populations of 5,000 and sometimes 700. If the weather permits, you should try to visit some of the wineries along the way.

For more on San Francisco and other Northern California Cities:

San Jose

Healdsburg

Slumming in San Francisco

San Francisco II

Rohnert Park Berkeley

Santa Rosa

Sebastopol

Petaluma

A few notches down from the DoubleTree and several ladders down from the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. But let''s face it, this is the Courtyard, and all things considered, it is more than adequate.

It just seems that the hotel has been plopped down on a very wide terrain of land and then nothing. To add insult to injury, immediately across the way from the hotel is McDonald''s. What more can I say about this? The only saving grace was that there was this huge and gorgeous palm tree right above the hotel canopy which I would turn to when we''d come into or leave the hotel just to avoid the eyesore.

Upon entry into the lobby, is the check-in desk to the right. They offer the newspaper and the most delicious macadamia nut cookies ever!! We were on the 3rd floor of a 4 story building. The room was comfortable with a queen size bed, but no down bedding. Equipped with a desk, IT connections, 2 telephones, coffee machine, hair dryer and iron with board. There is a restaurant on the premises, and in every room, they have a long list of restaurants that will deliver food to your room for a fairly reasonable fee.

Tides Wharf's debut was in 1920 as a modest seafood restaurant and the first of its kind on the Sonoma Coast. When you enter the premises, you can see photographs of Alfred Hitchock's "The Birds" which was shot right here. The place is huge: It has a gift store on one side, with things marine and overpriced. On the other side is a semi-gourmet food & fish shop where you can buy enormous shrimp, prawns and the biggest scallops I have ever seen!

As you make a right hand turn to go into the restaurant, you can catch a glimpse of Bodega Bay. It's a spectacular view. The gulls were particularly vocal as the early evening fell on the area; we were seated right in front of one of the huge windows and I was delighted in that I had spotted 2 sea otters plunging in and out of the water near the old pilings jutting at the sideview from our table. We caught sight of a few fishing trawlers docked, or making their way to a wharf of some sort.

The food was fresh and very tasty, except for the clam chowder soup. I guess I will never learn. This particular version not only added celery but also had corn kernels in it. Chuck had the snapper which must have been good as I didn't hear any complaints. He also had a glass of one of the local wines. Our waiter was very gracious but a bit slow to respond.

We enjoyed the meal and particularly what lay in front of us. We had fun checking out the shops in this newly renovated building. As our hotel was in Novato, we needed directions on how to get there from where we were. People are usually quite willing to help and we got on Highway 1 again and headed for town.

By the way, across the street from the restaurant is an inn perched on a hill which would have been the perfect place to spend the night had we not had reservations elsewhere. It's called the Inn at the Tides

This restaurant was on the list of the take out menu which is in every room at the Courtyard. The choices are vast, and we felt like having Thai for that evening. They accept credit cards, and there is a $6.50 delivery charge and a minimum $15.00 charge per order. It's worth it because you have the convenience of having a full dinner delivered to your room, and you can order from multiple restaurants, if you so choose.

The Vegi Pad Thai was $6.85 and was excellent; this is one of the most popular Thai dishes that incorporates pan fired rice noodles, tofu, vegetables and ground peanuts which add a sweetness to the dish. We also had the Poa Pia, which are crispy spring rolls of pork and vegetables served with sweet and sour sauce on the side (5.50). For dessert, the coconut flan was divine and super sweet ($2.75).

I can also recommend that you try the fried bananas which they serve with ice cream; traditionally, they are served in coconut milk. The satays, chicken or beef, are very reasonable as well and are served with soup and steamed rice for only $7.25. It's a restaurant worth trying in your room, or at their premises.

Highway One winds southward from the hamlet of Jenner, where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean, to arrive at Bodega Bay. Drivers along the road are usually annoyed with us because we take our time as some of the views should not be missed. It is in Sonoma County that the coast is the most accessible in California’s famous shoreline. It’s about 13 miles from Jenner to Bodega Bay, but it took us over an hour to get there.

First and foremost is the sandbar which separates the Russian River from the coastal waters; it is quite narrow, but still manages to keep those two apart. This is Goat Rock Beach and its sandbar serves as a habitat to a colony of seals. You are discouraged from getting too close to the animals, but can take photographs within a comfortable distance from them.

As you drive southward, you can see large homes dangerously perched on the warped cliffs, right above the crashing waves. Nevertheless one can understand and envy the view they must offer their occupants. That particular day was overcast, and although the skies looked menacing, we never had the expected downpour. Instead, the grayish light lent a certain eeriness to the photographs we shot all along the coast.

As I lay the map on my lap, I notice that a series of public beaches dot the landscape, and we did spot some surfers at one of them. Personally, I thought they were nuts as the waves were unforgiving.

September, October and November are considered the best months to visit and stay in Sonoma County. Realtors post rentals for vacation homes from 3 nights to a full week, which can average about $1400. If you want to take a look at some of the splendid homes that are available, go to Rentals. Aside from taking long beach walks, you can go on mini-cruises which sight black humped whales; you can also fish, surf, go tide pooling, wind surf, golf, go native and boogie board, ride horses, shop, and get a massage! California most likely has more certified masseurs per capita than anywhere else in the world. If you don’t want to go to them, they will come to you.