All content & photos: Copyright© 2008,
Jan Hight. All rights reserved.
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Bodega Bay, California
The Inn at The Tides and The Bodega Bay Lodge  Bodega Bay was discovered by Don Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra while he was exploring the Northern California coastline in 1775. The drowsy little town, 65 miles north of San Francisco, was discovered by Hollywood in the 1960s when Alfred Hitchcock decided it was the perfect locale for filming his atmospheric thriller "The Birds". Since my father was a big fan of that movie (which probably had something to do with the star, Tippi Hedren!), I saw it every time it was rerun on TV as I was growing up. So that was my introduction to the area...the still-vivid images of its fiendish cinematic aviary!!
John and I had traveled through Bodega Bay on many journeys up and down the coast, sometimes stopping for lunch or dinner. But we'd never stayed there until a little over a year ago, when The Inn at the Tides was our destination. We returned in late 1999 for a visit to the Bodega Bay Lodge. Both inns are delightful, so I'm spotlighting each of them in this Bodega Bay reminiscence.
...then there's always the magnificent
coastal scenery... The Inn
at the Tides
Our room was spacious and bright, with all
of the amenities necessary to make us feel quite at home.
We especially enjoyed the view from our private patio... The Inn's pool and hot tub area overlook the Bay...a lovely
spot to relax.
You may call The Inn at the Tides at 707-875-2751, e-mail iatt@monitor.net, or visit their website at http://www.innatthetides.com/index.html. The
Bodega Bay Lodge
and
Spa The various
buildings of the Bodega Bay Lodge are tucked among landscaped dunes.
The
sunsets from our private balcony were splendid!
The Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa contains conference facilities for up to 100 people and is handily located next to the Bodega Harbor Golf Links. You can contact the Lodge at 800-368-2468 and visit their website at http://www.woodsidehotels.com/bodega/.
Copyright © 2000 -
2008: Jan Hight
Published -- January 17, 2000 |
In
the early 1800s Bodega Bay was a warehouse for pelts, grain and agricultural
products destined to ship to San Francisco markets via sailing ships
and steamers. Commercial fishing began with one small sailboat. Warehousing
is long gone
now, but the busy fishing industry has grown into the
town's chief commerce. Besides the anglers' fleet, there are small shops
and galleries to enjoy...and even a couple of rather funky seaside
establishments to browse.
The
Inn at the Tides rambles up a hillside across the street from The Tides Wharf,
where the first seafood restaurant on the Sonoma coast was opened in the
1920s. Most of the lodges are 2-stories, but we stayed in a cozy
single-story building atop the hill.
A continental breakfast at the Tides Wharf restaurant (across the street) was
included in the room rate, and room service was also available. The Inn
has its own attractively inviting restaurant, The Bay View, which is open for dinner
Wednesday through Sunday; and the delicious "Sonoma-Continental"
cuisine was quite pleasing on both of our visits.
At
the other end of town, facing the Pacific and nestled among the pines is The
Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa. The eye-catching lobby was the site of a nightly
wine reception for guests....the cheesy breadsticks were addictive; that's
"cheesy" as in warm-from-the-oven, cheese-full dough; not
"cheesy" as in tacky!
We
stayed in the West Wing, which offers panoramic ocean views. Our room was
open and airy, with a large bath, a wet bar, and tasteful decor; totally comfy.
The
Duck Club restaurant sits in the middle of the Lodge complex, with views of
Doran Beach State Park and adjoining bird sanctuary. The
"Contemporary American" menu has many tempting items, including
signature duck entrées and special spa selections. We've thoroughly
enjoyed our dining experiences in this popular restaurant, which also provides
room service to guestrooms at the Lodge.
So
there you have it....not one, but two ideas for gracious lodging in tiny
Bodega Bay! Whichever you select, the bay views and ocean vistas are sure
to please, and the sunsets are sure to thrill!!
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