Drive to Point Arena one of California's most scenic

One of the California’s most scenic coastal drives is
just a couple of hours north of San Francisco – an
enchanting coastal highway you’ll want to savor as
you experience breathtaking scenery as well as many
historical attractions from elaborate wooden forts to
picture-postcard lighthouses.

The drive starts in Bodega Bay, just 22 miles through
rolling hills from Petaluma and Highway 101. For us, Bodega
always reminds us of the famous Alfred Hitchcock movie,
“The Birds,” which was, of course, was filmed
at Bodega Bay. While it’s been nearly a half-century
since Cary Grant was in town to make that movie, birds are
still big business in Bodega.

You can’t cross the street without some reminder that
the movie was filmed there. The Tides Restaurant –
featured prominently in the movie – now has a gift
shop that has become a near-museum with its shelves and
shelves of stuffed birds, Hitchcock posters, location
photos and just about any kind of clothing you want
emblazoned with some variation of Bodega Bay or "The
Birds." Of course, no matter that the "real" restaurant
burned down long ago and the replacement buildings bear no
resemblance to those used in the movie.

What does remain is the same sleepy seaside village that
appeared in the movie. Down at the Tides Restaurant, there
still is a bit of the waterfront flavor seen in the movie.
Fishing trawlers bring their fresh catch to a seafood
company on the dock, and there are always plenty of barking
sea lions hoping to dine on leftovers. In the movie, Tippy
Hedron rented a small motorboat at this dock before
motoring across the bay to her new boyfriend’s house.

About 20 miles north of Bodega is Jenner, a small coastal
town with commanding views of the Russian River and the
Pacific Ocean. Vacation rentals are popular in Jenner, and
you’ll be tempted to stop at Goat Rock State Park, a
photographer’s favorite with its views of the craggy
rock towers that poke dramatically through the frothy waves.

About 12 miles north of Jenner, we stopped at Fort Ross
State Historic Park, a well-preserved piece of California
coastal history. One of the oldest parks in the state
system, Fort Ross had its beginnings in 1812 when a party
of 25 Russians joined with 80 native Alaskans to start
construction of a fort including a stockade, blockhouses
and several log buildings. They chose a relatively flat
bluff overlooking the Pacific that offered plenty of space
for Native American encampments that would sprout up
alongside the fort.

Fort Ross was established as a California colony for the
Russians, who could not grow enough food in Alaska to
support themselves. Not only was this area a source of
food, but also of sea otters which proved quite profitable
for the Russians. Today, visitors can tour the buildings,
some of which offer authentic displays with artifacts such
as 19th Century musket rifles or household tools and other
items actually used by the Russians. Out in the courtyard
we noticed there were several real cannons – we know
they were real because Park Service employees were firing
them off in a demonstration for a group of school children.
The park, in general, is well worth the $6 per car
admission.

Heading northward on Highway 1 there are almost continuous
vistas of the ocean, including many opportunities for beach
access. The day we were touring, a thick layer of white
fluffy clouds was just offshore and had descended enough
that tourists could stop at the coastal vistas and actually
look down on the clouds.

Another 40 miles of spectacular views and we approached the
Point Arena area, where we planned to spend the night.
About a mile off the highway is the Arena Cove and perched
on a hill overlooking the cove was the Coast Guard House
Historic Inn, a popular bed-and-breakfast that figures
prominently in this area’s history.

The Coast Guard was preceded by the U.S. Life-saving
Service which was established in the late 19th Century as a
means of providing rescue to the many mariners who lost
ships or got into trouble in the fog or on the stormy seas
just off the point. In 1901, the Cape Code-style building
now known as the Coast Guard House was built as a
“life-saving station” -- a place for members
of the Life-saving Service to live. Much like today’s
firehouses, the rescuers lived together and were available
on short notice for emergencies. In those days, they rowed
out to the stricken ships in long boats that seemed almost
as hazardous as the ships they were rescuing.

Innkeeper Kevin Gallagher has turned this historic building
into an especially charming inn that offers guests a choice
between rooms in the main building or separate cottages
just behind the building. We enjoyed a tiny, yet unique
accommodation called the Flag Room which was ideal for a
couple or single person. The room basically is a Queen bed,
a private bathroom and a dining or reading area that
includes a couch-like bench, table and three large windows
overlooking the Arena Cove and the sea beyond. The bedroom
area, while small, seems open because it also has a wall
full of windows. Furnishings, floors -- everything in this
room is upscale.

Judging from the conversation at the breakfast table,
guests do find the inn to their liking. Over an elaborate
Spanish-style omelet, fresh pastries, juice and coffee, we
enjoyed meeting an extended family that had booked several
rooms for their group as they toured California with family
members from Israel. The guests who stayed in the cottages
enjoyed their breakfast in their rooms. Like innkeepers at
many bed-and-breakfast inns, Gallagher – a
Philadelphia native -- is a gracious and affable host who
makes a point of getting to know each of his guests,
whether at breakfast or while they are enjoying some quiet
relaxation in the reading room.

The life-saving station helped, but there also was the need
for a good, strong light beam to guide ships away from
hazards. During the 1860’s, ships carrying lumber
past Point Arena would go aground almost weekly. So it was
in 1866 that the government funded the Point Arena
Lighthouse. While the original was damaged beyond repair in
the 1906 earthquake, the replacement lighthouse stands to
this day and is a popular stop just a couple miles north of
the town of Point Arena.

Near the base of the Point Arena Lighthouse is a small
museum and gift shop where visitors can spend a few minutes
while they wait for the next tour to the top of the
lighthouse. With more than a hundred steps, the stairs to
the top can be challenging for older visitors, but the
spiral staircase leads to a unique up-close look at the
famous Fresnel lens – a lens that makes the light
visible 18 miles at sea. There are also great views of the
coastline from the top, although the best photo
opportunities are just a quarter-mile or so from the
lighthouse where you can also look out on the rocks and
tidepools.

Maybe the best place of all to view the rocky coastline is
the Stornetta Public Lands, just a short walk on a trail
located at the first bend in the road once you leave the
lighthouse. For wide open beaches, there is no better place
along here than Manchester State Park, with its dunes and
scenic views of the Point Arena Lighthouse.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: This tour starts in Bodega, just a half hour drive
from Petaluma, and there are fascinating coastal views and
attractions all the way up to Point Arena and beyond.
Further up the road is Mendocino, famous for its seaside
landscapes and fine restaurants and lodgings.

WHAT: The Bodega to Point Arena drive is an easy half-day
drive that is ideal for a weekend daytrip, or better yet,
an overnight in Point Arena and return trip the next day.

WHEN: Year-round, although the weather along the coast can
change quickly and be quite unpredictable.

WHY: The California coast is a national treasure, and it
simply lifts the spirits to see what Mother Nature has
given us along this gorgeous stretch of Highway 1.

HOW: For more information on the Coast Guard House Historic
Inn, phone 707-882-2442 or visit www.coastguardhouse.com.

Cary Ordway is a syndicated travel writer and president of
Getaway Media Corp, publisher of
http://www.californiaweekend.com and
http://www.northwesttraveladvisor.com .

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