Crab season is finally here! Bodega Bay has many fresh-from-the-boat sources to choose from...you can go out on a sport fishing boat, buy crab from the docks or the local fish markets, or go to one of many local restaurants. Either way....it's delicious and fun! If you choose to cook the crab in your vacation rental, ask me about some of my favorite crab recipes. I'm always happy to share!

The town of Bodega is about 5 miles from "At the Bay's Edge" in Bodega Bay. The biggest landmarks are the Potter Schoolhouse and St. Theresa's Church. Both were featured in the movie "The Birds" by Alfred Hitchcock.

Bodega is also home to numerous antique stores, a gallery, and many festivals throughout the year. The Cup O' Mud Coffee Shop is a tiny, friendly cafe that serves excellent coffee and tea. On a nice day, seats out front are a good place to watch the people go by.

The "downtown" itself is only about a 1/4 mile long but it's packed with diverse shops, people, and lots of activities. Enjoy!

A lot of people think about Napa and Sonoma in terms of visiting wineries, but there is also what is referred to as the Russian River Wine Road which encompasses Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and the Russian River Valley and includes over 120 wineries!

The environment is more casual and laid-back, so it's another great choice if you like to visit the wineries!

Here's a link to a map of the Russian River Wineries. Just like the Sonoma Wineries, all of the Russian River Wineries are located within an hour of "At the Bay's Edge".


Happy tasting!

My daughter and I went for a ride along the beach for her birthday. One of the things we kept meaning to do....well, we finally just did it! Chanslor Horse Ranch is just a few minutes from "At the Bay's Edge". We booked an hour and a half ride along the beach. We went on a weekday and were the only two in our group, our guide was fabulous....very knowledgeable about the horses and the area.

Chanslor offers both trail rides and beach rides, and you can go for an hour or an hour and a half. They also offer pony rides.

We had a great time and I'm looking forward to going again!

The mystery ship has been in front of "At the Bay's Edge" in the middle of the Bay for about two weeks. None of the locals I've talked to know whose boat it is or anything about it. Someone has let out the anchor and put up a small sail to stabilize it. At high tide it sits straight up and dances on it's anchor, at low tide it's over on it's side. It's sad and mysterious at the same time.

I haven't been to the Wildflour Bread Bakery in awhile....I had forgotten what I was missing. Oh-my-gosh....they had a cornmeal and jalapeno bread that I'm still thinking about two days after I finished it! Yum!

They offer at least a dozen different organic breads and rolls ...all prepared on-site and cooked in their brick oven. It's an adventure just to watch them make the bread...and of course it's even more fun to sample each one before you make a decision....as there's always something new to try. They also have organic coffees and teas ..... for those that want to enjoy their wonderful creations on site, while they are still warm!

My usual favorite is Fougasse, which includes gouda or blue cheese, red peppers, olives, and onions. It's nice to have a new discovery though.

Make sure and put this bakery on your list to visit! They are open Friday thru Monday. This is the sign you will see on Hwy. 12 between Sebastopol and Bodega right at the Bohemian Highway turnoff into Freestone and Occidental.

Point Reyes Vineyards, family owned and operated on scenic Highway 1, overlooking the beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore, is less than a half an hour from "At the Bay's Edge".

We had a wonderful time tasting wine, enjoying cheese, and talking to the servers and the other guests that came in. It was a tough choice, but we ended up buying several bottles of their 2000 Merlot. They spent a lot of time with us talking about the winery and the area in general....they're very knowledgeable and the winery has a great small family feel to it.

The vineyards are only a few miles from the Tomales Bakery, the Tomales Bay Oyster Farms, the Cow Girl Creamery, and of course the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse. So plan an afternoon of wonderful treats and a spectacular drive!

The Bodega Art and Wine Festival will be held August 25 - 26th in Bodega.

The ever popular seafood art and wine festival, now in it’s 13th year, showcases the best of Sonoma's wineries, breweries, artists, and craftspeople. This event also features outstanding regional musicians and of course, a delicious selection of seafood, a kid's funzone, as well as environmental exhibits. It's a really good time for all! Enjoy!

The Charles M. Schulz Museum and the City of Santa Rosa are celebrating Snoopy's Summer of Joe Cool! There are 95 Joe Cool statues all through Santa Rosa...pick up a map and see how many you can find! (Santa Rosa is only 30 minutes from At the Bay's Edge!)

The museum is also showcasing the coolest of the Joe Cool series....featuring Snoopy at his best. Enjoy!

Candy and Kites hosts their "Friday Night Fun Fly" at Doran Beach from 6-7pm every Friday night through the summer (just a few minutes away from "At the Bay's Edge"!).

Bring your own kites or come out and demo theirs! They have a large selection of kites for you to try, just ask and they will see what they can pull out of the bag for you!

If you've never flown a stunt kite, this is the perfect way to try one!

Happy kite flying!

For those that don't want to go deep sea or sport fishing, there is great trout fishing just five minutes away from "At the Bay's Edge"!

The Hagemann Ranch Trout Farm's Fishing pond has been stocked with Rainbow Trout for over 25 years! It's a great family adventure, and they provide everything you need.

There are three local creameries that offer tours....all are within 30 minutes of "At the Bay's Edge"!

Cow Girl Creamery is in Pt. Reyes Station, and they feature all organic artisan and farmstead cheeses. They even feature an extensive "cheese library" on their site, it's very interesting!

Bellweather Farms also features artisan cheeses and they have a wonderful archive of recipes and a very interesting newsletter.

Spring Hill Jersey Cheeses in Petaluma has been in business for 91 years, and offers extensive cheese tastings, a petting zoo and free hay rides!

Enjoy!

I love this deck because it's so close to the water....I've enjoyed sitting down there and just watching the wildlife go by. It's just spectacular!

This is a busy season for the sport fishing boats....whale watching season is still in full swing (through April 30th), and sport salmon season opens on April 7th.

There are several sport fishing locations within 5 minutes of "At the Bay's Edge"...check them out!

Will's Fishing
Bodega Bay Sportfishing Center
Bodega Charters
The Boat House 707-875-3495

One of our guests wrote into the San Francisco Chronicle about her stay "At the Bay's Edge"....I'm delighted that she shared her experiences and that her letter was published this past weekend!

Here's an excerpt:

Life on the edge in Bodega Bay

My family and I found a wonderful winter getaway close to home but far enough away to feel like we had entered another world. At the Bay's Edge literally sits on the water at the edge of scenic Bodega Bay. We enjoyed feeding the seagulls, listening to the seals and watching the pelicans dive for their dinner. It was magnificent.....