A number of small communities dot Sonoma County’s 50+ miles of stunningly beautiful coastline. Highway 1winds along the Pacific Ocean, affording breathtaking views of long sandy beaches and secluded coves surrounded by rocky bluffs. While there are a number of ranches, farms, and vineyards in the coastal region, much of it is still open and undeveloped. The Sonoma Coast State Park stretches along 17 miles of the coast, preserving its natural beauty and offering recreational opportunities to tourists and other visitors.
On the southern end of this state park, the small fishing village of Bodega Bay harbors a small commercial fishing fleet (with charters available for fishing or whale watching), plus a mix of shops, restaurants, art galleries, and lodgings catering to the tourists drawn to the area’s natural beauty and outdoor recreation.
Slightly more than 10 miles north of Bodega, the town of Jenner perches on a high bluffs overlooking the estuary where the Russian River enters the ocean. This small community hugging Highway 1 provides stunning vistas and spectacular sunsets, as well as several restaurants and lodgings. The Jenner postal address includes Fort Ross State Historic Park, which preserves the Russian colonial presence, plus the lodge, restaurant, and scattering of homes that make up tiny community of Timber Cove.
About 30 miles to the north, the environmentally-planned private community known as The Sea Ranch stretches for 10 miles along the northern end of Sonoma County’s coastline; the area includes both private and public trails as well as a regional park, and it’s estimated that about half the houses in The Sea Ranch are rented out as vacation homes.
