Bay Hill Rd, Bodega Bay

Bay Highway may not be the most exciting part of Northern California - it certainly has nothing on Santa Cruz, Stinson Beach, or Half Moon Bay. However, Bay Highway is actually LACKING one thing that sets it apart - traffic.

You wouldn't necessarily think to drive to cow country to get to some of the best beaches in California, but Bay Highway gets you there from Sonoma County in no time. The drive is quite boring, but the beaches in Bodega Bay are quintessential - quiet, some with flat stretches, others with cliffside views, and offering a myriad of activities. Sea kayaking, windsurfing or kiteboarding on the harbor, cliff hiking and surfing are all common sights and activities.

Bay Highway does have some scenery with rolling green hills, but its remoteness - which could be a flaw - is its biggest strength on beautiful, sunny, congested weekend days. Give it a try next time you are looking for a beach escape.