Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
SCENIC DRIVE: COLEMAN VALLEY ROAD
Wine Country's most scenic drive isn't through the grapes, but along these 10 miles of
winding West County byway, from Occidental to the sea. It's best late morning, after the
fog has cleared. Drive west, not east, with the sun behind you and the ocean ahead. First
you'll pass through redwood forests and lush valleys where Douglas firs stand draped in
sphagnum moss - an eerie sight in the fog. The real beauty shots lie farther ahead, when
the road ascends 1000ft hills, dotted with gnarled oaks and craggy rock formations, with
the vast blue Pacific unfurling below. The road ends at coastal Hwy 1, where you can ex-
plore Sonoma Coast State Beach , then turn left and find your way to the tiny town of Bo-
dega (not Bodega Bay) to see locales where Hitchcock shot his 1963 classic, The Birds.
Sleeping
Occidental Hotel MOTEL
( 877-867-6084, 707-874-3623; www.occidentalhotel.com ; 3610 Bohemian Hwy; r $120-160,
2-bedroom q $200-240; )
Rates are sometimes negotiable for these well-kept motel rooms
Valley Ford Hotel INN
( 707-876-1983; www.vfordhotel.com ; r $115-175)
Surrounded by pastureland 8 miles south in Valley Ford, this 19th-century, six-room inn
has good beds, great rates, and a terrific roadhouse restaurant.
Inn at Occidental INN
( GOOGLE MAP ; 800-522-6324, 707-874-1047; www.innatoccidental.com ; 3657 Church St; r incl
breakfast $249-339; )
One of Sonoma's finest, this beautifully restored 18-room Victorian inn is filled with col-
lectible antiques; rooms have gas fireplaces and cozy feather beds.
Eating
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