01
Best wide-open ocean beach
Dillon Beach
North Marin Coast • Wide, Laid-Back Surf Beach • Local Favorite For Big Horizons
A classic, broad Pacific beach where you can walk for ages and feel far from everything.
Dillon Beach is one of the first true ocean beaches you hit driving west from St. Helena, with a long, gentle slope and plenty of room to spread out. Expect cool temps, steady breezes, and consistent surf that draws wetsuit-clad locals. It’s ideal for long walks, sand play, and watching the fog roll in after a warm Napa afternoon.
02
Best all-around family pick
Doran Regional Park Beach
Bodega Bay Harbor • Sheltered Sandy Spit • Best For Families And Mixed Groups
A long, gently curving beach on a sheltered spit that keeps waves manageable and vibes relaxed.
Doran Beach stretches along a narrow sand spit that protects Bodega Bay, so the surf is usually milder than at fully exposed spots. There’s ample parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and nearby campgrounds, which makes it an easy day trip base for groups coming over from Napa. Walk the full length for changing views of the harbor, open coast, and Bodega Head across the water.
03
Best calm-water bay beach
Heart's Desire Beach
Tomales Bay Shore • Calm Bay Beach In A Wooded Park • Great For Wading And Picnics
A gently shelved, protected beach on Tomales Bay with warmer, calmer water than the open coast.
Tucked inside Tomales Bay State Park, Heart's Desire Beach feels surprisingly sheltered compared to the nearby Pacific. Shallow water, a sandy bottom, and well-placed picnic tables make it a favorite for families willing to drive a few extra miles from wine country for a more relaxed shoreline. Shaded trails, oak woodlands, and views across the bay to Inverness add to the sense of escape.
04
Best for tide pools and short hikes
Shell Beach
Sonoma Coast Between Jenner And Bodega Bay • Rocky Cove With Tide Pools • Best For Exploring At Low Tide
A small, steep-sided cove where rocky outcrops and tide pools invite slow, curious wandering.
Shell Beach sits below a bluff on the Sonoma Coast, reached by a short trail that drops from the highway to the sand. It’s less about broad sunbathing space and more about picking your way across rocks, checking tide pools, and watching waves boom against the headlands. Pair a stop here with a coastal drive and short bluff-top walks for a change of pace from Napa’s orderly vineyards.
05
Best quick coastal viewpoint
Campbell Cove Beach
Bodega Head Entrance • Compact Cove By The Jetty • Great For Sunset And Scenery
A small, easily accessed cove near the mouth of Bodega Bay with big-sky sunsets and harbor views.
Campbell Cove Beach curves around a protected corner of Bodega Bay, just inside the jetty leading out to the open ocean. The beach itself is modest in size, but it’s a convenient stop with parking close by and sweeping views toward Bodega Head and the Pacific beyond. Come toward evening to watch the light change over the water before heading back to St. Helena for dinner.