Campbell Cove
Bodega Bay, CA

Campbell Cove is a sheltered pocket beach near Bodega Head, calm enough for reliable wildlife viewing even when the open coast nearby is churning with wind and swell. A boardwalk makes the approach easier than most of the rocky accesses on this stretch.
The shelter from wind and reliable wildlife viewing genuinely set it apart from the more exposed beaches nearby, held back only by its small size.
How we score beachesCome here specifically when the wind has the open coast too rough for comfort, this sheltered cove tends to stay calm even on blustery days.
Free parking is available at the cove.
A boardwalk and path lead from parking to the sheltered beach.
Dogs are not allowed at Campbell Cove under Sonoma Coast State Park rules.
Summer mornings run foggy before clearing, typical of the Sonoma coast, with water staying cold year round.
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