Talk About A Hike With A View!
In the distance is downtown Los Angeles – and there are so many great ways to get a spectacular view like this…so I wanted to share some of my favorite hikes in the world! These hikes are made even better because of who I get to take them with – my wife Alex:
Let’s Go “Hitch Hiking!”
Alex came up with the title “Hitch Hiking” – a series of hikes we’ve done together, and classic Hitchcock films that these hikes reminded us of…let’s begin “hitch hike #3” with a trip to Northern California, one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world…
Welcome To Bodega Bay!
Located 67 miles north of San Francisco, Bodega Bay is a gorgeous, wind-swept beach snuggled along beautiful sand dunes that are kissed by ice cold Pacific Ocean water…
Just south of Bodega Bay is Dillon Beach, miles and miles of sand and sea – with beautiful views in both directions…and we explored it for hours…
You can walk for miles in either direction, and you can also head fairly far out into the water based on whether the tide is out or not – bring a picnic and blanket as well, so you can sit down and watch some very aggressive waves – and windsurfing – because as you will see, there is a LOT of wind – but it’s also a beautiful beach to take a long long hike:
When we arrived, there were dozens of windsurfers battling the high wind and waves – the combination of heavy seas and high winds makes this a real endurance test – take a look!
We ended up “beach hiking” more than five miles that afternoon…in some very aggressive winds – but the beach was filled with families having picnics, swimming, and enjoying this spectacular coastline…
The End Of The Day…
It was so windy that we finally called it a day – after close to ten miles of walking the coastline – and we headed a few miles south to Nick’s Cove – a terrific restaurant with an equally impressive sunset view:
So there’s your hike, and if some of this incredible scenery looks familiar, it could be because one of Hitchcock’s great shockers was filmed here:
“The Birds” – 1963
Yes, Bodega Bay was home to much of the filming of this classic shocker. Everyone remembers the terrifying moment when “the birds” decide to go after people!
The plot of this Alfred Hitchcock shocker was simple: a wealthy San Francisco socialite decides to pursue a potential boyfriend, and follows him to a small Northern California town – Bodega Bay – where the local birds suddenly begin to act very strangely…
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Alfred Hitchcock
This film, coming right after Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, firmly established him as the master of the shocker!
Here is a very long but funny movie trailer, hosted by Hitchcock himself:
Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren starred in the film, which was a huge box office hit…
The schoolhouse, in Bodega, California, has also been known to be haunted, even back during the filming. According to Tippi Hedren, the entire cast was spooked to be there. She also mentioned how she had the feeling, while there, that “the building was immensely populated… but there was nobody there.”
And that classic building is still there!
Hope you enjoyed this “Hitch Hike” – classic Alfred Hitchcock movies combined with a hike through some of the world’s most beautiful places – like this one:
Yes, my first “Hitch hike” was high above the pacific ocean near Malibu – see more here:
More “Hitch Hiking” to come!
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I can hear the wind whistling in your video, John. Cape Town also has very strong winds. The Birds scared me silly when I watched it, I am a big Hitchcock fan.
I remember this movie, The Birds, John, and I remember being really scared by it. Coast of California looks beautiful.
Yes Robbie, a brisk coastline to be sure, but gorgeous and serene to walk! Thanks as always for the comment!
I was talking to a young man at an event just yesterday and he asked if I had made it to the West Coast yet (not) and recommended this coastline as something I would love. Your fabulous photos and film clips definitely lure me. And shout out for Alex’s brilliant title ‘Hitch Hikes’ for these excursions. Genius!
Thanks, she loves giving me suggestions for posts, she found the place in San Francisco that served the amazing “crab-santhemum” dish I posted about!
Well, she is very good at it so long may she love doing it!
We are blessed with similar huge beaches just north of here, but unfortunately, the North Sea (also called The German Sea) is muddy brown, and nothing like The Pacific. I haven’t been to California, but I did see the far side of that ocean, in Singapore. I enjoyed your trip, and seeing the Bodega Bay locations too.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks Pete!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading.lovely cilcks. loved the Vdo. And the hitchcock story …ohhhh. Remided me the “psycho time” .
I may visit Cali by mid sept. Can you share some information regarding some tourist spots in and around Cali and spots not to be missed and few food joints/restaurants. Am I asking too much !!! If comfortably u can do . Thanks
Let me know what part of California you are thinking of visiting and I’d be happy to offer ideas! It’s a BIG state!
Thanks a ton. I shall stay in Sunnyvale and take my trips from there.
You are an hour from San Francisco, so go into town and try this – walking up Cost Tower: https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/09/walking-up-coit-tower-alfred-hitchcock-loved-san-franciscos-iconic-400-step-tower/
Of course, the Golden Gate Bridge is just north of there and you must walk over that as well…plus you need to get tickets weeks before you come to take the boat to Alcatraz…see that here:
https://johnrieber.com/2018/04/21/you-can-escape-from-alcatraz-san-franciscos-greatest-prison-the-rock-is-open-to-the-public/
Then go to Fisherman’s Wharf and you will see the sea lions hangin out in the water…here is that story:
https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/15/san-franciscos-famous-sea-lion-hangout-sea-lions-take-over-a-pier/
Finally, from Sunnyvale you can go south an hour to Monterey and see one of the best aquariums ever! Here is that:
https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/27/montereys-amazing-aquarium-magical-jellyfish-circling-sardines-at-cannery-row-a-really-big-fish/
Thanks John. I shall go thru these links and I am sure it will help planning my trip. Thanks again.
There is SO much to do and you are in a great place to explore from! Traffic isn’t fun but once you break away it’s great…if you head south to Monterey, here is one more, a Calla Lilly valley right along the ocean just south of Carmel, which is also a beautiful seaside town – https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/29/visit-natures-calla-lily-valley-amazing-pacific-ocean-adventure/
thanks John. Great help. Now I want to plan the trip soon.
Thanks for letting me hitch along with you two on this one. My son used to like be in Trinidad, also a few hours north of San Fran. Wish I had known of this when I last visited him. Fantastic photos too.
Be like???? Live in.
Thanks so much…Northern California is so much wilder than the southern part, but it didn’t stop those windsurfers!
Great pictures. Hope to make it to the California coast someday.
It’s BRISK to be sure, and the water is ice cold, but it’s serene, clean and refreshing! Thanks for the comment!
Loved the video and your pictures of Dillon and Bodega Bay!
Thank you for the comment!