Right Beaches › California › Bodega Bay
Salmon Creek State Beach
4.8★ · 705 Google ratings · Bodega Bay, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms✓ Good for kids✓ Free
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 230 ft away · free · fills up
Walk
320 ft · 1 min
Restrooms
Yes · 200 yd away
Cost
Free
Water
58°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Tide
2 ft range today
Children
Reported good for young kids
Length
2.6 miles of shoreline
Sand
275 yd from the water to the back
Water quality
Good · all 52 samples clean · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Wed 8am
Map of Salmon Creek State Beach
1
2
1Parking230 ft from the listing2Restrooms200 yd from the listing
Guide
Good to know
Reported good with little kids
Visitors often mention shallow or calm water. This is what reviewers report, not a safety assessment.Mentioned by 12 visitors · 2019–2026
Free parking reported
Visitors report no charge to park here.Mentioned by 8 visitors · 2019–2026
Visit during rainy weekdays for solitude
One reviewer found empty parking and no crowds on a rainy Sunday morning.
Arrive before 10am on weekends
The parking lot is small and fills quickly, forcing latecomers to park along Highway 1.
Expect a steep descent to beach
The north parking area has stairs; the south side requires climbing over sand dunes, both challenging for those.
Bring sunscreen and layered clothing
Reviewers recommend sunscreen and note the beach is windy and often foggy despite sunny appearances inland.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
60°F · partly cloudy
Water
58°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
5.3 ft · 10 s apart
Wind
4 mph from the W
Shelter
Onshore · wind blowing straight in off the water
UV index
4 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 06:39 | High tide | ↑ |
| 10:41 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 16:49 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:32 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mo | ||||||||||||
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 CA-1, Bodega Bay, CA 94923
🅿 Parking 230 ft from the listing
🌊 Water 320 ft away, about 1 min walk
🚽 Restrooms 200 yd away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
375 yd away · shorter walk
0.7 miles away · shorter walk
0.8 miles away · shorter walk
0.9 miles away
1.0 miles away · shorter walk
1.2 miles away · shorter walk
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Salmon Creek State Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 230 ft from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Salmon Creek State Beach?
320 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, about 1 min. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Salmon Creek State Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 200 yd from the listing.
When is Salmon Creek State Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Wed 8am and the busiest at Sun 3pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
