Where the river meets the sea.
Jenner is a pocket-sized village perched above the spot where the Russian River empties into the Pacific. Harbor seals, big empty beaches, kayaks, redwoods and the best sunset on the Sonoma Coast. Here is how to make the most of it.
Four things you should not miss
Only got an afternoon? Do these, in this order, and finish with the sunset.
Watch the seals at Goat Rock
A colony of Pacific harbor seals hauls out on the sand spit where the river meets the ocean. Bring binoculars and keep your distance.
On the waterPaddle the estuary
Rent a kayak in town and drift up the calm Russian River estuary past herons, ospreys and curious seals.
HikeClimb the Jenner Headlands
Grassy ridges above Highway 1 with the whole coastline laid out below. Short loops or an all-day climb to Pole Mountain.
Golden hourStay for the sunset
Grab a table on a bluff deck or a pullout on Highway 1 and watch the sun drop behind Goat Rock. Jenner's nightly show.
A village of about 120 people and a river's worth of scenery
Jenner sits on the north bank of the Russian River mouth, 10 miles north of Bodega Bay and about two hours from San Francisco. It is not a city, and it has no stoplight: an inn, a couple of restaurants, a kayak outfitter, a visitor center in the old boathouse, and a long string of state beaches to the south.
Locals have called it Jenner-by-the-Sea for a century. The estuary is a protected nursery for seals, steelhead and dozens of bird species, so the whole place runs on nature's schedule: fog in summer, whales in winter, seal pups in spring and the clearest skies in fall.
Every season has a reason
There is no bad time. The card with the gold edge is where we are right now.
Winter: whales and weather
Gray whales pass close to shore heading south. Storm-watching from the bluffs is spectacular, king tides rearrange the beaches, and you often have them to yourself.
Spring: seal pups and wildflowers
Harbor seal pups are born on the sand spit from March on, so the colony is roped off and docents ask you to keep well back. Wildflowers line the Kortum Trail and the whales come back north with calves.
Summer: fog, then sun
Mornings are often foggy at the coast while it is hot a few miles inland. Kayaking is at its best, the river upstream is swimmable, and weekends are the busiest of the year.
Fall: the locals' summer
The clearest, warmest days on the coast. Long sunsets, calm seas, harvest season in the Fort Ross–Seaview vineyards, and the crowds have gone home.
Four things the locals wish every visitor knew
Never turn your back on the ocean
Sneaker waves on the Sonoma Coast are real and they kill people every year. Stay off wet sand and rocks, keep kids and dogs close, and do not swim at Goat Rock or the river mouth. There are strong rip currents and no lifeguards.
Your phone will not work
Cell coverage in Jenner is close to zero. Download maps before you leave Guerneville or Bodega Bay, screenshot your reservations, and tell someone your plan if you are hiking.
Fill the tank first
Fuel is scarce on this coast: the village store has a pump when it is open, and that is about it. Fill up in Guerneville, Bodega Bay or Santa Rosa. Highway 1 north of town is slow, winding and beautiful, so give yourself time.
Give the seals room
Harbor seals abandon pups if people get close. Stay at least 50 yards from the colony, keep dogs leashed or out of the closed areas, and let the volunteers point out the best viewing spots.
See it before you see it
Tides, weather, road closures and park pages, all in one place
We keep the links that matter on the coast on one page so you can check them before you lose signal.