Overview
Jenner is a very small town overlooking the mouth of the Russian River in California. What you see here is about all there is in town. It is a quiet, relaxing place. Jenner is an excellent base to explore the Russian River area: it's on the coast, close to the redwood forests (including a state reserve), and near the Russian River wine country. As with most North Coast towns, Jenner can be considerably cooler than inland; but often a ten-minute drive inland will take you from cool fog and rain to sunshine.
4 places to eat · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–Nov. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 38°F. Wettest: Dec and Jan. (climate data from nearby Sonoma)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- STS Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa — 17 mi away. Directions
- CCR Buchanan Field, Concord — 66 mi away. Directions
- OAK Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, Oakland — 70 mi away (major hub). Directions
The most direct route by car, from the south (San Francisco) is Highway 101 north to Highway 116 West, in Cotati. Drive 116 west (and north) 9 miles to Sebastopol; turn left on Bodega Highway. When you reach Highway 1, turn (right) north to Jenner, which is very close.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $130–$130 a night (typical $215), from 2 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$170, mid-range ~$290, comfortable ~$300.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
The most direct route by car, from the south (San Francisco) is Highway 101 north to Highway 116 West, in Cotati. Drive 116 west (and north) 9 miles to Sebastopol; turn left on Bodega Highway. When you reach Highway 1, turn (right) north to Jenner, which is very close.
Alternatively, from 101, take River Road (north of Santa Rosa) west until you reach Highway 1, then turn north.
- Mendocino Transit Authority offers limited bus service from Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Point Arena, and other parts of Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
Get around
There is no public transit in Jenner, outside of the Mendocino Transit Authority busses with limited inter-city service. The commercial area of Jenner is extremely small and easy to walk around, as is most of the residential areas around it. However, it's quite a hike to get from the commercial stretch of Jenner out to Goat Rock Beach and the peninsula on the south side of the bay without a car.
Do
- Explore the coast. Drive north or south on Hwy 1, and you will find many trails and beaches". Casual swimming is discouraged because of rip currents and heavy surf. Near the mouth of the Russian River, Goat Rock State Beach has an easily accessed sandy beach, picnic tables, and restroom facilities. The beach is home to a colony of harbor seals which are fun to watch. To protect the seals, no dogs are allowed. Do not approach the seals. Simply leave them be to do their thing, and watch from a distance.
- Another good place to go is the Jenner Headlands Preserve, which is a large plot of land that is protected from development. The best way to get there is to walk up to the trailhead, and continue on as you wish. There are cows that wander around the area, so dogs are not advised, and it's not a good idea to approach the cows, as they can get spooked easily. Overall, it's an excellent place to hike that is not very trafficked at most times of day.
- Dive for abalone, a shellfish prized as a delicacy. Be sure to familiarise yourself with the California abalone regulations, including a minimum size limit of 7 inches, and prohibition of using scuba gear when diving for abalone.
- Scuba dive. Jenner is just outside of the notorious "Red Triangle", an area where swimmers encounter great white sharks more frequently, and it's safer to look like a seal in the water.
- Explore the river estuary by kayak. Try Lotus Kayak Rentals, near the Sea Gull gift shop, +1 707-865-9604.
Eat
Eat Cafe Aquatica
A scenic coffee house with very decent food; outdoor seating with views of the Pacific Ocean. Counter service. Expensive and very busy.
Eat Jenner Inn (Jenner by the Sea)
While the inn is primarily for lodging, it does have a restaurant and a large bar.
Eat Rivers End
More expensive, fine dining, with great views of the sunset on the Pacific Ocean. (Also has a few cabins, for lodging.)
Eat Jilly’s Real Food Roadhouse
New as of November 2024, this location is finally getting a restaurant that it deserves, given its incredible views of the bay. Casual, comfort foods. Slow service when busy. Try the fried chicken!
Sleep
- A plus (or minus) is that there is no television or cell phone reception here, but, alas for those trying to entirely avoid the news, there is now complimentary wifi.
Go next
- Fort Ross – off Hwy 101. Original and reconstructed buildings of the southernmost Russian settlement from the early 1800s. (Three miles north of Fort Ross is Timber Cove Resort, an upscale place to stay on the coast.)
From Jenner, escape north on Highway 1 as it winds its way up along Russian Gulch Beach, Fort Ross (where Russia maintained a trading outpost and fort in the early 19th century), Kruse Rhododendron State Park, Gualala, and points beyond. The road is curvy and often runs with no guard rails high above the rocky coast—not for the faint-hearted or those prone to car sickness.
Wineries abound elsewhere in the Russian River area and Napa Valley.
Nearby
Monte Rio
City / town · 3 listings · 6 mi away
Guerneville
City / town · 23 listings · 7 mi away
Fort Ross
Park · 5 listings · 8 mi away
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
Park · 8 mi away
Occidental
City / town · 20 listings · 10 mi away
Bodega Bay
City / town · 24 listings · 10 mi away
Forestville
City / town · 10 listings · 12 mi away
Sebastopol
City / town · 26 listings · 16 mi away
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