"Bodega Bay is famous as the backdrop for Hitchcock’s The Birds, but you should also know that no trip here is complete without a stop at Spud Point. The old-school seafood shack off Highway 1 is churning out clam chowder that sets a high bar for all future chowders. Velvety rich and loaded with what we can only assume are buckets of garlic, this is a dimension-altering soup. Don’t stop there though—grab some of the also-excellent crab rolls and either spread out at one of the picnic tables out front or scoot down to nearby Doran Beach for an unbeatable picnic on the sand." - lani conway, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez