Bodega Bay

The seaside town of Bodega Bay, like Windsor, celebrates Independence Day a day early, on July 3, with fireworks at dusk.

But in Bodega Bay, the day begins with a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs and ham at the Bodega Bay Grange Hall, served by the town's firefighters.

Up to a thousand people show up to chow down on pancakes and small-town tradition, while the kids get a close look at the fire engines, said Jim Levy of the Bodega Bay Fire Department.

Serving as a fund-raiser to buy firefighting equipment, the breakfast benefits from the busy holiday weekend traffic, Levy explained. "In July, there's 20,000 people out here," he said.