🌊 Point Reyes, California
Ahhh Point Reyes. The sole reason I decided I wanted to move to California. This magical little town is only an hour outside of SF, and is known for their oysters, cheese, ice cream, hiking and of course the gorgeous Pacific coast.
Time to go:
January through May is the best time to visit. I have been in December though and the weather was not bad!
Transportation:
Rent a car and drive. The drive is so beautiful, but not for the faint of heart, it is VERY curvy, so don’t drive too fast!
eat —
Cowgirl Creamery:
This creamery sells more than just cheese. Think ice cream, meats, sandwiches, and wine. They also make their cheese with some of the most high quality, and organic milk out there. Grab some bread, cheese & wine and have a little picnic in their outdoor garden
Station House Cafe:
This classic restaurant has been around since 1974 and serves breakfast, lunch & dinner. They also have live music every Saturday
Bovine Bakery:
Blueberry. Buttermilk. Scone. You can thank me later. They have good coffee here as well!
Cafe Reyes:
Wood fired pizzas with the freshest of fresh ingredients. They also serve oysters, obviously.
Palace Market:
A glorified grocery store with insanely good buffalo milk soft serve. (sounds weird but its good, trust me)
Tomales Bay Oyster Company:
While you can’t picnic here, you can buy your oysters here and then head on over to a park or picnic spot to shuck your salty little gems.
Hog Island Oyster Farm:
This is one of the oyster spots you can picnic at, but be sure to make a reservation. You can also take tours of their oyster farm.
stay —
Airbnb: $
Probably your most affordable option. We stayed in an Airbnb about 5 minutes from downtown. It was a great opportunity to meet a sweet, local couple who gave us lots of recommendations of what to eat and where to hike!
Cottages at Point Reyes: $$
No frills, but does the job. Has a pool and tennis court, and has easy access to lots of the sights.
Olema House: $$$
If you feel like splurging, this hotel is quite beautiful. Each room goes for about $300/$400 a night. They do deals on the larger cottages & they also have rooms where you can bring dogs!
do —
Tomales Point Hike:
So as I mentioned earlier, this was the hike that made me want to move to San Francisco. You almost feel like you are in Ireland when you are hiking, its that beautiful. The hike is about 10 miles round trip, so be prepared. I would bring water and snacks, and wear hiking boots.
Oyster Shucking:
A must-do when you are in the area. Hog Island is now one of the only places you can do this now (they places some laws around shucking your own last year)
Cypress Tree Tunnel:
Another really beautiful site where the cypress trees create a tunnel that you can walk through.
Point Reyes Lighthouse:
Touristy, but worth it. Such a beautiful coastline.
Hearts Desire Beach:
This beach is great for hanging, eating, kayaking, or hiking. It is situated within a cove, which prevents the wind from making it too cold.