A Day Trip to: Point Reyes National Seashore
My first visit to Point Reyes was so far beyond my expectations! From shipwrecks to seals, there’s all kinds of maritime history and coastal sights to see.
The ocean along the coast is a vibrant teal blue and although pretty windy, the sun was shining when we went in mid-June.
If you’re into the coastal grandmother vibes, you’ll love it here.
Point Reyes National Seashore stretches along the coast from Muir Beach up to the top of Tomales Bay on the west side. It includes Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Inverness, Olema, and Point Reyes Station.
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Point Reyes Indigenous People
Point Reyes and the surrounding areas were home to the Coast Miwok people for thousands of years. They lived off the land and sea, wasting nothing as they hunted and gathered.
The Federal government stopped recognition of the Coast Miwok people in 1958, but in 2000, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria became a fully recognized tribe again.
You can visit Kule Loklo to see what a Coast Miwok village would have looked like. And remember whose land you’re on while you visit! :)
Before You Go
Pack Accordingly
It gets windy and cold, so bring layers! Even in June, I was happy to have brought a sweatshirt I could throw on.
But I was also glad for layers I could remove because the sun was shining and we were working up a sweat while walking up hills!
Tap the images (and arrows if you’re on mobile) below to see some of my recommendations for a day trip:
Download Maps Offline
There is not much, if any service, in Point Reyes. Make sure you download your Google Maps offline before you go so you can still access directions to all the must-see places!
Search for “Point Reyes National Seashore,” tap the three dots in the upper-right corner, and then select the area you want to download (see below for my recommendation).
Things to do in Point Reyes
S.S. Point Reyes Shipwreck
As a pirate-obsessed person, the shipwreck was what I was most excited about seeing! It did not disappoint!
We parked in the lot of the store. Although there are signs that say customer-only, it was unclear if the back parking spots are also part of the store’s parking or open for shipwreck viewers.
It’s a one-minute walk from the lot to the ship and you’ll see it immediately!
I had hoped for some interesting pirate-related history, but the actual story is not quite as exciting. It was put on the land by the owner, with plans to eventually fix it up, though he never got around to it. It became a favorite spot for local photographers, who were the ones to ultimately save it from being removed.
Cypress Tree Tunnel
The gorgeous Monterey Cypress trees — now a tree tunnel — were planted way back in 1930 and line the path to the historic radio station end the end of the road.
Park along Sir Francis Drake Blvd., do not drive through the tunnel and make sure you’re pulled over enough so you don’t impede traffic on the road.
KPH Maritime Radio Receiving Station
When you walk to the end of the cypress tree tunnel, you’ll reach the Art Deco-style radio station built between 1929 and 1931. This one, called the Wireless Giant of the Pacific, is the last remaining station along the coast and was used to communicate via Morse code to ships.
In 2000, the National Park Service (NPS) and Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS) to restore the old equipment, and it is now used to broadcast radio frequencies.
The building looks incredible, especially framed by the cypress trees! If you visit the tunnel, make sure you walk to the end to pay a visit to the old radio station.
Historic Point Reyes Lighthouse
One of the most famous spots in Point Reyes is the lighthouse! It was built in 1870 by the US government due to shipwrecks on the coast of Point Reyes, but is no longer an active lighthouse. Now it’s just a pretty landmark to visit!
Park in the lot and walk up the hill. It’s a bit of a walk to get to it, but worth it. On the way up keep an eye out for sea birds! We even saw deer when we were there. There are also some cool whale bones near the visitor center at the top!
The stairs down to the lighthouse close often for high winds and were closed when we went, but you can still get a great view of the lighthouse from above!
Elephant Seals
Drive down Chimney Rock Road until you reach the parking lot for the Chimney Rock Trail Head. Walk down the trail towards the left (when you’re facing the ocean). You’ll reach the Elephant Seal Overlook at the end of the trail where you can see the seals sunning on the beach below.
The water here is turquoise and gorgeous. I could not believe I was in Northern California — it reminded me SO much of Greece!
Lifeboat Station
After you check out the Elephant Seals, walk back up the trail to the lot and continue driving down Chimney Rock Road until you reach the end parking lot. I recommend stopping to check out the cool old house on the way!
The lifeboat station was established in 1890 and staffed with a rescue crew to help with the many shipwrecks that happened along the shores.
It has a really interesting history that you can read more about on the NPS.gov website, which is where the bottom right photo is from since we didn’t end up walking all the way to the lifeboat station.
White House Pool
Just outside of the downtown area you’ll find a trailhead and parking lot. You only need to walk for a minute or two before you’ll come across the water this spot was named for.
Walk under the arch and across the little bridge to reach a perfect bench to sit and hang out.
Limantour Beach
We parked at a lot between Limantour Beach and Santa Maria Beach (see on Google Maps) and walked down the trail to the beach from there – recommend this!
Before we reached the beach, we stopped to take some photos in the greenery that separates the beach from the trails/parking lot. Once we passed through it, the beach was incredibly windy! It was fun to walk around on the sand, but definitely wasn’t a spot to set up beach towels and sit down.
You can also park at the Limantour Beach Parking Lot (see on Google Maps), although it may be more crowded in that area of the beach.
Alamere Falls
This was something we intentionally left off our itinerary for the day because neither of us were up for—nor had time for—a 13.6-mile round trip hike, but from the photos and reviews I’ve seen, the end result is worth it!
You can read more about the hike on AllTrails.
Where to Eat in Point Reyes
We only ate at once place here, and did not try any of the oysters Point Reyes is known for, but will absolutely make it a priority for the next trip!
Side Street Kitchen
I’m not kidding when I say the Open-Faced Veggie Sandwich was the best vegan sandwich I’ve ever had! It was so unique and delicious. Even if you’re not vegan, I highly recommend it! Their macaroni and cheese was also incredible and very filling.
Salt Water Oyster Depot
We really wanted to eat here, but it was closed when we got there since we went on a Wednesday. The restaurant just looks so cute and is right across the street from the shipwreck, although you cannot see it from there.
They have outdoor seating and apparently great oysters!
Nick’s Cove
This was recommended in two different blog posts, one by Whimsy Soul, and the other by California Crossroads. We didn’t make it here because we were getting pretty hungry and it was out of the way from the rest of the things we were doing.
It’s actually in Tomales, but seems to be worth a bit of extra driving for the oysters and crab mac and cheese! Plus, it’s also a lodge where you can stay in cottages right on the bay!
Cowgirl Creamery
For some of the most-loved cheeses in the Bay Area, visit Cowgirl Creamery! It was sadly closed the day we went, so I’ve bookmarked it for the next visit.
Where to Stay in Point Reyes
Although I haven’t stayed overnight in Point Reyes, it would be a lovely weekend getaway for couples! Below are a few highly rated places I picked out for my own future getaways that I think you would love too.
Nick’s Cove
It’s no surprise that Nick’s Cove is the top of my list after reading about their mouth-watering restaurant on-site and adorable cottages on the bay. It gets great reviews and from photos, seems to have that old, rustic charm that you hope for in a seaside cottage.
Olema House
For some upscale coastal grandmother vibes, Olema House is the place to go. I was immediately sold when I saw “King Room with Terrace” and the photos of the dreamy interiors.
Not to mention the four acres of private grounds you can explore during your stay.
Hillside Home
If you’re planning a group trip, rent a whole house with a kitchen! This one has a large deck for your morning breakfast with views of Tomales Bay. The interior is incredible with tons of natural wood and brick, and has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Use the search box below to find more places to stay in Point Reyes! If it’s not showing up, try disabling your ad blocker.
