Point Reyes National Seashore

The federal government created the national seashore system to protect rural and undeveloped stretches of coastline from population growth and soaring real-estate values. Nowhere is the success of this system more evident than at Point Reyes. Residents of the surrounding towns—Inverness, Point Reyes Station, and Olema—have steadfastly resisted runaway development. You won’t find strip malls or fast-food here—just laid-back coastal towns with cafes and country inns where gentle living prevails.

The park—a 71,000-acre hammer-shaped peninsula jutting 10 miles into the Pacific and backed by Tomales Bay—bounds with wildlife, ranging from tule elk, birds, and bobcats to gray whales, sea lions, and great white sharks. Aside from its scenery, it also boasts historical treasures that open a window into California’s coastal past, including lighthouses, dairies and ranches, the site of Sir Francis Drake’s 1579 landing, plus a replica of a coastal Miwok Indian village.

Though the peninsula’s people and wildlife live in harmony above the ground, the situation beneath the soil is more volatile. The San Andreas Fault separates Point Reyes—the northernmost landmass on the Pacific Plate—from the rest of California, which rests on the North American Plate. Point Reyes is making its way toward Alaska at a rate of about 2 inches per year, but it has moved faster at times. In 1906, Point Reyes jumped north almost 20 feet in an instant, leveling San Francisco and jolting the rest of the state. The half-mile Earthquake Trail, near the Bear Valley Visitor Center, illustrates this geological drama with a loop through an area torn by the fault. Shattered fences, rifts in the ground, and a barn knocked off its foundation illustrate how alive the earth is here. If that doesn’t convince you, the seismograph in the visitor center will.

Your first stop when visiting Point Reyes should be the Bear Valley Visitor Center (Bear Valley Rd; 415/464-5100; www.nps.gov/pore; open 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm Sat-Sun), located at the entrance to the Point Reyes National Seashore; follow the signs from Highway 1 in Olema. Pick up a free map and trail guide and chat with a friendly ranger about overnight campsites, weather forecasts, tide conditions, and special programs.

Point Reyes Station

The main town in this region is Point Reyes Station. It feels like time stood still in this West Marin community (population well under 1,000) that was a rail town in the 1890s and is steeped in dairy-farming tradition. Maybe that’s why so many weary Bay Area commuters flock to Point Reyes Station on weekends. The three blocks everyone calls Main Street are actually on Highway 1. It’s worth waiting in line to sample the breads and pastries at the renowned Bovine Bakery (415/663-9420); if gourmet picnic goodies are on your list, head for Tomales Bay Foods (415/663-9335)—also home of the Cowgirl Creamery. Those Western gals sure know how to make ice cream and cheeses. Toby’s Feed Barn (415/663-1223) is the place to buy farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, sunbonnets, local arts and crafts, and souvenir postcards. The Pine Cone Diner (415/663-1536) rustles up made-from-scratch biscuits and gravy every morning.