This was a great trip. We didn't expect it, but our guide walked us through all kinds of neat stuff…read moreabout the ecosystem in Tomales Bay. The kayaking instruction was quick and sufficient. Our tour was long and we enjoyed it. A recommendation might be to stop somewhere along the route to allow for photos or readjusting bodies, equipment, etc.

We had an amazing and meaningful experience paddling out on Tomales Bay. We rented a double kayak…read morefor my college buddies 20 year reunion. Cooper initially said the rentals were closed, but opened it up for us so we could explore the bay. He gave us some tips about where to see the best wildlife and told us to keep an eye out for rays since it's there breeding season. We ended up seeing SO MANY rays, they were even swimming under the boat. We sat and enjoyed the sound of waves lapping against the shore, the wind ruffling through the trees and rays splashing all around us. We ended up getting swept up by the experience for too long and my watch died, so we retuned the kayak late, but Cooper was really understanding. Next time I need to rent a kayak, I'll be coming back here. You should too.

This is a must do if you're in the Pt. Reyes area. We booked a two hour charter only the day…read morebefore. Brett was an experienced guide who taught us so much about the local wildlife and culture. He was professional, but laid back. We loved being able to bring our own lunch and music for the trip. If you're not familiar with the climate in Pt. Reyes, dress warm and pack a blanket when you go out on the Bay. Will definitely be booking with Tomales Bay Sailing again!

My wife and spent an afternoon charter with Brett on his catamaran and had an amazing day! Brett is…read morean experienced sailor and local who is incredibly knowledgeable about the area. We learned all kinds of things about the wildlife, the park, and the history of Tomales Bay. Brett is casual yet professional and has an amazing attitude. We couldn't recommend it enough and will definitely book with him again next time we are in the area.

Did a moderate 3 mile hike here in early fall. I've been around this body of water many times but…read moremostly as drives around and maybe an occasional picnic on one of it's corners. You can probably drive around the whole bay from Inverness to Marshall in about 30 minutes. My hike because I went with the gps due to my first time, started in the northern corner of the bay just outside of Inverness, so the road is on top of the hills and you can wind on down to water level. Over by Marshall you will already be at water level. This corner also has a popular beach destination where people can swim, kayak, picnic etc called Heart's Desire Beach. From the highway one up top it'll take about 10 minutes on a windy road to reach the beach. My hike started up on top and worked its way down to the water, mostly on single track trail through heavily brushed forest in the hills. No crazy great views until you get nearer the water when you start to see deep blue hues. Once down at the water I took a break on another, but much smaller beach called Pebble Beach. Just sat on a log and absorbed the peacefulness while I rehydrated. There were no one on this beach but I could see decent activity from Heart's Desire Beach about a quarter mile away. Now that I know the general terrain here, next time I'm going to park at Heart's Desire parking lot and climb up, then descend on the way back. On this trip I went down first then had to climb 700 hundred feet or so, so all the sweating was on the tail end. I prefer the former, and that way when done I can just relax and have a picnic on the beach. Lesson learned. Still a solid 4* outing.

After a bit of a drive we found this SP to be disappointing. We were looking for hiking trails over…read morebeach access. Unfortunately, we couldn't even find the overgrown trails. Left after getting out of the car in two different areas trying to find a starting point. Save yourself the drive. No attendant to ask for assistance.

Love this beach and always enjoy coming out here for a day trip. There is an entry fee, but it's…read moreworth it for how clean, spacious, and relaxing it is. There's plenty of parking, which makes it super convenient, and it never feels too hectic even when it's busy. It's such a nice spot to just unwind, walk along the beach, and enjoy the peaceful views. They also have camping spots available, I camped here a long time ago and remember having a great experience. Whether you're planning to camp or just want a relaxing day by the water, this is one of my favorite places to visit in Bodega Bay. Definitely worth checking out :)

It's June and COLD at the beach. We don't mind. I like this beach because of the close parking and…read morethe availability of bathrooms. It's an easy (long) walk from end to end if you want some physical activity. Great spot for kites. I took a nap and woke up to this bird carefully approaching our blanket spread probably hoping for a sleepy person not guarding the snacks. Not today birds!

Great place to launch out for some fun in the sun on the water. $5 to park, machine takes cards…read more Bathrooms are clean, and parking lot fills up quick. We were in the water by 8:45 today and the lower lot was full by the time we were ready to park for the day. Pretty crazy upper lot where people seem to squeeze in where they can amongst the eucalyptus trees. I needed to write a review because we had the worst sludgy mess of an experience at the end of our paddle today. There were boats to the left of the ramp as we were coming in so we went right. BAD MOVE! It was like sea quicksand. Smelly, sludgey, that wasn't quite mud but it wasn't normal shoreline either. My guy got sucked in to his thighs!!! Steer clear, when coming back from a paddle stay right and come up on the beach line and carry the boats up, worth it to avoid the mess. I saw what was happening to him and stayed right as much as I could and didn't get caught as bad but that whole right side of the launch ramp when facing the shore with Nick's Cove to your left us a nightmare. Trust me, lol. Otherwise, the water is AMAZING out there! Not too busy, plenty of books to explore, wildlife, just an incredible day on the water! We've done a bioluminescent tour at night before and in the right ambient light it's a great spot to catch the phenomenon.

Located on the east side of Tomales Bay, a few miles north of Marshall, the boat launch provides a…read moretwo-lane ramp and docks for motorized and non-motorized boat launching. Boaters can park overnight, which makes Miller an excellent access point for visitors seeking overnight camping or boating adventures in Tomales Bay (with a permit) and the surrounding Point Reyes seashore. (There is no camping at Miller.) Anglers can fish for striped bass, perch, rock fish, halibut, salmon, and crab. The dock and parking are accessible. Dogs are allowed on leash. Two gender neutral bathrooms are provided, but were very busy the weekend I was there. Plan ahead. Parking is $5/day (payable at a kiosk), but FREE on the first Saturday of the month thanks to Measure A. Alternatively, a free pass which hangs from your rear view mirror can be borrowed providing you have a library card from the Marin County Free Library which is easy and free to acquire if you are a CA resident. When the weather is good and the water is calm, expect parking on the lower level and upper level to be challenging. Waiting for someone to leave may take some time. During the Labor Day Weekend, fishermen were catching halibut, but unlucky fishermen caught nothing or bat rays or nurse sharks so make sure to not have a barbed hook. More experienced kayak fishermen were equipped with a red flag and told us that they caught their own bait first. If you head out to the ocean, there's a lot of eel grass that can jam up you pedals. Kayaking away from the ocean affords you a smoother ride.

Fog is burning off. He fires up the Jetboil…read more She probes him: "Say, What is this little rat-tail thing you've got going on?" He has a short braided thing of hair hanging off the back of his head, like he's a Padawan apprentice or something. "What, this?" he laughs. "Party in the back?" In a thicket by the creek, they sip coffee. Song of the thrush ascends. Seems to spiral to heaven upward like a shell. They gaze through a seven foot tall cow parsnip at the sky. The umbels are bobbing galaxies in a vast universe. Ever expanding. Wielding a magic wand, she identifies the plant: "Heracleum maximum!" It has gigantic leaves. Each one is connected to a thick, hollow, densely-haired stem. She steers the huge leaves on their thick stems in her slender arms. Swipes away the poison oak. "Found a path to the creek," she says cheerily. Clear water riffles and splits around a shoal. It's sandy with willows and cattails. There is a great blue heron in the reeds. The heron saunters forward deceptively, like a starlet at the Croisette, then recoils its long neck and strikes. "Bill stab!" he exclaims. He purses his mouth, throws his arm up and makes a fist. Taking a beat, she observes the scene, and says wryly "Sick, huge fan. What a bird." The impaled fish writhes on the heron's spear in the sun, scales glinting. It has met its immutable fate. They sit on a bank dotted with Cyperaceae. Lady beetles fly about. They turn and face each other. "F#$%#g sh*# show that was..." he moans. "What do you mean? We shucked a thousand shells. You have to respect your aunt's stamina, it's a Vibe!" she says, grinning. The moment is fleeting. The song and the chirping and the thrum of insects in the morning heat. They kill the coffee. It's time to pack up their tent and go. "Check out time!" she says. "Pack it up!"

Beautiful campground and hike in, I took coast trail from bear valley and it was 8 miles... trail…read morewas very secluded after bear valley fire road... magical forest and garden surrounds the campgrounds. Camped at 2ab and it was ok, it was not very private and near the bathroom/water spigot so I felt like it was more people interaction than I cared for but that was what was available! The beach was a great place to relax after my hiking days and I loved it. I was there 3 days mid week in June and it was 75 one day and foggy/wet 60 degrees the other days, recommend rain fly for tents, and exploring the singletrack trails , they are so beautiful, full of wildlife

This was my third attempt hiking this trail but I still didn't finish it. Next time! The first time…read moreI went (like 10 years ago!) there was a sign about mountain lion sightings so I didn't hike. I was there very early and alone. The second time John was with me but we didn't go very far. This time we planned on hiking half way because it was an unplanned trip and we didn't have our normal hiking equipment (the right shoes, clothes, water bladder, etc). However, just two miles in is enough to show how amazing this trail is! The views are out of this world. Like heaven on earth. We encountered tons of wildflowers and Tule Elk. They were so close to us that we had to wait for them to move so that we could continue on the trail. When we got to our planned two mile mark, we both wanted to keep going. Despite the steep inclines in a few parts, the trail is quite easy--at least for the first two miles in. But we decided to turn around and promised we would return and finally complete this amazing trail. Now I know why this trail is one of the top most popular trails in the Bay Area.

This is my first time doing this hike. But my second time to Point Reyes. I went with the group of…read morepeople that I've hiked with a few times. I would say overall the hike is moderate level only because of the distance and there are times that you're walking through sand, which makes it a little harder. There are some inclines so you do go up and down a couple times, but those are doable especially if you've ever hiked in the mountains with steep inclines. Out and back trail that took us 9.8 miles with scenic views of the Pacific Ocean, which was incredible. We got there early so parking was a non-issue. However, when we were leaving the lot was full, and people were parking along the roadway.

The drive into the area lets you know you're entering an absolutely gorgeous and special place…read more We haven't camped here yet, but we do have camping reservations for later this summer. Have been to the day use area a handful of times, and love it. Immersed in redwoods, it's a perfect place to enjoy reading a book, picnicking with loved ones, and learning about the days past of this former outdoor resort/gathering place. Bathrooms are simple and not stinky, so that's a win. Sometimes, there are bees aplenty, but that's nature so...deal with it and eat in your tent or van or ??

Beautiful redwood park -- calm, shaded, and perfect for a low-stress day…read more What matters: * Baby-friendly (just watch uneven ground) * Bathrooms throughout (some have showers) * Parking is limited, so go early * Tons of shade * Lots of picnic tables * BBQ allowed * Campsites available * Dog-friendly, but only in picnic areas, campground, and the main trail (not most hiking trails) * No store -- bring everything Kids can roam, older kids can bike, and it's not overly crowded. Note: Creek access is closed seasonally (until June 15), so plan around that. Pro tip: bring a waterproof picnic blanket and plan to stay -- this is an all-day kind of place. Adding photos because it was hard to picture the layout before going.