What a somewhat hidden gem! Definitely lesser traveled than a lot of other NPS places. When we…read morewent, in the beginning of July, it was cold and windy - about 55F but with windchill. I ended up buying a sweater at the visitor's center and used it during the entire trip! Our itinerary included the Bear Valley Visitors Center, Chimney Rock, Elephant Seal Overlook, Lighthouse, Drakes Beach, Cypress Tree Tunnel, then back to the Bear Valley Visitors Center. The entire trip took about 6.5 hours - it was great! The visitors center was clean, well-stocked, and informative. Bathrooms on the outside, plenty of parking. Inside there's a shop with lots of goodies including clothing, totes, stickers/pins, first aid supplies, and more typical goodies. Rangers were very friendly and informative. Lots of interactive displays as well. Chimney Rock was a quick hike. There's a bathroom and a bench or two at the trailhead. We thought the hike was pretty easy. Lots to see including wildflowers, bugs, birds, and deer! Plus, the view at the end is gorgeous, and there's a geological stamp there too. No elephant seals at the overlook, but it's not peak season, so we weren't expecting any. The lighthouse was a nice surprise! According to the website, it should have been closed on a Tuesday, but the ranger told us that summer hours are different, and it was open! We went to the small visitors center, then walked the 313 steps down to see the lighthouse. It was super windy. There are several rest points along the staircase in case folks need it. While we couldn't climb into the lighthouse, we could go inside and peak around, which was pretty cool. There was a ranger there who answered questions, and we saw some people looking for whales. Drakes Beach was gorgeous. We ended up staying for about 1.5 hours because the kids had so much fun digging in the sand and watching crabs scurry along the beach. There was barely anyone else there, so we had a huge part to ourselves. And there are a bunch of sand dollars! That was so cool to see. Most of them were cracked, but occasionally we saw some whole ones. The visitors center here was closed, but looked like it was well-stocked with unique goodies. Bathrooms were open, big, and clean. Cypress Tree Tunnel was every bit as beautiful as I've seen in photos. Quite a few people there walking the tunnel and taking photos. The boys earned their Junior Ranger badge at the end of the visit. And we got our stamps! Fun times - we'll definitely be back!

How fortunate we are to have Point Reyes National Seashore. The headquarters is fantastic- maps,…read morerecommendations, nice restrooms & plenty of free parking. Today we chose the Bear Valley hike trail. The path is wide and mostly flat and even includes a bathroom midway. As you walk you are able to hear the beautiful sounds of the babbling brook along the route. Being late Spring we were able to spot a good amount of wildflowers- buttercups, poppies, bleeding heart, foxglove and more. We encountered several equestrian's throughout our hike.

Educational with photo-ops! I came across this storefront while walking around the downtown Napa…read moreshopping plaza. I ended up picking up a handful of great souvenirs to bring back home. Checkout the topographical map of Napa Valley while you're here! There's a lot of cool info about the area near the door.

On a recent visit, I explored downtown Napa on foot and was happy to find this welcome center. They…read morehad a tasting of local wineries for free at the front, plus a large gift shop of mainly wine items and souvenirs of the area. They also have pamphlets and maps, as well as knowledgeable local guides to help you plan your visit. They also had nice restrooms, which were appreciated on a driving trip. All the staff were welcoming and friendly. I bought a few small items, but the best thing were the wine bottle shippers that came in handy when packing for home. Every bottle survived. It's worth it to stop in if you're visiting the area, especially your first time.

There is little to no cell service.... So make sure you have your map downloaded offline (or have a…read morepaper map). The elephant seals are on shore until about March every year. The visitor center is free and they offer some great programs (check the schedule) Our kids love visiting and learning about the ecosystem and the animals.

The Kenneth Patrick Visitor Center is in a spectacular setting. It's not as comprehensive as the…read moreBear Valley one with its dioramas, but it's all about the view. There is now a monument to Sir Francis Drake's voyage of discovery; Drake would eventually found the Jamestown&Roanoke settlements in Virginia, but one could say that nearby Drakes Beach is a placid New England shore. The visitor center is tucked among oyster-harvesting esteros and historic cattle ranches. One could call it surf&turf in an extreme, powerful setting. They have a good gift shop... and unlike the Bear Valley one, a coffee/tea/hot cocoa snack bar. There are several picnic tables. Though it is closed from late September to late December, it is an okay visitor center.

My husband and I went to Bodega Bay for our 22nd wedding anniversary on July 20 2018. Alfred…read moreHitchcock's "The Birds" has always been a favorite of mine. I want excited to see the film locations. We went first to the Bodega Bay Visitor Center to get the answers. There we met Emily who was taking care of the office that day. She kindly showed me all "The Birds" souvenirs in stock and mapped out all the film locations for us to visit. She spoke to us like we were old friends. We appreciated the welcoming hospitality to Bodega Bay. The Visitors Center had the most and best "The Birds" souvenirs available. Wonderful note cards with a crow, a guide book, a humorous t-shirts and tote bags showing a screen shot of The Birds film, commemorative t-shirt of the Alfred Hitchcock Film Festival held in the Bodega Bay. The center was decorated with The Birds theme was throughout, from crow bookends, framed autographed picture of Tippi Hedren and a silhouette of Alfred Hitchcock on the wall! The center is clean, inviting, warm and welcoming to the visitor. You will smile at the funny restroom sign. The Visitor Center is the best place to start if you want to know all about Bodega Bay!

Bodega Bay...close enough to be convenient, yet far enough from SF to feel like you've gone away…read more Unlike the Santa Cruz visitor center, this one actually has a small area to park your car. Since a lot of Bodega Bay now looks nothing like in the film The Birds, this is a good place to play tourist and get some free local maps and a ton of local restaurant and hotel brochures even if you have a GPS. The maps are helpful because many of the small buildings in the movie were actually sets and those that weren't sets were old wooden buildings that either rotted away or were destroyed by fire over the years. Even then, some interesting places from the film still exist today. The person who assisted me last time was really helpful and great with directions too. The visitor center is the perfect place to start a fun visit to Bodega Bay.

1 of 2 Yelp reviews. Sorry, photos posted on my Napa…read moreDowntown Review. Quality/Quantity - Always so welcoming, pun intended. And I like your new location. Large self service touch screen computers to get Napa information - Restaurants, wineries, hotels, suggested things to do, events, maps, travel information, etc. Ambiance - Cool new location, better and more centrally located. Clean restrooms. Cool decor, even a hot air balloon basket selfie station. Service - 5 stars. EVERYone was so friendly and welcoming! As our guests were shopping, I ended up making small talk and hanging out with the team. Price - Depends on what souvenirs you buy. Owner Comment - Thanks for having this consistent amazing service.

Very cute store lots of wine products, California, Napa items. Shirts, earrings, bags, coasters,…read moresome snacks. We bought a cute baby shirt that said 'I'll take the house white' and has a picture of a wine glass filled with milk :) :) The only reason I give 4, and NOT 5 stars is because I bought a box of pistachios across the street for $10, but this store sold them for $11 (same brand of course) So that let's me know they're marking things up just slightly

Love this Visitors Center!! Staff are super friendly and knowledgeable here…read more Highly recommended for you to stop by! Whether you are a first time or frequent visitor, you will be sure to pick up a few interesting facts or new coupons. Great spot and highly recommended!

Came to Sonoma for a day trip and had no plans at all. Walked over to the visitors center and met…read morewith Ruth. She was so sweet, amazing and gave such great advices! We were lucky and came when Sonoma Sips was happening! Ruth was awesome, I left with a plan and great advice! We did the tours, wine tastings and ate around town!

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 is a great little shop for Bay area souvenirs by local artists. Lots of random things from…read morecards to pins to socks to pens and even other things I can't even think of. It's a bit pricey but honestly, I'm paying for unique art that can't be found elsewhere, and to support both artists and local businesses. I've never been upset about what I buy here (mostly for myself too!) and will happily come in to buy little fun things for myself when I'm feeling down. The employees are always friendly and kind and this is a great little shop for the area.

So much good local art in here if you want a San Francisco souvenir! Lots of it is very cute and…read morehand draw or artist made, support a local artist, def a special unique item you can't find elsewhere in the generic souvenir shops. Cards, magnets, stickers, the coolest postcards with local humor of landmarks Awesome collection