Muir Beach feels like the California people imagine, but quieter and more honest…read more Instead of a crowded boardwalk or lines of shops, you come down a winding road through coastal hills and suddenly the land just opens up. The ocean isn't bright blue like postcards, it's deep gray-green, powerful, and constantly moving. The waves don't gently roll in... they crash. You feel it in your chest before you even step on the sand. The sand is darker and softer than most beaches, almost cool even in the sun. Behind you are tall grasses and weathered driftwood, not hotels. In front of you is nothing but horizon. There's a small creek cutting through the beach and a wooden bridge crossing it, which somehow makes the whole place feel more like a nature preserve than a tourist stop. People aren't blasting music or playing volleyball, they're walking, breathing, taking pictures, or just sitting quietly watching the water. If you want a loud beach day, this isn't it. If you want to slow down and actually feel the ocean, this is one of the most peaceful places near San Francisco.

I love this beach! It's always peaceful, clean, and beautiful especially on a sunny day. There are…read morealso some great hiking trails that will get the heart pumping.

Gorgeous pristine beach with fine sand. You can walk for miles and see great sea life, birds, and…read morespectacular views.

My first time visiting Limantour beach this past weekend and loved it! I was with my boys scout…read moretroop and we practically had the whole beach to ourselves on Saturday afternoon! Beautiful day where it wasn't too cold or too hot. Our camp ground was walking distance to this beach. We saw deers and lots sea gulls. There were mussel shells and crab shells in the beach. We came back in the evening to catch the beautiful sunset and had a campfire. Overall, I would come back and bring my own chair and just enjoyed the view!

Wow--absolutely spectacular, magical, and truly epic!…read more Alamere Falls is one of the most breathtaking hidden gems along the California coast, tucked inside Point Reyes National Seashore. What makes it so special is that it's a rare "tidefall," where the waterfall flows directly into the ocean--something you can only see in a couple of places in California, including McWay Falls. Watching the water cascade over the rugged shale cliffs onto the beach below is simply unforgettable. The surrounding landscape feels wild and untouched, adding to the sense of adventure. Upstream, the smaller cascades create a beautiful lead-up to the main falls, making the entire hike feel like a journey through nature's artwork. This spot is not just a destination--it's an experience. From the scenic hike to the dramatic ocean views, every moment feels rewarding. If you're looking for something unique, peaceful, and awe-inspiring, Alamere Falls absolutely delivers.

People who have never been to Oregon will tell you that this is one of only two tidefalls (a…read morewaterfall that flows into the ocean) on the entire West Coast. People who believe AllTrails will tell you that this is one of only two tidefalls in California. (If you use Alltrails, you aren't allowed to hike with me, by the way.) Neither of these statements are anywhere close to true. As a matter of fact, there are at least two tidefalls on this one beach, and there are many more in areas that are not easily accessible to the public. Tidefalls are common along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and Canada. There are several tall tidefalls in Cape Perpetua alone. That being said, Alamere Falls might be the biggest, prettiest publicly accessible tidefall in Northern California. I recently hiked Alamere Falls for the first time in nearly ten years, and I couldn't believe how much had seemed to change. First of all, the road to the Palomarin trail was hell in a compact vehicle. Even going like two miles per hour, I got a little motion sickness from the thousands of deep potholes. The road is so bad that it almost seems beyond repair. At this point, it's probably only suitable for high clearance vehicles, although I did not notice any signs warning of such. Secondly, I'm pretty sure I was the only sober person on the trail. The vibes were so, so weird. Consider packing your (legal) weapon of choice. Thirdly, I was certainly the only person to take the 'legal' trail down, although I gained some new perspective on this. While the trail that I took is ostensibly the trail recommended by NPS, one does have to wonder why it is so overgrown. It feels like, "Obviously, no one ever really hikes this trail," because it's nowhere near clear or well-trodden. Certain areas of the trail were so overgrown that it was impossible to see my feet, and difficult to find my footing. These areas were chalk full of poison oak, stinging nettle, poison hemlock, and a wide variety of (harmless) snakes. By contrast, much of the "social" trail was four feet wide, flat, and clear. Which made me wonder-- which trail is really safer? The cliffs at the end of the social trail are constantly crumbling. The risk of falling, breaking a leg, or at least spraining an ankle, seems high. But by contrast, the risk of spraining an ankle on the recommended trail seems high, too. And the stinging nettle hurt a lot, but only for a few hours. My personal recommendation is to take the recommended trail, but wear solid boots, long pants, and tall, colorful socks. Tuck your pants into your socks, or wear gaiters. Use permethrin or your tick repellant of choice. While the official Palomarin Trail may be very long and difficult, it's also worth the trouble. The ocean views and wildlife were unbelievable. I actually saw a mother deer nursing two spotted fawns in the middle of the trail. On the beach, I found agates, fossils, shells, giant bull kelp, snowy plovers, and lots of by-the-wind-sailors jellyfish in multiple stages of life and decomposition. The waterfall itself is pretty-- but make sure to check the tide!! I never do, and I almost always get stranded. The first time I ever hiked this trail, I actually had to climb up a cliff in terror and wait 3 hours for the tide to recede. But that doesn't need to happen to you if you remember to check the tide before you come out, while you still have service.

Great for Dungeness and Rock crab…read more Camping and RV's Store on the site for bait, snacks, coffee, etc. It's recommended to come early like before 8 a.m., or you'll need to pay $15 to drive in. Plenty of restrooms throughout the park.

Went here because it is touted as an off leash beach, dog friendly etc…read more First of all the $15 parking fee is outrageous. Lots of beautiful sand marred by piles of dog poop. Most dogs on leash and aggressive. So disappointed. The best part of the drive was the amazing elephant rocks right off of the road.

I love coming to this beach! It's an off-leash spot, so there are always plenty of dogs running…read morearound and having the best time. Every dog I've seen here has been super friendly and well-behaved, which makes the whole vibe really rewarding and fun. A lot of dogs get in the water, and sometimes people do too -- it's a great mix of energy whether you're here for a walk, to sunbathe, or just to hang out and enjoy the view. Parking is convenient -- there's one-hour complimentary parking at the top of the hill. From there, it's just a short walk down a few steps to get to the sand (though it's worth noting that it's not wheelchair accessible). The beach has two areas: to the left is the main stretch, and to the right there's another section you get to by a different set of stairs. That side isn't very big, but it's a really pleasant area if you want to relax in the sun or enjoy a quieter spot. Overall, such a fun and relaxing place to visit, especially if you love being around dogs enjoying the beach life as much as people do.

Curiosity led me to Che k-out this charming, isolated beach that attracts family's w/dogs but not…read moreterribly family friendly if that's of interest. I do recommend checking this spot out but be aware parking is very limited. It's a residential community w/this tiny cute beach playground.

There is a windy, curvy road to get to Stinson Beach. Along the way are Muir overlook, and others…read morestopping points with gorgeous views some with pathways down to the beach. There are well maintained public restrooms. Parking does get crowded past noon on a weekend. Weather in May is perfect, warm enough for swim wear, shorts and tank however not scorching hot. Super pet and little children friendly. There are also lots of markets, eateries to pack some savory food to go for a picnic on the beach.

This beach has been on my bucket list for "25"/"26" I finally made it & it ws gorgeous. The views…read morewere amazing as I drove along the windy roads to reach this destination. I passed all the shops, storefronts and rental places on my way. I was so excited once I arrived I couldn't help but take a few photos. There's plenty of near by parking, accessible bathrooms, and BBQ pits for barbecuing. I'm so glad I decided to come this day.

Beautiful hidden gem needs more parking.Has a restroom and a Taco Bell which is convenient.read more

Great beach! Please note that this is a NUDE beach. (If you're not down with that, I'd recommend…read moregoing to Stinson Beach) People are super friendly though, and I felt comfortable even though I went by myself. I didn't feel self conscious after striping down as everyone else was naked or partially naked. It is a bit of a hike to get from the small parking lots on the sides of Highway 1 down to the beach.

In my book, Drake's Beach is one of the most special beaches in the world…read more On a personal level, I think this is the first beach I ever brought my daughter to. And, even after enduring the long three hour drive each way, she asked to come back many, many times. The first time we came here, it was to see the tidepools, which are about half a mile down the beach. To be real, these aren't the best tide pools in the area, but they are probably the least crowded. A few weeks later, I came back to hike alone. At sunset, as I was walking back to my car, I noticed that the beach was covered in huge black rocks that I hadn't noticed on my way out. I thought, "That's weird." Then, as I was walking right next to one of the rocks, it made a loud noise, and charged at me. That's how I found out what an elephant seal is. I must have come during mating season, because this was definitely a huge male alpha seal. I screamed, and ran away from the creature, having no idea (at the time) what it was. Fast forward to this week (after I've read an entire book on elephant seals), and there are no male seals on the beach. It turns out that they swim to Alaska twice a year, and only come back to this beach to mate and molt. Currently, as I write this in mid-May, the same area of beach is covered in pups which have been recently weaned by their mothers. They are molting and getting ready for their first big swim, where many of them will become food for great white sharks. The ones that are lucky enough to survive are likely to eventually return to this same beach to mate and molt. Aside from the tidepools and elephant seals, Drake's Beach is the best place that I know of to see the famous cliffs of Point Reyes from down below. (To see the cliffs and seals from above, take the Chimney Rock trail.) The cliffs are pretty much always crumbling. Every time I visit this beach, I see small rocks falling from the cliffs. This is a great place to teach children about erosion and the danger of hiking too close to the tops of cliffs. Swimming at Drake's Beach is not a good idea. In addition to the aforementioned great white sharks that live in the area, there are also occasional rip tides. People have been swept out to sea from this beach, so it's not a good idea to turn your back on the water. But if you walk carefully along the shoreline, you might observe live purple fuzzy sand dollars, bright blue velella velella, clear gobs of jellyfish, or all kinds of other things. In good weather, you can build sand castles, or even participate in the Annual Sand Sculpture Contest at Drake's Beach, which typically occurs in late summer. There is a visitor center and store at Drake's Beach (named after Ken C. Patrick, the first NPS Ranger ever killed in the line of duty), but they have very limited hours-- typically only a few hours on weekends. Since I tend to visit outside of peak hours, I've never been inside the store (yet). This beach is on the opposite side of the Point Reyes peninsula from North Beach and South Beach. Theoretically, on a clear day with good binoculars, you might be able to see Alamere Falls to the southeast.

What a beautiful day to go to the beach and have our lunch there while looking at the ocean…read more It wasn't too busy with tourists, which was nice. They had plenty of parking. There tables with benches if you want to have a meal outside. There is also a visitor center and a store. They have very nice public restrooms there as well. The sun was out and it was nice and cool. The visitors center was very informative. The Point Reyes National Association Beach store had snacks and cold beverages, as well as some nice souvenirs. We each bought a hat and I got a cute little stuffy of an elk. They have a lot of wild elk in the area. We had a very nice relaxing time at the beach.

I am heavier and less active. I have arthritis in my knees and 2 repaired ACLs tears in my past…read more Stairs are my enemy. My arch nemesis. I trained for a few weeks leading up to this trip to make sure I could handle the stairs. 391 stairs counted and verified down then up. Yes, I even counted the baby stairs lol. Down was pretty easy. Up was also.... Pretty easy. I was tired. I was out of breath. My calves BURNED. My knees were shaky. My face was red as a tomato. But I did it. And it was well worth the treck.

A must-visit, but visit during the week; the parking lot is very small. There is a very steep, but…read morevery well maintained, stairs that go from the parking lot to the beach. The west part of the beach is sometimes clothing optional, so watch out for that. The sand is actually not black; it's dark gray.

This is a lovely public pool in Marin! We came for a holiday weekend and it wasn't as busy as I was…read moreexpecting. There are ample life guards and the toddler area is perfect with some toys, shared area and showers. Will be coming back! Lots of grassy areas for kids to play and then swim:)

Pro: It's an objectively lovely pool and space to hang out. The pool didn't seem to be highly…read morechlorinated like public pools tend to be. Cons: They don't allow pool toys because babies could get ahold of them and choke, and they don't allow nose clips or snorkel masks because they're a drowning hazard, both rules we've never encountered at any of the multitude of other pools we've been to. Some neurodivergent individuals and/or those who deal chronic ear infections or severe allergies may need nose clips to swim so that rule in particular seems unnecessarily restrictive. I also found nothing about nose clips being a drowning hazard when I googled it. Lastly, as we were making a snack bar purchase I watched as a customer came to talk to the staff about an issue and then when the person left to go back to their blanket, facility staff and lifeguards openly joked and laughed about it. Super uncool.