Point Reyes National Seashore

The Point Reyes National Seashore is an hour’s drive northwest of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway and is maintained by the National Park Service.

The national seashore is actually a peninsula, the Point Reyes Peninsula, which is separated from the mainland by Tomales Bay. The bay is about 15 miles (24 km) long and was formed because it is part of the San Andreas Fault, which runs through California.

Our Pick of the California Guides

Where is the Point Reyes National Seashore?

The Point Reyes National Seashore is in Marin County, California, about an hour’s drive northwest from San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge and along the Pacific Coast Highway. You go through Stinson Beach and eventually reach the tiny community of Olema, where you’ll find the Visitor Center for Point Reyes.

Google Map showing Point Reyes National Seashore

Map (c) Google Maps

How Big is the Point Reyes National Seashore?

The Point Reyes National Seashore covers an area of 71,028 acres, or 111 square miles (287 sq kms). It has 100 miles (161 kms) of shoreline. It was created in 1962 and is designated as both a national seashore and a park preserve, and is maintained by the National Park Service.

Point Reyes Lighthouse

What to Do at the Point Reyes National Seashore

The seashore has beaches that have been voted the cleanest in California. There are plenty of trails, so get yourself a good map or get information at the Visitor Center. There are estuaries, headlands with dramatic views, a lighthouse, a lifeboat station, and uplands too – it isn’t all at sea level! The highest point is Mount Wittenberg, which is 1,407 feet (429 meters) high.

Kule Loklo

Close to the Visitor Center you can visit Kule Loklo, which is a recreated Coast Miwok village, the Coast Miwok being the indigenous people who originally lived around Point Reyes, in Marin County, and in Sonoma County.

Wildlife at the Point Reyes National Seashore

If you like wildlife you’ll love Point Reyes, especially if you’re a keen birdwatcher. In all, some 45% of all bird species in the whole of North America have been seen at the Point Reyes National Seashore. At the northern end of the peninsula is a reserve of tule elk, a species of elk that is only found in California. You can also see seals, elephant seals, and see whales offshore when they are migrating.

Best Time to Visit Point Reyes National Seashore

You can visit Point Reyes all year round, but spring is a good time to see the best of the wild flowers. Most rain falls from November to April, with the summers fairly dry. From June to October the average maximum temperature is in the 70s (over 21C), while in winter it can fall to near freezing.

Where to Stay at Point Reyes?

There’s accommodation and eating places in Olema, and a few miles further north in the little town of Point Reyes Station, which is the gateway to the peninsula. On the peninsula itself, the town of Inverness also has accommodation and places to eat. There are also four campgrounds in the park which you need to book in advance, and the Hi Point Reyes Hostel.

More Information

Visit the official National Park Service website for the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Other California coast pages

Best Time to Visit Mendocino
PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Mendocino, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
Monterey, on the Pacific Coast Highway in California
Monterey in California is off the Pacific Coast Highway and home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Monterey State Historic Park.
Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway
Unique Inns on the Pacific Coast Highway include some of the best independently-owned boutique hotels, spas, and lodges in California, Oregon and Washington.
Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove is a small city on the California coast, next to Monterey and close to Carmel, with attractions including its historic Victorian houses.
Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo
The Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo is a romantic, historic guesthouse on the Mendocino California coast, on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Mendocino
Mendocino in Mendocino County is a small but pretty California coastal town, popular with artists and with travelers. It has featured in many songs and movies.
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica in California is famous for its pier, and beaches, and is one of the best west coast vacation spots, with hotels, restaurants, surfing, museums.
Santa Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, or Catalina Island, is off the shore of Southern California and reachable from Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach, and Dana Point.
Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay is a small California coastal town on the borders of Marin County and Sonoma County, and the filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds.
Morro Bay
Morro Bay is a delightful small town on the California coast roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and noted for the huge Morro Rock.
Santa Cruz Downtown Wine Tastings
There are plenty of Santa Cruz downtown wine tastings including Beauregard Vineyards,Storrs Winery and Pelican Ranch Winery,all with tasting rooms.
San Simeon
San Simeon is a tiny town of a few hundred people close to Hearst Castle on the California coast midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Eureka Inns
Of all Eureka inns, The Carter House Inns are the most romantic and historic, with one of the best restaurants in Northern California.
California Coast Guide
One of the best California coast guides is the California Coastal Access Guide, describing the coast’s beaches, National Parks, State Parks, with many maps.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz on the Pacific Coast Highway in California has its famous boardwalk, beaches, wine tastings, Surfing Museum, Mission, and Marine Discovery Center.
La Jolla, in southern California
La Jolla in southern California is north of San Diego off the Pacific Coast Highway and has museums, restaurants, hotels, beaches, and the Birch Aquarium.
Encinitas
Encinitas is a beach city in Southern California, famous for surfing, and regularly chosen as one of the best places to live in both California and the USA.
Vagabond's House Inn
Historic and romantic Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Carmel is a great place to stay with free wine and cheese and generous breakfast.
Free Things to do on the Pacific Coast Highway
There are lots of free things to do on the Pacific Coast Highway and here's our list of ten of them including wildlife, the best free views, and free museums.
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier is just off the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica near Los Angeles, with an amusement park, an aquarium and many other attractions.
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo in California is half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on the Pacific Coast Highway and with lots of things to do and see.
Best Beaches in California
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's list of the best beaches in California with beaches in Santa Monica, Big Sur, Malibu, Carmel, Cambria, La Jolla and Coronado.
Santa Barbara
Standing on the Pacific Coast Highway in California, Santa Barbara is an attractive resort with a historic downtown, sandy beaches, a mission, and good museums.
Coastal California Guidebook
Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.
Visiting Hearst Castle
This Visiting Hearst Castle page gives all the practicalities including location, types of tour, length of tours, how long to allow, and much more information.