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karenincalifornia Says: Oysters don't get any fresher than buying them just as they are harvested from Tomales Bay. The San Francisco Chronicle named the Hog Island Sweetwater the "Best American Oyster" in a blind taste test and the aquaculture operation received the Award of Excellence for Animal...
Things to do at Point Reyes National Seashore
karenincalifornia Says: The link below will take you to descriptions of many activities at Point Reyes.Things to do:BackpackingCampingBird WatchingHorseback ridingKayakingBicyclingWild life viewing
karenincalifornia Says: A great beach to visit is Limantour Beach. This is a wide sandy beach with the very soft silky sand - perfect for building sand castles. Unlike some of the beaches that require a long walk from the parking, this one is relatively close. It gets a bit more people for that...
Hike along the Tomales Point Trail
karenincalifornia Says: On a clear day, this trail is one of Marin County's most beatiful trails. I've done the hike both on a clear day and a foggy day, and I highly recommend doing it only a clear day. On a foggy day, it is hard to appreciate the fact that you are near the edge of a bluff that...
karenincalifornia Says: Abbot's Lagoon is another fun beach along the Point Reyes National Seashore. After walking along a flat one mile trail from the parking lot, you will reach the beach and its large sand dunes.West Marin was a center for rum running from Prohibiton days up til the 1990s. There...
karenincalifornia Says: My favorite beach along the Point Reyes National Seashore is McClure's Beach. It is at the end of the road leading to Tomales Point, and you have to hike 1/2 mile to get down to the beach. Because of its remote location, on any given day, very few people are here. The beach...
Tidepooling at McClure's Beach
karenincalifornia Says: McClure's beach has one of the best spots for tidepooling. The best tidepooling is at low low tide - when there is a new or full moon and early in the morning or late afternoon. The rocks at McClure's are loaded with starfish, sea anemones, mussels and crabs. During low...
karenincalifornia Says: The Bolina Ridge bike trail is an 11 mile trail (one way) of medium difficulty giving you breathtaking views of Olema Valley and Tomales Bay. The road follows ranch roads through pasture land in parts, and you are expected to close the gates after you ride through...
karenincalifornia Says: Tomales Bay is 15 miles long and relatively calm (although rarely totally placid), which makes it a perfect spot for sea kayaking. The only place you can rent kayaks on Tomales Point is Blue Waters Kayaking at Inverness.In addition to rentals, Blue Waters will take you on...
Roundstone Farm Bed and Breakfast Inn
28 Opinions
28 Opinions
Bear Valley Visitor's Center: Picnic Lunch
karenincalifornia Says: Pack your own lunch and head over to the Bear Valley Visitor's Center just outside Olema. The Visitor's Center has a beautiful, spacious picnic ground. Even on a Saturday at noon, we had no trouble getting a table. You can pick up lunch at the small market and deli in Olema...
karenincalifornia Says: This restaurant is masterful at preparing local cuisine. They are extremely creative with dungenous crab, rabbit, duck, salads and vegetarian dishes. If you like oysters, this is the place to come. They serve the oysters with a choice of 8 different toppings that are highly...
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Stop by for a beer or glass of wine and BBQ oysters.
Pretty darn good food, too.
Dress Code: Really, really casual -- this is an excellent place to stop by after hiking, bicycling or spending the day at the beach.
Updated Dec 7, 2003
Address: Olema
Phone: 415-663-1264
Website: www.olemafarmhouse.com
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You really should have a car when you visit Olema, otherwise you'll be challenged to reach some of our most beautiful (and thus remote) locations. There is a private bus that will reach some destinations - the West Marin Stagecoach. It runs from inverness, through Olema, all the way to Fairfax and San Anselmo.
The Stagecoach will give you access to several activities, and you can even hop on down to Fairfax for grocery shopping, or San Anselmo for antique hunting.
There are only 4 runs each way each day. No late night runs. It will also feeds into Golden Gate Transit in Fairfax and San Anselmo, which will give you access to other parts of Marin County and San Francisco.
Updated Apr 4, 2011
Phone: 415-526-3239
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Olema is so tiny that I was able to capture half of the town center in this picture. If I had turned around and taken another shot, I would have gotten a picture of the other two buildings in this booming metropolis. All kidding aside, the smallness of this town is what makes it a great base for seashore activities. A place to stay, a couple of restaurants, a general store -- what more can you need?
What to buy: This is the only place in Olema to pick up snacks, a picnic lunch and drinks before heading out to Point Reyes National Seashore.
Written Feb 8, 2004
Address: Next to the Olema Farmhouse
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Dangerous Beaches!
They are beautiful, but don't swim in them. These beaches are notorious for their sneaker waves and riptides. Drownings and shark attacks have occurred all along the Northern California Pacific beaches.
The ocean looks deceptively inviting, but don't be tempted. Even strong swimmers should heed this warning.
If you must take a dip in the sea, go to Heart's Desire Beach on the Tomales Bay side. The water is safe, even for small children, but this is not my favorite beach. Heart's Desire Beach gets crowded and does not have the dramatic scenery of the Pacific side beaches.
Updated Feb 9, 2004
karenincalifornia Says: Tomales Bay is a protected area, so those obnoxious personal water craft and jetskis are not permitted. Kayaking and sailboating, however, are both allowed. If you happen to have your own boat, there are a couple of places where you can launch the boat - Heart's Desire Beach...
karenincalifornia Says: Some of the mountain bike trails in the area are easements over ranch lands. You'll need to share the road with the cattle along the way.
Tomales Bay - Safe for Swimming
karenincalifornia Says: If you've got a real burning desire to swim in the sea in Marin County, Tomales Bay is the place to do that. The water is safe, unlike the Pacific side beaches (see my Warnings and Danger tip). However, I really don't know why anyone would want to swim in this water - it is...
karenincalifornia Says: This cocky sea gull decided he needed to be included in my picture just as I was looking for the perfect photo op on Tomales Bay.Point Reyes is a popular spot for bird watching and you should see more interesting birds than this ordinary sea gull.
Tomales Bay - Major Earthquake Zone
karenincalifornia Says: Tomales Bay is the long bay that separates Tomales Point from the mainland. The San Andreas Fault runs directly underneath the length of the bay - the Bay was actually created by earthquakes along the fault.
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Olema - Doorway to Point Reyes National Seashore
Olema, at the entrance of Point Reyes National Seashore, is 20 minutes from my home in San Rafael, California. Point Reyes is unspoiled, untamed and unsurpassed in natural beauty. Hiking trails are...
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