Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There are tide pools along some 2 miles of coastline at Agate Beach, around the end of
Duxbury Point.
2 Mile Surf Shop
SURFING
( 415-868-0264;
www.2milesurf.com
;
22 Brighton Ave; 9am-6pm May-Oct, 10am-5pm Nov-Apr)
Surfing's popular in these parts, and this shop behind the post office rents boards and wet
suits and also gives lessons. Call 415-868-2412 for the surf report.
Hiking
Beyond the observatory is the Palomarin parking lot and access to various
walking trails
in the southern part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, including the easy (and popular)
3-mile trail to lovely
Bass Lake
. A sweet inland spot buffered by tall trees, this small lake
is perfect for a pastoral swim on a toasty day. You can dive in wearing your birthday suit
(or not), bring an inner tube to float about, or do a long lap all the way across.
If you continue 1.5 miles northwest, you'll reach the unmaintained trail to
Alamere
Falls
, a fantastic flume plunging 50ft off a cliff and down to the beach. But sketchy beach
access makes it more enjoyable to walk another 1.5 miles to
Wildcat Beach
and then
backtrack a mile on sand.
Sleeping & Eating
Smiley's Schooner Saloon & Hotel
MOTEL
( 415-868-1311;
www.smileyssaloon.com
;
41 Wharf Rd; r $104-124; )
A crusty old place dating back to 1851, Smiley's has simple but decent rooms, and last-
minute weekday rates can be a bargain. The bar, which serves some food, has live bands
Thursday through Saturday and is frequented by plenty of salty dogs and grizzled dead-
heads.
Bolinas People's Store
CAFE, MARKET
(14 Wharf Rd; 8:30am-6:30pm; )
An awesome little co-op grocery store hidden behind the community center, the People's
Store serves Fair Trade coffee and sells organic produce, fresh soup and excellent tamales.
