Five of the Best Places to Visit in Point Reyes
Point Reyes is home to some of the most beautiful views in Northern California. The Cypress Tree Tunnel, a view of the ocean that seems to go on forever, and even tons of flowers blooming in the spring. Whether it's enveloped in thick fog or sunny like in the pictures below, Point Reyes never ceases to amaze me.
I had the pleasure of working with Jaeyoung and Youngsoo for a half-day engagement session on my last trip to Point Reyes. These two had been living in Australia until Youngsoo had travelled to different spots within the US for work and school. Jaeyoung got to join Youngsoo in San Francisco before she headed back to Australia to prep for their wedding (Side note: They have the coolest wedding hashtag - #jaeyoungsoo). It was an honor to show them some of my favorite spots in Point Reyes, and now I would love to share those spots with you.
Let me start by saying that Point Reyes is quite the drive out. While it's easy to route to Point Reyes Station, be sure to remember that the Point Reyes lighthouse is the farthest destination along Sir Francis Drake Blvd and can be up to an hour past the town.
Here are five of my favorite spots for a half-day trip:
1. The Point Reyes Shipwreck
This ship is actually located in the town of Inverness, right next to the Saltwater Oyster Depot. I had driven through the town several times before someone pointed me towards the abandoned ship right off the road. It's a super easy stop, and I would definitely recommend taking 10 minutes to walk down and check it out!
2. The Cypress Tree Tunnel
This is one of the most iconic spots in Point Reyes. This is one of the first stops I make along the drive, and it's worth the stop. It's right along Sir Francis Drake Blvd, so I recommend finding parking along the street to take advantage of this gorgeous tunnel of trees.
3. Point Reyes National Seashore Overlook & Trail to Point Reyes Lighthouse
If you drive all the way to the Point Reyes lighthouse, the views are breathtaking. If we can't find parking in the front lot, I normally try to park along the street and walk up. If you head straight towards the lighthouse, there's a small detour you can take to walk down and get a wonderful view of the National Seashore overlook. The ocean view looks like it goes on for miles. From there, you can follow the trail up to the lighthouse under a canopy of trees. Be aware though, the stairs to the lighthouse are only open on Fridays through Mondays until about 4:30 (depending on the season!). We came a little bit too late to make it down to the lighthouse!
4. Chimney Rock Trail
Chimney Rock is a 1.75 mile hike out to some beautiful oceanic views on the top of cliffs. If you come in spring, there are also some killer flowers along the way! If you're on your way to the lighthouse, you'll take a left onto Chimney Rock Rd and it's a short drive to a parking lot where you can start the hike. The trail is fairly easy with a little bit of uphill, but if you want a short hike, add this to your list!
5. Point Reyes National Seashore
The Point Reyes seashore is one of my favorite beaches ever. If you can spare a sunset, it's definitely worth staying late. This water isn't great for swimming since the waves can be pretty strong, but the views are totally worth it. Have a picnic or just play in the waves until the sun goes down!
If you want more information on my engagement half-day sessions (like the one above), please email me for more info! Feel free to comment your favorite spots in Point Reyes below!