Bright sun on the rolling grass, deer and elk standing proudly on the hills, beautiful black and white cows calmly patrolling the meadows, elephant seals barking noisily, wild expanses of rough sea… This is what we were treated to during a weekend get-away at one of California’s best, Point Reyes National Seashore.
Incredible, isn't it? (And elephant seals on lower right beach)
We made this trip with my older son, who was about 19 months old at the time. It is a magnificent place for children to explore but is by no means a children’s destination. It is raw nature and beauty that anyone will love.
Where exactly it is...and Tomales Bay is the skinny body of water between Point Reyes and Marin County
The drive was 2 hours from our house in Sacramento. That’s about the limit of sane driving with a toddler. We rented a small house overlooking Tomales Bay with my father and stepmother.
I believe that renting a house when traveling with kids is the best choice. The house gave us the freedom to do what we wanted without worrying about other guests. The space outside was lovely– we played ball and walked to the beach to throw rocks a couple time a day.
Like many houses on the coast of California, this one was rustic and had floor-to-ceiling windows to take full advantage of the view.
Overlooking Tomales Bay
A kitchen is a must when vacationing with children. My dad prepared pancakes for breakfast just as he would at home– it was easier and cheaper than going out and made my son happy.
A view of Tomales Bay in the backyard
The peninsula is a lot larger than one might imagine. Our first stop was one of the peninsula’s rugged beaches.
A wild and beautiful beach on the Point Reyes peninsula
I probably don’t need to tell you how excited my son was about being on the beach for the first time.
My son and his grandparents
Because the peninsula is so large, we had to come back to explore further and visit the lighthouse. The weather on the coast of California is notoriously moody. We got a bit unlucky because it was an unusually windy day… and here that means there was some serious wind! But at least we had all sun and no dense fog, which is so common here in the summer.
Hold on!
But who cares about the wind when you get views like these?
Point Reyes Lighthouse
A view of the Pacific
Winter and early spring in California is whale-watching time. We were there at the very end of the migration season. We looked and looked but saw none. Maybe next time…
This lighthouse, on the tip of the peninsula jutting way out into the sea, seems like a crazy place to work. It was built in 1870 and used for more than 100 years. Heavy fog in this area means visibility can dip to little more than one hundred feet, so it was a dangerous place for ships going to and from San Francisco.
Two deer checking us out
Here it's harder to see them as they ran away. What a place to live!
A view from the car. I could have driven around there all day. So gorgeous.
The pure beauty of this place reminds me of why I love living in California. And the ease of taking our son along reminds me of why I love traveling with my kids.
Have you been to Point Reyes National Seashore? If so, what was your experience like?
What places do you love for their have wild, rugged nature?
(Photo credits: all the photos are mine except the first two, which are from Wikimedia Commons).
What a wonderful post, Jenna! We also had a fantastic getaway in Point Reyes (camping with our airstream in Olema). The restaurants in Point Reyes Station are great, the museum & surrounding hikes were a treat, and the beaches were spellbinding. Loved thinking about Sir Francis Drake landing there!
http://www.nps.gov/pore/historyculture/collections.htm
We can’t wait to go back – and your post is very inspiring!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the link to the story. I will definitely check it out. The coast of CA has so much history that most of us are not aware of!
Beautiful and geologically/geographically very interesting…with the fault line running right through it.
I should have mentioned the fault line. I wanted to do the hike that goes over/on the fault line but ran out of time. I will do it when I return there next time.
What a great getaway. Looks like your cottage was in a perfect location to enjoy the views and the area. Nice to see your family in the photos, too!
Thanks, Cathy. Yes, the cottage was in a great location. Hard not to be in such a beautiful area!
Yes I have been to Point Reyes and the lighthouse! We spent a wonderful day touring all around. You had amazing weather- clear beautiful sun is hard to come by during the summer. I find the coast/beaches in Northern CA to be VERY cold but scenic.
We were actually there in early spring, so that is why we had sunny (but windy!) days. Sorry if my mention of the fog above was confusing. I have not explored a lot of the northern coast but have heard the same– cold but very beautiful!
I love the rustic getaways with floor to ceiling windows and great views. Somehow even a short get away feels much longer – and what a beautiful area. I’ve only spent a few hours there but obviously need to go back.
You have a very cute son too BTW.
Thanks, Leigh. There is quite a lot to do there, so even though we had 3 days, I left feeling like I need to return and explore more.
I always find ocean/sea shots especially captivating!
I haven’t been to Point Reyes but would love to go, the views of the coast look incredible!
Never been north of San Francisco (in California, that is), but this looks so windy and rough and simply gorgeous. Your son looks adorable!
Thanks, Sophie. I haven’t explored all the coast of Northern California, but I have heard that it is rough, wild, and really beautiful.
Hi Jenna! These pictures are sooo beautiful. I was looking at them with my two kids. I wish I could go there someday! I was one of your students in CRC.
Thank you, Shakeela. I’m glad you liked them. See you at CRC!
So beautiful Jenna! I love the color of the sea and the raw beauty of the landscape. It reminds me a bit of the Monterey ocean, although the coastline is far, far different. What a lovely idea to rent a cottage too…very English.
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I hadn’t thought of it being English, but I like that
The landscape is beautiful on this part of CA’s coast. In fact, I wish I were there now!