One day get away: Point Reyes

Mc Clure Beach/Photo by S. WhittleAlthough as previously mentioned, we here at Style Wylde are strictly against the term "Staycation", we are not against getting out and seeing all the SF Bay Area has to offer,whether it's a day trip to the Beach, or a weekend in the mountains, there is a whole wide world of adventure out there, an as locals most of ignore it. 

We ignore it because we have jobs, houses, some have kids, clubs, just a whole lot of stuff in our lives that prevents us from taking a day off and  every once in a while.  So while the tourists are marveling at the Redwoods, or soaking up the sun at Stinson we are home, not having any fun.  ANd a life without fun, isn't really worth living, is it?  Especially when fun, in the SF Bay Area is frequently free or super affordable. 

Here at Style Wylde we are strictly pro-easy, affordable fun.  So we are start a series "One Day Vacation Getaways"  where we will explore all the forgotten fun places to go in the Bay Area and other easily reachable by car locations.

First stop, Point Reyes.

A little over an hour outside of the SF Bay Area lies Point Reyes National Seashore.  A vast park with tons of hiking, biking and horse trails on can easily get lost in the enormity of the area, so getting yourself a book of trails, or even just a good map before you go so you can plan out your activities is advised.

On our trip we didn't do that, which left us reliant on the trail markers and road signs which were either (a) invisible, or (b) purposely removed by the good people of Marin county in hopes of trapping urban sightseers in some kind of Wicker Man plan to have a human sacrafice at Spirit Rock. Ok, maybe Marinites aren't given to human sacrifice, but there was something  very odd about the removal of trail markers and signs. It was unwelcoming to say the least, and left me feeling like the 'good people of Marin' wanted to keep their pastoral paradise all to themselves.  

Once we got past getting lost, we found our way to the Point Reyes visitors welcome / information center, which is located in Olema. From the center we were able to get a good map detailing the various trails for hikers, horses, mountain bikes and cars. Of the many trails listed at varying degrees of difficulty based on inclines, length, and terrain we chose the  Drakes Estero Trail.

view from Drake's Estero/ Photo:S. WhittleListed as challenging (which was not explained to me , a total beginner before we headed out) Estero offers a double mountain bike track with  steep inclines and lots of opportunities to go racing over  hillsides, nearly wiping out, and swallowing many flying insects.  It also offers some amazing views from over the fish and wildlife reserve and out towards the Pacific Ocean complete with rare birds, and crisp breezes (even on a stifling hot August day).

After getting our adrenaline pumping on the trail, we packed the bikes up and headed over to Mc Clure beach for a picnic and a little bike-decompressing.  

After a short walk down to the beach on a well maintained path that winded through a native Elk* reserve and known mountain lion** area we found ourselves on one of the prettiest, and least populated beaches in the Bay Area. The same soft-golden sand and crashing waves as Stinson, without the crowds, Mc Clure was a definite hidden gem.

After a relaxing picnic, we headed back up the hill (dodging Elk) and climbed back into our car.  Stomaches full, and limbs slightly achy from the ride + hike we wound our day i up with a stop over at Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station,  Lots of photo ops around Tamales Bay, and a leisurely drive back to the hustle of San Francisco.  

Only an hour and a half north of the Bay Area, Point Reyes feels like a world away, and makes an excellent one-day get away.

For More information about Point Reyes, visit the official tourist site.

 *Elk? Yes, Elk are ( were) native to Point Reyes, and a protected herd resides on the land surrounding Mc Clure Beach.

**Mountain Lions? Well, we didn't see any, but many signs warned/boasted of their happy existence on some of the trails, even pointing out how to spot their tracks.  We chose not to explore the mountain lion areas, as we do have full use of our brains.