Activities
One of the great benefits of Cottages at Point Reyes Seashore is the setting. The 15 wooded acres of our retreat lodging offer on-site activities for everyone: hiking the valley's trails, playing tennis, swimming in the pool, soaking in the hot tub, playing horseshoes, basketball, bird watching ... or a barbecue! We also encourage you to meet new friends who share your love of nature and explore the 75,000 acre Point Reyes National Seashore with its rugged coastline, miles of sandy beaches, pastoral grasslands and forested ridges.!
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
You don't need to get into a car to find beautiful and serene nature walks. On our property our guests can walk the back nature trail following the creek valley to a private back meadow with places to sit and contemplate nature. You can also wander off to Chicken Ranch Beach and Shell Beach on Tomales Bay. From the entrance to Shell Beach you can take a beautiful hiking trail through Tomales State Park to Heart's Desire Beach.
BIRD WATCHING
Birders enjoy the diverse avian fauna in our valley in addition to the well-known birding spots nearby. Point Reyes National Seashore offers some of the finest bird watching in the United States. More than 70,000 acres of habitat harbor an incredible variety of bird life. Nearly 490 avian species have been observed in the park and on adjacent waters. Our valley is home to more than 65 bird species, including a family of ospreys that nest in plain view -- returning every year. Spend some quiet time birding here and you may add to our bird list!
For a great bird and animal watching experience, contact Point Reyes Safaris.
BICYCLINGPoint Reyes National Seashore provides a variety of on- and off-road biking opportunities traversing diverse habitats and terrains. You can bike the roads or explore trails through evergreen forests, coastal scrub, or along estuaries and beach bluffs. Here is a gravel biking video of Inverness ridge.
WHALE WATCHING
Engaging in the longest migration of any mammal, the California gray whale swims 16,000 kilometres (10,000 miles) each year, spending about one third of its life migrating from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska, to the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California. The areas around Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse offer some of the best whale watching spots in the park.
ELEPHANT SEALS
After being absent for more than 150 years, elephant seals returned to the sandy Point Reyes Headlands in the early 1970s. In 1981, the first breeding pair was discovered near Chimney Rock. Since then, researchers have found that the colony is growing at a dramatic annual average rate of 16 percent. From the Overlook you can witness the fascinating behavior of these animals, including male dominance contests, birthing of pups and the interactions of mothers and pups. You will hear the distinctive vocalizations of females, pups and the powerful trumpeting of the adult males (bulls) which can be heard for over a mile.
HORSE BACK RIDING
Horses and other pack animals are permitted on most established trails and beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore.
KAYAKING
Tomales Bay is the largest "unspoiled" watershed and wetlands on the California coastline. Kayak rentals and classes are available at Blue Waters Kayaking at www.bluewaterskayaking.com (415-669-2600).