California's Best Trips 2 - Full PDF eBook

6 Point Reyes

At the very end of Sir

Francis Drake Blvd, and

jutting 10 miles out into

the Pacific, this wild tip

of land endures ferocious

winds that can make it

feel like the edge of the

world. The Point Reyes

Lighthouse (%415-669-

1534; http://www.nps.gov/pore;

hlens room 2:30-4pm

Thu-Mon, visitor center &

other chambers 10am-4:30pm

Thu-Mon) sits below the

headlands at the base

of over 300 stairs. Not

merely a beautiful beacon

site, it’s also one of the

best whale-watching

spots along the coast,

as gray whales pass

the shore during their

annual migration from

Alaska to Baja. Gray-

whale sightings tend

to peak in mid-January

and mid-March, with the

season lasting from about

January through to April.

However, the occasional

spout or spy-hop of

humpbacks and minkes

can occur year-round.

Note that on weekends

and holidays from late

December through to

mid-April, the road to

the lighthouse is closed

to private vehicles, and

visitors must take a

shuttle from Drakes

Beach.

54 p57

The Drive » Retrace Sir

Francis Drake Blvd to Hwy 1

north and through the tiny

village of Point Reyes Station.

Soon after, go right onto Point

Reyes–Petaluma Rd for 19

miles to Petaluma, stopping en

route to sample brie at Marin

French Cheese. At the railroad

crossing, go right on Lakeville St,

which becomes Hwy 116. Drive

to Arnold Dr, turn right onto

Petaluma Ave and pick up Hwy

12 north.

7 Glen Ellen

In Sonoma Valley, picnic

like a rock star at the

perpetually busy BR

Cohn (www.brcohn.com;

15000 Sonoma Hwy; tasting

$10 & applicable to purchase,

bottles $16-55; h10am-5pm),

whose founder managed

’70s superband the

Doobie Brothers before

moving on to make

outstanding organic

olive oils and fine wines

• including excellent
  cabernet sauvignon.
  In autumn, he throws
  benefit concerts, amid
  the olives, by the likes
  of Skynyrd and the
  Doobies.
  The name Little
  Vineyards (www.
  littlevineyards.com; 15188
  Sonoma Hwy; tastings $5,
  bottles $17-35; h11am-
  4:30pm Thu-Mon; c) fits
  at this family-owned
  small-scale winery. It’s
  long on atmosphere,
  with a lazy dog to greet
  you and a weathered,
  cigarette-burned tasting
  bar, which Jack London
  drank at (before it was
  moved here). The tasting
  room is good for folks
  who dislike crowds, and
  there’s good picnicking
  on the terrace with a
  vineyard view. The big
  reds include syrah, petite
  sirah, zinfandel, cab and
  several blends.

5 p57

The Drive » Double back

south on Hwy 12 and then east

on Hwy 12/121. Make your way

north on Hwy 29, exiting at

Downtown Napa/First St. Follow

the signs to the Oxbow Public

Market.

TRIP HIGHLIGHT

WILDLIFE WATCHING

Want to see marine wildlife in Marin? Here are a few

choice spots suggested by Anne Bauer, Director of

Education at the Marine Mammal Center (www.

tmmc.org).

» Point Reyes National Seashore (Chimney Rock &

Point Reyes Lighthouse) for gray whales

» Bolinas (Duxbury Reef, Bolinas Lagoon), Marin

Headlands (around Point Bonita) and Point Reyes

National Seashore (Limantour Estero) for harbor

seals

» Point Reyes National Seashore (Sea Lion

Overlook) for sea lions

NORTHERN.CALIFORNIA.

2

(^) SAN FRANCISCO, MARIN & NAPA
LOOP