The Great Escape: Day Trip to Point Reyes

It has been so hot this past week. As I write this, it’s nearly 6 p.m. and still 100 degrees outside. It’s sweltering. Any mom of little kids knows how well kids do in the heat, even if they get to spend all day at a pool – they do terribly. So if you can get a break from crying fits and sunstroke, take a day trip to a place that is colder.

Point Reyes National Shoreline is consistently 20 degrees cooler than it is in the sweatier parts of the East Bay. For example, highs this week average 74 degrees. Only 74! It’s practically arctic!

Point Reyes is a drive, but its scenery is well worth the trip. In three short hours there, visitors can get in quite a bit of the park.

The website for Point Reyes, http://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htm, recommends a day trip to the Lighthouse, which is about a 45-minute drive from the main center, the Bear Valley Visitor Center.

Another beautiful drive from the Visitor Center, about 35 minutes past it, is the Pierce Point Ranch and Tule Elk Reserve.

The best time to watch the elk is during the fall rutting season, but they can be seen year-round.

One of the fascinating things to do at Point Reyes is to explore tidepools. To minimize travel time, try Duxbury Reef, which is a 25-minute drive from the Visitor Center and then just a five-minute walk.

If you enjoy looking for creatures such as sea lettuce and purple urchin, get out to the tide pools. Just make sure to check the tide tables before you leave, dress for wind and cold water (yay!) and wear shoes with a lot of traction that can get wet. Bring an extra pair of socks just in case, too.

Don’t forget to walk gently among the life in the tide pools. Don’t pry animals off rocks or disturb their living environment. Always replace what you move, and remember to take pictures!