North Beach

North Beach is one of the few dog-friendly places in Point Reyes. However, as it stretches on for miles, you can still get in quite the hike with your four-legged best friend. It’s also the place where you’ll most likely witness very high surf, and it’s perfect for stargazing, as the lights of San Francisco and Oakland don’t pollute the sky here as they do in the Bay.

To get to North Beach, simply follow the signs from Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and go to the end of the road that winds through the dunes. Park at the large parking lot right next to the beach. There’s a bathroom with flushing toilets in a large wooden structure and a shower outside the building.

North Beach is sometimes visited by surfers and, depending on how high the surf is that day, it can, occasionally, be a good place for beginners. However, as the surf gets high and rough pretty often, caution is advised.

At certain times of the year, the beach is closed off in the north for snowy plover nesting season. Please note that even though dogs are allowed on the beach, they must be on leash at all times without exception. No matter how well-behaved they are, every year, there are casualties in the form of snowy plover chicks being killed by a dog, and there has even been an incident of a dog attacking a seal pup.

Walking on the beach to the south, there’s a structure built from driftwood that kids and adults alike can play in and enjoy. People add to it or build around it; there have been a little house with an improvised clothes rack, a building with a front yard, or one with a table and benches.

North Beach is the perfect destination for a relaxing day, whether you go with your family, friends, or alone.