Скачать или смотреть POINT REYES Elephant Seals Sights on Sights on Sights! Lighthouse, Shipwreck, Cypress Path & More!

Sightseeing in Point Reyes did not disappoint. We started our day at the Point Reyes Shipwreck. While the iconic Point Reyes lettering on the siding is now gone, there are still some cool things to see, though it might not be around much longer. Get out there ASAP if you want to check it out.

Next we went to Drake's Beach to observe the elephant seals during pupping season. We were shocked and awed at how close we were able to get to the elephant seals on the beach. The beach is only available while staff is onsite from 10-4 Thursday through Monday and fencing prevents beach access, though there were so many bull elephant seals that I don't think I'd want to go out there right now, anyway. They are known to bite! Follow the signs and you'll be nice and safe. Seek out the experts in red vests if you have any questions. A visitor center and gift shop as well as public facilities are also on site. Once we had our fill of these magnificent animals, we headed to the Point Reyes lighthouse.

It was a busy day during the holidays and the crowds reflected that. The parking lot was full when we arrived and people were parking along the road for quite a long way. It was a .4 mile walk from the parking area to the lighthouse overlook. We packed a picnic thinking we'd enjoy our lunch after hiking to the lighthouse. Upon arrival we realized that there wasn't really any place to sit and eat and this resulted in us carrying a lot of extra weight with us down to the lighthouse. We'd recommend going as lightweight as possible when visiting the lighthouse. Bring only water, phones/cameras, and maybe binoculars. You don't need anything else and you won't be down there for too long. No facilities or water are available down at the lighthouse, so prepare accordingly. From the overlook area there are 313 "wicked hard" steps that lead down to the lighthouse and are the only way back up again. We noticed on the way back up; there are also 4 brutal ramps in addition to the 313 steps, so be aware. It's quite a hike to go down and back up! We thought it was worth it, but would have loved to have been there on a less busy day. We understand this place is pretty popular, so less busy days may be hard to come by.

Next we wanted to check out the chimney rock hike to the opposite tip of the peninsula, but again, the parking area was full and we were running out of day light. I needed to get my toes in the sand and some saltwater on my face, so we pivoted and headed to South Beach. There we found the relief from the crowds we were craving. We finished our time on the coast relaxing on the sand and frolicking in the surf.

We ended our day with a walk through the cypress tree tunnel and explored the area around the KPH radio station. An historic maritime radio station in a beautiful art deco building, KPH is the only maritime radio station of its kind still broadcasting in the world. It is on the air, broadcasting to ships at sea, every Saturday and you can tour the building most Saturdays as well.

Tons of sights in the area, make for a super enjoyable day trip. Join us for help planning your day on the coast in Point Reyes!

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