California's Underrated Coastal State Park Has Oyster Farms, Foggy Sunrises, And A Peaceful Atmosphere

When you're seeking an uncrowded alternative to the Bay Area's busiest beaches and trails, Tomales Bay State Park beckons with empty sands and tons of space to simply be. Protected by the Point Reyes Peninsula, four gently sloping beaches with smooth waters invite you to hop in a kayak or swim free of the Pacific Ocean's waves. For hikers, miles of walking trails wind through coastal marshes, meadows, and wooded coastal headlands, while another path leads to one of the area's only untouched bishop pine groves. 

Located a little over an hour from San Francisco, this low-key state park is minutes from Inverness and right next to the utopian stretch of coast at Point Reyes National Seashore. The park covers 2,000 acres and is named after the 12-mile-long bay it hugs. Here, the waters are warmer than what you'll find along the exposed coast, and deer, foxes, and spotted owls forage and hunt. While you'll have to stop by Inverness Park Market for actual homemade tamales, the park's name is derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the indigenous Coast Miwok word for "bay."

From San Francisco, take a leisurely drive up Highway 1, past the world's tallest tree species at Muir Woods National Monument. Tomales Bay State Park has three distinct sections (Heart's Desire, Millerton Point, and Shell Beach), each a solace seeker's dream with its own character. Millerton Point sits apart from the rest of the park, offering views of morning fog burning off from the bay's inland shore. 

The appropriately named Heart's Desire Beach area is often considered the park's main point. Kayakers can depart from the compact beach's ramp, steps from plush expanses of bayfront lawn with picnic tables and nearby bathrooms. From here, you can embark on the 0.5-mile nature trail to Indian Beach. Informative plaques line the path, telling the history of the Coast Miwok people and describing how they used native plants in medicine and food. 

From Heart's Desire, you can also make a loop of the Jepson Trail and part of the Johnstone Trail. Carrying hikers a little over 2.5 miles, the shady path passes Jepson Memorial Grove's gnarled, old-growth pines before making a detour to Pebble Beach, not to be confused with the world-famous golfing destination. The path can get a bit overgrown, so wear long pants and use these clever tips to stop worrying about ticks on your hike.

Expect a morning marine layer, but in the afternoons, Tomales Bay State Park becomes a locals-only secret for escaping the fog, especially Shell Beach. During high tide, the shallow waters quickly warm up, making it a good place for swimming. Alternatively, Millerton Point was the site of oyster farms back in the late 1800s. You can still see oyster shells scattered across the beach, and people add to them every year with shellfish from the nearby restaurants and distributors. 

You won't find many food options by Heart's Desire or Shell Beach, but the other side of the bay is a must-visit spot for oysters and local seafood. Farming oyster beds since 1909, the Tomales Bay Oyster Company keeps the region's shellfish tradition alive. Today, visitors can stop by the shop to buy fresh oysters, clams, and mussels Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Make sure to pack a cooler and shucking tools so you can take your oysters to-go and enjoy a waterfront picnic at Millerton Point. This part of the park doesn't have picnic facilities, but you can sit on the hood of your car or pack an ultra-compact camping table. 

If you don't want to prep the oysters yourself, stop by The Marshall Store's waterfront deck. Situated just off Highway 1, the humble restaurant serves oysters prepared a number of ways — raw, Rockefeller, grilled, Kilpatrick, and barbequed – in partnership with the Tomales Bay Oyster Company. "The oysters here are divine," raved one diner on Tripadvisor. "It is such a pleasant and relaxing experience to sip a beer, overlook Tomales Bay and enjoy remarkably local oysters." Other can't-miss menu items include the Dungeness crab sandwich and the grilled fish tacos served with homemade tortillas. Don't forget to check the schedule for promotions like $3 Oyster Thursdays!