Tomales Bay

Located on the western side of Tomales Bay State Park, the bay is an estuary of the Pacific Ocean in Marin County, California. Sharing boundaries with Point Reyes Station, Marshall and Inverness, the area was originally inhabited by the indigenous community of Coast Miwok and was later explored by Francis Drake and then by Spanish Expedition team.

Declared as a wetland of international importance, the bay thrives on oyster farming. The Bay is an excellent spot for horseback riding, golfing and water sports including sailing, kayaking, fishing, motor boating, and watercraft launching. Tomales Bay State Park is composed of 3 distinct use areas- Indian Beach, Heart’s Desire Beach, Millerton Point, and Shell Beach. The Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay State Parks are criss crossed with hiking trails of varying lengths.  Consisting of a rich ecosystem, the park has a wide variety of wildlife including foxes, raccoons, badgers, weasels, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, deer, bobcats, skunks, and wood rats. The land and sea birds are also welcomed including the spotted owl, quail, goldfinches, puffins, great blue heron, pelicans, ruddy ducks, woodpeckers, and meadowlarks. Nearby lodgings include the Tomales Bay Resort & Marina, Osprey Peak Bed & Breakfast, Manka’s Inverness Lodge, Nick’s Cove Restaurant, and Oyster Bar and Cottages.