Just 35 miles northwest of San Francisco is Point Reyes National Seashore, with miles of sandy beaches, a dramatic coastline and 71,000 acres of protected nature preserve. With miles of hiking trails, beachside camping, beautiful lighthouse and historic dairy farms, Point Reyes is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the San Francisco area.

The small town of Olema provides the entrance to the park, and visitors should start here by dropping in to the visitor center on Bear Valley road (check out the life size killer whale above your head). While farming still exists on the peninsula, the northern part is a protected Tule Elk range (you can almost always see Elk there).

There are plenty of great hikes here, including summiting the highest point in the park, Mt Wittenberg. Another highly recommended hike is to the historic Point Reyes Lighthouse at the western end of the peninsula. The lighthouse, at the bottom of a 308 step descent, is a gorgeous sight in itself, however it also functions as a great spot to see gray whales on their migrations north to Alaska.