One of the closer and best places to go is the Point Reyes Lighthouse. The lighthouse itself is a sight to see, but the landscape is one of the highlights. There are also numerous towns and beaches to stop at along the way. The first town to stop at is Rancho Nicasio. It’s about a ten to fifteen minute drive down Lucas Valley Road from Terra Linda or Marinwood. The town itself isn’t too exciting but it’s a good rest stop during the drive. The small, but well stocked, general store is great. The cashier is always pleasant and will give you various suggestions on places and stores to stop at during your trip.
The next place you can stop at along the way is Point Reyes Station. It’s a much bigger town than Rancho Nicasio, and therefore offers more things to do. There are a ton of cool shops to stop at. There are also a few markets and restaurants if you're in need of a bite to eat or want to get some food to bring down to the beach. Whale of a Deli & Market is a great place to stop. It offers a wide variety of food, ranging from pizzas and sandwiches to Mexican food, such as burritos and quesadillas. The Palace Market is also great to stop at to buy drinks and other snack foods for the drive.
The drive itself to get to the lighthouse is, I consider, one of the best parts of the trip. You drive through some of the best scenery in the area. Starting at the ranches and grass land of Lucas Valley then along the rugged coastline. It’s not an easy drive though; after a while it’s easy to become fatigued. It’s a good idea to bring somebody else with you in case you don't want to drive, or take a few stops along the way to rest. You should also take notice of a treacherous stretch of Lucas Valley road that many cars have ended up crashing on. It’s before you reach Rancho Nicasio, and is essentially a small forest. Redwood trees cover the area, causing it to be pretty dark, and when a sliver of sunlight makes it’s ways through the trees it can be very hard to see. There are also ditches on the side of the road that will easily take your car tire and flip your car if you stray of the road. I’ve seen a few crashed myself there, it’s definitely a place to exercise caution. Slow down, and don’t take the corners too fast or you'll regret it.
As you leave Rancho Nicasio the roads open up, the speed limit goes up to 55 miles per hour and the curves and turns straighten out. You drive by the beautiful Nicasio Reservoir, and the road will eventually split. You can either continue on going straight, or turn right and go over a small bridge to go to Point Reyes Station. Once in the town there are many places to park, and shops and markets line both sides of the road. Once you’re ready to leave, it’s a straight shot to the coast. The road’s open back up again and it’ll be another half hour to forty-five minutes to the lighthouse. Another few small towns will pop up along the way, and there are also numerous beaches along the way which are great to stop at.
It isn’t all smooth sailing though. Once you get closer to the lighthouse, the roads become increasingly rough. This means that you cannot go more than 30 miles an hour without risking damaging your car. There are also a few ranches along the way. So you may get a rogue cow or horse walking on the road. This guarantees traffic will stop. Once you arrive at the lighthouse parking can sometimes be hard to find. The parking lot quickly fills up, and, if you're not quick the spots on the side of the road will be taken as well. It’s best to go on a weekday so as not to risk the chance of not being able to park. After you park it’s a short walk to get to the visitor center. Then you need to walk down the steps, all 308 of them (There are a few benches along the stairs if you need to rest). Once there it will all become worthwhile.
The Pacific Ocean stretches out in front of you, and if it’s not too foggy, a rarity there, you can literally see for miles. The rough, jagged cliffs are to the side of you. And once you step to the side of the lighthouse you can see the miles of beach to the right. There are exhibits throughout the lighthouse, offering a look into what it was like to live there in the early days, pictures of shipwrecks throughout the years, and the old school generators and other methods that were used to power the light. It’s easy to forget that we live so close to some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, but once you get to the lighthouse, it’s easy to see why so many people will travel from all over the world to see it.
