Inverness, California City Guide
For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Inverness, California Travel Guide has been your connection to Inverness's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
Activities & Outings
 Begin your day at Point Reyes National Seashore with a stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center where visitors can get oriented and learn about the activities offered that day. The Point Reyes National Seashore is home to more than 1000 species of plants and animals, inviting visitors to explore its sandy beaches, rocky headlands, and open grasslands and forested ridges.
Within the Point Reyes Park there are three types of trails awaiting exploration by hikers, bikers, and horseback riders; the pasture lands, chaparral ridges and California-laurel valleys, and the forest meadowlands delight adventurers with trails that take less than one hour or up to six hours to complete. The short Earthquake Trail explores the San Andreas Fault Zone, Muddy Hollow leads to the beach, and the Tomales Point Trail offers exquisite views of Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, and the Pacific Ocean.
Visit the Kule Loklo village to learn about the history and culture of the Coast Miwok. As visitors wander through the recreated village, you can almost glimpse the life that the Miwok lead, pounding acorns, weaving baskets, cooking, and dancing.
Join a Park Ranger to learn about earthquakes and plate tectonics, the Coast Miwok, and the local flora and fauna. Daily walks and talks last approximately one hour and will shed light on the natural and cultural history of the area. Learn about the local ocean inhabitants as you embark on the Journey of the Whales and Experience Elephant Seals through the park’s seasonal programs. Point Reyes is a haven for hiking, kayaking, wildlife viewing.
Take time to explore the historical and somewhat haunting Point Reyes Lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1870 to safely navigate ships through the treacherous waters surrounding the Point Reyes Peninsula. The lighthouse’s beacon was converted to electricity in 1939 and was later turned off and replaced by automatic equipment. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is open to the public and serviced by Park Rangers available to answer visitor’s questions. If possible, visit the lighthouse during the week to avoid weekend crowds, keeping in mind that the lighthouse is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There are more than 300 stairs between the observation platform at the lighthouse and the actual lighthouse below – walking back up is the equivalent of walking the stairs of a 30-story building!
For a day on the water aboard a kayak, visit the Blue Waters Kayaking facilities right at the water’s edge. With classes, rentals, and tours Blue Waters offers something for everyone from the novice to the advanced kayaker.
Pack up a picnic lunch and enjoy the afternoon at the Annual Big Time Festival, celebrating the local Native American culture. Participants demonstrate their skills in basket weaving, flint knapping, clamshell beadmaking, and more. Traditional dancers also perform, and vendors sell their crafts.
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