Explore Family Friendly Limantour Beach in Point Reyes

During the summer, one surefire way to cool off in Marin is to head out to the beach. One of our favorites in Marin is Limantour Beach at the Point Reyes National Seashore. Limantour boasts gentle surf, stunning views, and miles of sandy beach and is a great place to visit at any time of year. It's considered one of the best Point Reyes beaches for families.

Named after a French merchant shipwrecked here in the 1840s, Limantour Beach is located along Drakes Bay, and is close to Point Reyes Station and the Point Reyes National Seashore park headquarters on Bear Valley Road.

Along the way, you'll find trailheads and parking areas for several popular trails, including Sky and Muddy Hollow trails, as well as Limantour Lodge hostel and the Clem Miller Environmental Education Center. There are also several scenic overlooks that afford stunning vistas of Tomales Bay and the Limantour Estero.

Limantour Beach itself is about a five-minute stroll from the parking area. Cross a metal bridge over the estero and climb a sand dune and you'll find yourself at the beach, a wide expanse of fine sand that literally goes on for miles and miles.

Limantour is a great place for wildlife watching. We've seen a wide variety of birds, harbor seals, sea lions, and even humpback whales swimming right offshore. Keep your eyes open and who knows what you'll see!

Like nearby Drakes Beach, Limantour Beach is not located against the open ocean, so the waves here are more gentle than the ones you'll find at other Point Reyes Beaches, making this beach often fine for wading and even swimming on calmer days when there are no beach alerts in place. There can still be rip currents and the water can be extremely cold, so exercise caution and, if in doubt, stay out of the water. If you don't go into the water, Limantour is still the perfect place to play in the sand, picnic, fly a kite, and just relax.

Limantour is also dog-friendly; your on-leash canine companions are welcome on the southeast end of the beach. Note that the northern part of the beach is off-limits to dogs due to it being a nesting area for the endangered Snowy Plover.

If You Go

Limantour Beach is located at the end of Limantour Road in Point Reyes National Seashore. To get to there, take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Highway 1 in Olema, then take Highway 1 north and turn left onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

Alternately, take Novato Boulevard or Lucas Valley Road and Nicasio Valley Road west to Point Reyes–Petaluma Road and follow it to Highway 1. Turn left on Highway 1 and head through downtown Point Reyes Station, then turn right after the bridge onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

Turn left onto Bear Valley Road, then turn right onto Limantour Road and follow it over the ridge to the beach. It's about a 20-minute drive from Point Reyes Station.

Restrooms, picnic tables, water, and an outdoor shower are available in near the parking area. No food is available, so bring your own snacks and lunch. Wood beach fires are allowed with permits, available at the visitor center or from rangers. The nearby Limantour Lodge offers family rooms with bunk beds and access to a kitchen and common areas. Reservations must be made in advance.

Weather can be quite unpredictable out in Point Reyes, so the usual layered clothing and sun protection are a must. This is one of the few beaches in Point Reyes that's OK for  swimming, but no lifeguard is on duty, so enter the water at your own risk. While Limantour Beach doesn't have the sneaker waves and rip currents that make the other Point Reyes Beaches unsuitable for swimming, water temperatures can be extremely cold.

On-leash dogs are allowed at the southeast end of the beach. Leashes must be no longer than six feet.

For more information on visiting Limantour Beach, visit www.nps.gov/pore or call (415) 464-5100.