Point Reyes National Seashore

The West Coast’s only national seashore extends across 70,000 acres of a large triangular peninsula that appears to have broken away from the Northern California coast. Located one hour north of San Francisco, Point Reyes protects more than 1,500 animal and plant species in a watery utopia of beaches, lagoons, estuaries, and ponds that surround a densely wooded interior. The park’s main visitor center at Bear Valley is a great place to start exploring, and kids love its interactive displays.