Coastal Traveler - Summer 2007 - (Page 28)

coastalinverness Inverness by Robert Plotkin and National Seashore find they can often get closer to herds of elk and take the best photos from inside their cars. In fact, deer, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, and other wildlife often stay put for easy viewing until viewers get out of their vehicles. Numerous hiking trails lead into the park from trailheads around Inverness. Maps are available free at the Park Service Visitor Center off Bear Valley Road. Recreation on the water Chicken Ranch Beach on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Shell Beaches I & II at the end of Via del Vista are excellent places to picnic. Blue Waters Kayaking, located in downtown Inverness, rents kayaks and conducts tours on the bay. Sailing is popular throughout the year, and white sails dot Tomales Bay on sunny weekends. Dining out Inverness is widely regarded for its restaurants, the best-known of which is Manka’s Inverness Lodge and Restaurant, which specializes in wild game plus locally grown fruits and vegetables. When Prince Charles recently visited West Marin, he stayed at Manka’s. Barnaby’s by the Bay is the only restaurant in town at the water’s edge; it adjoins the marina at the Golden Hinde Motel. Two restaurants are located downtown: Priscilla’s, which serves pizza, sandwiches and espresso coffees, and the longstanding Vladimir’s Czech Restaurant. Downtown Inverness Inverness offers two notable craft shops, Shaker Shops West and Bellwether gift shop. Inverness Store across the street is a grocery store with a deli. There is a garage in town (Drake Highway Garage), but it no longer sells gasoline. Inverness Park East of Inverness is Inverness Park, whose population is larger than Inverness’ but whose downtown is much smaller. Downtown consists of a cluster of small businesses. Perry’s Inverness Park Store is best known for excellent sandwiches. Next door is the Busy Bee Bakery, which offers organic fare. Spirit Matters is an eclectic boutique selling “oddities and deities.” Where to Stay Gallery Cottage Near downtown • 415.663.1419 Old Creamery Near downtown • 888.203.2113 Point Reyes Lodging Inverness & Pt. Reyes 800539-1872 Limantour Rd On the west shore of Tomales Bay lie the towns of Inverness and Inverness Park, which began as communities of summer vacation homes—many are still home to Berkeley professors and are mostly occupied in summer and on weekends. Many of the homes are old, well built, and nestled into the crannies of the forested slope of waterfront. Whalewatchers heading to the Point Reyes Lighthouse — one of the best sites on the West Coast for seeing the southern migration of California gray whales — pass through these villages. The lighthouse is located within Point Reyes National Seashore which, along with Tomales Bay State Park, comprises more than 100 square miles, including 32,000 acres of coastal wilderness area. In the parks west of Inverness, travelers can find estuaries, windswept beaches, ranches with extensive pastures, and 80 miles of unspoiled coastline. Drakes Beach, which is popular for picnicking, sunbathing, and swimming has a visitor center with natural-history exhibits. Beside it has the surprisingly good (for a park concession) Drakes Beach Café. Herds of elk At the northwestern tip of the peninsula hundreds of tule elk can be seen. Visitors Where to Eat Cowgirl Creamery cantina & Cheese Shop 80 Fourth St • 415.663.9335 Bovine Bakery Downtown • 415.663.9420 Palace Market & Deli • Downtown • 415.663.9335 The Pine Cone Diner 4th & B St. • 415.663.1536 Station House • Downtown • 415.663.1515 Where to Shop Cabaline Country Emporium •Downtown 415.663.8303 Flower Power • 11275 State Rte. One • 415.663.8221 Into the Blue • In the Cheda Building • 415.663.1147 Susan Hayes Handwovens • 80 Fourth St. • 415.663.8057 Point Reyes Books •Main Street • 415.663.1542 Point Reyes Surf Shop In the Cheda Building 415.663.8750 Point Reyes Jeweler In the Cheda Building 415.663.1936 West Marin Pharmacy Fourth St. • 415.663.1121 West Marin Community Thrift Store The Creamery Building • 415.663.9227 William Lester Gallery In the Cheda Building • 415.663.9365 Where to Play The Dance Palace Comm. Center • 415.663.1075 Where to Get a Massage Massage Especially neck, shoulders & back. Daily ‘til 9 p.m. • 415.663.1786 28 coastaltraveler summer

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Coastal Traveler - Summer 2007

Coastal Contents Coastal Connoisseur Coastal Surfer Coastal Review Coastal Rider Coastal Map Coastal Maifesto Sausalito - Tiburon Mill Valley Muir Beach Stinson Beach Bolinas Olema San Geronimo - Nicasio Fairfax Inverness - Inverness Park Point Reyes Station Point Reyes Station and Dillon Beach Sebastopol Petaluma Sonoma Coast Healdsburg Mendocino - Redwood Coast Lake County Napa Santa Cruz Monterey Carmel-by-the-Sea Big Sur

Coastal Traveler - Summer 2007

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