Coastal Traveler - Spring 2008 - (Page 71)

coastaltraveler Bolinas: By Robert Plotkin a town of eccentrics Bolinas is easy to miss and most residents prefer it that way. There is no sign to the town. A shadowy organization called the Bolinas Border Patrol (now defunct) pulled down road signs until Caltrans gave up, leaving drivers to find their own way. People who move to Bolinas do so to escape corporate America. They regard the town’s borders as metaphysically real. Fleeing the monotony of office park, mall, and development, they are artists, writers, craftsmen, and visionaries. The only thing they have in common is their eccentricity. Unlike Stinson Beach or Point Reyes Station, Bolinas has rejected an economy based on tourism. But as a rejected suitor only becomes more ardent, tourists still find their way to Bolinas despite the missing signage. Tourists brave the warnings because the eccentricity of the town and its resistance to tourism are what make it unique and worth visiting. It is a conundrum that has yet to be solved by townspeople. Come to visit but treat it as you would a visit to a Hindu temple in India or a mosque in Pakistan: Bolinas is a temple to progressive utopia. I saw a man drive a stretch Limo Hummer into Bolinas, where many residents have “Hummers Suck” bumper stickers on their cars. It would be culturally analogous to an American girl walking into an Iraqi mosque wearing a Brazilian bikini. The stretch Hummer was chased down the street by taunting residents, past the Bolinas People’s Store at 14 Wharf Road (which has excellent organic greens, croissants, and chai). Dining spots The Coast Café is a cozy restaurant with a wide variety of excellent fare; from its ceiling hangs an ever-growing collection of old and new surfboards that present a virtual history of the sport. You can get a beer and burger with locals and listen to a great band at Smiley’s Saloon, which is old-school cool. Bolinas Beach Bolinas has great beginner surf if you don’t mind cold, murky water filled with Great White sharks. When I first came to Bolinas, surfers said that sharks preferred Stinson. I asked where Stinson started and they pointed 100 yards across the lagoon mouth. You can rent gear at the 2 Mile Surf Shop, but locals hate the shop for filling their local break with kooks from the city. Visit the Bolinas Museum and Bolinas Gallery, which exhibit samples of art and history from the area. The Bolinas Community Center has many events going on that are only advertised in Bolinas. Places to stay There are rooms for rent behind Smiley’s Schooner Saloon on Wharf Road. They are not luxurious, but offer a place to stay. For a whole new level of eccentricity you can stay above the Grand Hotel, where Beat writers enjoyed West Marin’s version of New York’s storied Chelsea Hotel. The Blue Heron Inn is set back from the main road by a garden planted with fruit trees. Outdoor recreation For excellent hiking, drive north past the Point Reyes Bird Observatory to the end of Mesa Road. The Palomarin trailhead begins from the parking lot. The sometimes-steep trail leads to beautiful Bass and Pelican lakes. Where to Stay Smiley’s Schooner Saloon 41 Wharf Rd • 415.868.1311 The Grand Hotel 15 Brighton Ave • 415.868.1757 Blue Heron Inn 11 Wharf Rd • 415.868.1102 Where to Eat Coast Café 46 Wharf Rd • 415.868.2298 • www.bolinascafe.com Where to Shop Bolinas Gallery 52 Wharf Rd • 415.868.0782 Bolinas People’s Store • 415.868.1433 spring coastaltraveler 71 http://www.bolinascafe.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Coastal Traveler - Spring 2008

Coastal Traveler - Spring 2008 Contents Coastal Connoisseur Coastal Picks Coastal Scenario Coastal Art Coastal Driver Coastal Roadkill Coastal Eco Coastal Hotel Coastal Desert San Diego La Jolla Laguna Beach Malibu Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo Big Sur Carmel Monterey Santa Cruz San Francisco Sausalito Mill Valley Stinson Beach Bolinas Olema Point Reyes Station Fairfax Inverness Marshall, Tomales Sebastopol Petaluma Sonoma Coast Redwood Coast

Coastal Traveler - Spring 2008

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