Hog Island Oyster Farm in Marshall, on Tomales Bay, is where it all began for us and it's still the beating heart of our community. Join us here on the farm and enjoy oysters and shellfish - straight from the source - surrounded by the scenic beauty of Tomales Bay, the laughter of friends, and the lively action of a working oyster farm.

For those of you who enjoy shredding the gnar Dillion beach is an outstanding surfing location. Boards are available for rent at the local shop.

From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover. Home to several cultures over thousands of years, the Seashore preserves a tapestry of stories and interactions of people. Point Reyes awaits your exploration.

President Kennedy established the Point Reyes National Seashore as a haven for seabirds, elephant seals, and elk in 1962. It's nice for people too. Hike the Tomales Point Trail to Windy Gap, which winds an easy two miles starting at Pierce Point Road through the Tule Elk Preserve. Take it another seven miles all the way to the precarious Point itself for a spectacular showcase of wind, fog, and sea. If you want to keep closer to the water, the Estero Trail, a nine-mile hike off Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, offers a chance to glimpse bat rays and leopard sharks cutting through the water.

You'll notice the Point Reyes Lighthouse perched on the western headlands from lots of vantage points. If you want to get up close, it's a climb down a few hundred steps. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday through Monday.

One of the best ways to see the harbor seals, otters, and grebes is to view them from a kayak – although, make sure to keep a distance of more than 300 ft. Most likely, though, they will spot you long before that as you bumble on the shore with your kayak. Blue Waters Kayaking leads tours year-round that include a picnic, paddling through bioluminescent plankton.

You can pet dairy cows and eat their cheese at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, which is hidden in the rolling Point Reyes Station hills (look for the Giacomini Dairy sign). Wine and cheese tastings and farm dinners happen regularly at the Fork, their new tasting room.

Things to check out...

Toby's Feed Barn/Toby's CoffeeBar (11250 Hwy. 1, 415/663-1223,tobysfeedbarn.com). Cowgirl Creamery (80 Fourth St., 415/663-9335, cowgirlcreamery.com)

Oysters and more. Check it out!

Nick's Cove Restaurant and Oyster Bar is a destination restaurant for award-winning cuisine in one of the most beautiful coastal settings in all of California. The natural beauty and abundant farm produce of the West Marin coast inspire chef Austin Perkins' seasonal, sustainable and delicious California cuisine. Our menu is sourced from local dairy and produce farms, and the fresh seafood of Tomales Bay and nearby waters. Each dish is fresh and approachable, the perfect combination of comfort and refinement, and the very essence of elegant but hearty, farm-to-table cuisine.

Our newly updated restaurant has all the nostalgic charm of an upscale hunting lodge, complete with restored mahogany bar, woodburning fireplace, reclaimed redwood tables and game trophies on the wall. You can sample our beloved crab macaroni and cheese, or oysters locally harvested from Tomales Bay and nearby Drake's Bay, accompanied by a drink from our outstanding local wine and beer list.

As the mist settles over the hills of Point Reyes, you'll be warm and comfortable in our glass-decked restaurant, where every table has a view, surrounded by water and the glow of sunset. After hours, you can stroll to the lighted boat shack at the end of the pier, and enjoy one of our expertly mixed cocktails by candlelight.

The heart of any town is its Downtown and Petaluma's heart is full of beauty, historic architecture, and lots of ways to be entertained. When you step foot in Downtown Petaluma, you instantly feel the history it exudes and the care the community has taken to preserve and rejoice in it. And you'll see why shopping in Downtown is a one of a kind experience... you won't find these places anywhere else! Our business community is made up of our community members, people that work to share their own passions with you.

Many things to explore and wines to drink.