West Marin is the largest rural region of Marin County. When heading to see the coastal sites or road trip for oysters, it can get confusing because Marshall, Point Reyes, Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay are all used interchangeably. Let’s set the record straight!
Point Reyes Station
Point Reyes Station is the main hub in West Marin, the only coastal town with a pharmacy and bank. Local craft shops, an artist studio, a surf shop and two grocery stores make up the majority of this quaint town. It is also home to the original Cowgirl Creamery, a popular cheese destination where the cheesemongers behind the counter will help you pair and purchase to-die-for cheeses from the area, and across America and Europe.
For sit down options, Osteria Stellina is small-town restaurant with a national reputation for serving rustic delicious meals made strictly from the freshest organic ingredients, Station House Cafe is a 30-year fixture in town with farm-to-table local dining, Cafe Reyes is the spot for Neapolitan pizza, Bovine Bakery for pastries and Brickmaiden for sourdough bread.
Point Reyes
Point Reyes is a federally protected strip of land separated from California’s mainland by Tomales Bay. A remote haven with acres of protected wilderness, fantastic beaches and wildlife sanctuaries.
Points of interest include: the Point Reyes Shipwreck, Cypress Tree Tunnel, Chimney Rock Trailhead, Elephant Seal Overlook, and the cliff-dwelling Point Reyes Lighthouse built in 1870 to warn mariners of the hazardous headlands that jut 10 miles out to sea.
Oyster Farms and Restaurant Along Tomales Bay
Saltwater Oyster Depot: is on the western Point Reyes side of Tomales Bay. The restaurant focuses on local and fresh-off-the-boat seafood, prepared simply so as to celebrate the magnificence of the area. Dinner is offered Friday, Saturday and Sunday 5:00-9:00PM and lunch services 12:00-3:00PM on the weekend. They will also bring the oyster bar party to you (within a 50 mile radius)!
Tomales Bay Oyster Company: is on the eastern side along the main coast. You know you’ve arrived when you see the iconic sign: a Tomales Bay woman proudly wielding a bag of oysters. California’s oldest continuously run shellfish farm is a grab-and-go operation, with oysters available for sale. Open 12:00AM-5:00PM on Friday and 9:00AM-5:00PM Saturday and Sunday, you can purchase by the dozen, or in packs of 50. They recommend bringing a cooler to hold the oysters. They do offer shucking utensils for an extra price.
Tony’s Seafood: Is a sit-down establishment with indoor/outdoor seating serving locals and travelers “heaps of seafood and sea stories, peppered with a dash of grit – staples of Marshall.” Hog Island Oyster Co. bought Tony’s in 2017. Tony’s is open every day for lunch until 4:00PM, and for dinner service until 8:00PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Marshall Store: The same owners as Tomales Bay Oysters, the Marshall Store is a stop for raw, grilled or smoked oysters, as well as soups and sandwiches. First come first served on outdoor picnic tables. Open daily until 5:00pm, except Tuesdays.
Hog Island Oyster: offers oysters, seasonal shellfish and picnic fare from their Hog Shack daily from 9:00AM-5:00PM. They also have a happening outdoor Boat Oyster Bar, where you can order oysters, seafood and drinks from their menu. Reservations are required most of the time, from 11:00AM-5:00PM. Finally, there are a few tables reserved for the “Shuck Your Own Picnic” option. This is when you have the crew with you, as you’ll have access to a charcoal grill, oyster shucking tools, lemons, hot sauce and hogwash, but can otherwise bring your own provisions and BYOB. Drop-ins are welcome Tuesday through Thursday but reservation only Friday through Monday for a 10:30AM-1:30PM or 2:00PM-5:00PM seating.
Nick’s Cove: a small community of cozy cottages and a recently renovated seafood restaurant. The best part? The Boat Shack at the end of the pier is has a communal table where guests can ring in their order. The bartender will call you when your order is ready, which will be waiting for you on a wooden tray at the bar for easy transport. Order s’mores for dessert and you can roast the marshmallows in the shack’s wood-burning fireplace. Nick’s is open every day from 11:00AM-8:00PM, 9:00PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
Tip: Parking for all of the above can be found in some very small lots or along the side of the road, and everything is open year round! As Dena, the President of Nick’s Cove says, “It doesn’t what the weather is doing. Every day is pretty; just a different kind of pretty!”
Bodega Bay
Just half an hour north of Nick’s Cove, you’ll enter Bodega Bay which is part of Sonoma County. Bodega Bay is a small village just off the coast and home to commercial fishermen and creatives.
Bodega Bay Oyster is along Route 1 and is the new sister company and retail outlet for Point Reyes Oyster Company. The store is open for direct retail sales of fresh locally grown shellfish along with related products to help you prepare, serve, and enjoy these tasty morsels. Picnic grounds are open year-round and are first come first served. Monday through Friday you can shuck your own shellfish at their picnic grounds. During the summer weekends, it turns into a bbq party.
Check out a suggested full day itinerary with Tomales Bay and Point Reyes stops. Otherwise the world is your oyster!
