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Limantour Beach
Categories: Active Life Parks Active Life Beaches Parks, Beaches [Edit]
Point Reyes National SeashorePoint Reyes Station, CA 94956
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
23 reviews for Limantour Beach
23 reviews in English
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Review from Rachael W.
Glen Ellen, CA
10/22/2011 38 photos
This beach is plain awesome. Wonderful sand, wonderful beach only an hour from San Francisco. Great place to bring your dogs for a walk...must be on leash. There is one part of the beach here you can't bring your dogs due to the seals. Totally understandable and plenty of beach for them. Clean..very clean. Restrooms and picnic tables. Great place to take pics. Our dogs LOVED it.
http://www.2travelingd... -
Review from Ron L.
Concord, CA
1/25/2011
The beach is a special treat for me. I'm not able to go there much, I'm usually a ways away from a beach, so when I do, I make the most of it. And THE beach for me is Limantour.
It takes a lot of driving to get there, and the journey is quite enjoyable: the pastoral scene of Highway 1 in West Marin, the change in flora when you cross the San Andreas Fault, the windy but fast road through the National Seashore, narrowing to almost a drivable path with bad pavement, and then you're there: a huge beach with few people.
The Point Reyes lighthouse has lots of rain, and so much wind that the trees grow sideways. The peninsula blocks that wind from Limantour, so you're not bothered by it. And if you put Stinson's crowd here, they could spread out so much that it still doesn't feel crowded. If you hike down for about two miles, you get to Sculptured Beach, named for the cliffs.
Surprisingly, my best times at Limantour have been in the dead of winter. Like New Years Eve afternoon and mid-January. This is t-shirt weather time at Point Reyes, believe it or not. Summer, it's another story . . .
I love the beach, and I can't think of any way to improve on this one. (If it was closer to where I live, it would be overwhelmed by people, and that ain't good.) Limantour is it! -
Review from Liz K.
8/29/2010 4 photos
Enjoyed a lovely Saturday soaking up the sun with my man, pup, and a picnic.
I'm fairly positive this is the most tranquil beach there is. A few other people were there, but it's so expansive you felt like you were all alone.
Wind can be a bit intense, but just head in to the dunes for some shelter.
Cannot wait to share this special spot with visiting family this fall. I can only imagine what a sunset from this spot must be...Listed in: Dog-tastic Adventures
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Review from Liz K.
Cary, NC
12/1/2008 2 photos
A little slice of heaven unfolds as you walk over the rolling dunes that lead to this beach.
Rarely have I seen a beautiful beach in NorCal not crowded with humans.
And free of trash and dog poop.
The only sound is the infinite ocean gently crashing against the shore.
The ocean is my secret love and sharing this beach with you means you're special.
I love being hypnotized by the ocean without the crowds.
You will love this beach if you are entranced by the ocean and love the simplicity of nature.
Escape on a wondrous dream walk where the soft sandy shoreline looks infinite as it stretches below low cliffs.
Or sprawl lazily on the sand as the ocean and blue sky melts your stress away.
Come here to enjoy solitude, but leave no sign that you were here.
Meaning, take your damn trash with you!
OVERALL: No entrance fee, no parking fee, dog friendly, and far enough from the city to seem like a nice little get away. Whale watching in the spring and plenty of birds to watch year round. -
Review from Suzanne D.
San Jose, CA
7/22/2011
Magical, dreamy, gorgeous are but a few adjectives to describe this Northern CA beach. The sand is so soft and fine, it is easy to fall down on a dune and snooze the afternoon away. A wonderful place to fly a kite or take a long walk with your sweetheart.
Even though I grew up in Marin, I have never been to this beach until recently. Yes, it's very remote! Parking lot to sand is a bit of a schlep with a young child (fairly flat, but a schlep none-the-less). Bathroom facilities are very rudimentary. Amazingly there is a pay phone on the nowhere road- should be a location for an indie film. Love this place!! -
Review from Lisa D.
Somerville, MA
8/27/2010 2 photos
The beauty of this beach is remarkable. The farther away from the land you go the more stark and beautiful it becomes.
Celebrated Thanksgiving 2009 with a bonfire picnic on this beach along with a pile of strangers and one person I knew...it was a magical time in a spectacular setting. -
Review from maranda w.
San Rafael, CA
9/30/2009 ROTD 7/31/2010
This beach is fantastic and I think better than Stinson and other beaches going up to Bodega bay.
What you need to have the best beach day there:
1. Plan for a all day, good relaxed time
2. Cooler with snacks and beverages
3. Trash collecting items (bag)-- this beach is SUPER clean-- lets keep it that way!!
4. Walking shoes/flip flops-- you have to park 5 minutes away from the beach
5. Dogs are allowed, on the left side of the beach-- but must be leashed.
6. beach chairs or a towel. No benches or other sitting.
7. they have a bathroom/rest area, but its pretty bare bones. -
Review from Rich H.
Second Mesa, AZ
9/2/2010
Summary based on several visits:
--good to great, depending on the weather and the tides
--basic toilet
--generally easy parking
-l-o-n-g, but pleasant drive -
Review from Tatyana S.
Emeryville, CA
3/31/2009
Limantour beach is great for running. It can get hard when the tide is high, then the sand becomes soft, but, hell, you burn twice as many calories this way. Run to the right or to the left. If the beach is too short of a distance, veer off to a trail that leads to Arch Rock. The options are endless.
This beach is great for anything: picnics, family outings, walking dogs and kids, running, or just walking along the beautiful freezing-cold Pacific Ocean. My recent discovery is the lagoon with sting-rays if you walk to the left of the parking lot. There are also colonies of seals at the tip of the peninsula leading into Drakes Estero through Estero de Limantour. The dunes there are amazing, they make me feel like I am on the set of "Dune" except the sand is real.
Four stars because of the stupid bridge they built and ruined the natural beauty of the swamps. Now it's a muddy mess, which made water fowl and herons and egrets abandon the place, leaving a sad scene. I guess, somebody had to spend the money... Some people just don't get it. -
Review from Stacey E.
Fairfax, CA
8/18/2009
No one believes me that there's a better place to hang on a beach than Stinson. I guess that's OK since I come here to avoid the crowds.
This is a beautiful beach with a loyal group of fans who are more into conservation than being part of a scene. There aren't any trucks with stereos blaring or BBQ pits or throngs of teenagers with brown paper bag beverages (can you be more obvious?). -
Review from Alec W.
Marin County, CA
2/11/2010 2 photos
Did you say you want a beach without beach blankets taking up every square inch in the summer with people carelessly throwing trash around and a beach that makes you say, "I am NOT 1 hour away from San Francisco, I must be 5 hours away?" You are looking at the right beach, Limantour Beach.
The drive out to Limantour Beach is about an hour long. The road up to Limantour Beach appears to resemble Fairfax Bolinas Rd but Limatour Rd is actually not a roller coaster. The drive combines views of the ocean that make Point Reyes famous and Douglas Firs that put you into a deep forest. you hit the beach parking lot, there is a short walk there, keeping the beach more natural. Take the nearest trail out to Limantour Beach where the hidden beach awaits. If you wanted to look at other habitats besides the beach, the trail passes over a bridge through a salt marsh so the walk brings together two habitats of California's coast.
There are always a few people on the beach but they are quiet local people probably looking for the same quiet experience you want. Looking around the beach, there is only one house nearby and it is up the hill a bit. This area barely escaped development and after people saved Limantour Beach, they forgot about it. The beach is slowly getting more crowded but it is still nowhere near Stinson's levels. People probably head for Stinson because it is closer to urban areas and it has hotels and restaurants. If that is what you are after, you can always head to Point Reyes Station, Inverness Park or Inverness after you visit Limantour.
As for the layout of the beach itself, the sand lies between the wild dunes and the ocean. The beach is fine for swimming because unlike North and South Beaches, the surf here is gentle. The beach is almost as wide as Stinson. If it is crowded one hot fogless summer day, you can travel west down the spit where the dunes and water make you want to stay here until the fog messes up the scene for you as it returns in the night. Also, you can travel east where the layout changes to cliffs backing the beach instead of dunes.
The only difference with Limantour Beach and an untouched beach somewhere else along the California coast was that the smell of the ocean was not strong. The bird population is not the largest around either but if you came not planning to observe birds, this will be a plus.
Overall, remember this is the beach many Marinites and tourists never heard of so if you want a quiet day at the beach without driving up to northern Sonoma County, this is the beach for you.Listed in: Marin Beaches
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Review from Jackie M.
San Francisco, CA
3/17/2009
If you come here on a hot day....you could be anywhere. It is so clean, so peaceful, easy to park, very dog and kid friendly and so beautiful.
It's about 40min from downtown San Rafael..and totally worth it. I will not set a foot in the Stinson sand after coming here. -
Review from Jun B.
San Francisco, CA
5/4/2009
We are so glad that we discovered Limantour Beach. The drive may be long but it is well worth it because the beach is simply wonderful. Limantour may very well be the cleanest beach I have ever been in Northern California.
Perfect for running. And very dog-friendly. From the parking lot, dogs are allowed on the left side of the beach.
Highly recommended. -
Review from roger a.
Burlingame, CA
2/17/2011
What can I say.. a spectacular beach and view.
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Review from M M.
San Francisco, CA
10/15/2008
This is such a nice beach! Very clean and a big part of the beach is DOG friendly! Yippeee! There's a great cove to go explore & if you have young kids with you, they'll enjoy it. There's also a nice tide pool area.
Spent some time staring at the ocean and we saw seals & orcas!! Very cool. I think it was because we were here in October, and they roam these parts during this time.
Lots of parking at this beach, as well. -
Review from laura j.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2010
The most beautiful beach, especially if you can go on a weekday when there is almost nobody else there. If you want to hike all the way to the end of the spit (heading right as you enter) it is gorgeous, just know that it will take you a few hours there and back, it's a couple of miles in sand.
Last time we were there there was a seal basking in the sun right on the beach. -
Review from mnypny b.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2007
What Cort Z said. So just go on and stay the hell away. *sigh*
Listed in: Forcibly Removed...
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Review from A L.
Santa Barbara, CA
10/23/2010
Far and away my favorite beach in Point Reyes. Drake's is too crowded, it seems like Kehoe always has a seal carcass or two laying around, and North beach makes me nervous with its sneaker waves. Limantour is beautiful and often deserted, the sand is dense for walks or jogs, and I can take my dog with me if I please.
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Review from S R.
Oakland, CA
8/2/2009 1 photo
Show up here on a weekday, and you will just about have it to yourself (see photo)
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Review from Sarah T.
Santa Rosa, CA
6/30/2010
The day I was here in June it was extremely cold and windy, however very calming once I got away from the family with kids that like to just run right into you. On a sunny day I'm guessing this beach is just amazing - one could see true natural beauty and walk for hours. Glad I skipped the lighthouse for this instead - easier drive and less people. An excellent place to think.
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Review from Sara F.
Albany, CA
8/6/2009
the quintessential nor cal beach. light sand, blue water and rolling hills. i'm a fan.
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Review from J C.
Peninsula, CA
7/5/2007
Came here July 4th. The beach faces southward. The area is large and removed from the city life which is nice. However, it can get very windy. There are little bugs in the sand and a fair number of bird carcasses, skeletons as well as bits of garbage on the beach. In all fairness, its a nice beach and not too crowded.
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Review from paul r.
San Francisco, CA
3/13/2007
Best Beach in the Bay Area. If the water was warm would be top 10 in the world...
