Bolinas does not want to be found, and it has made that clear for decades. Locals have a long tradition of removing the road sign that points to the town from Highway 1, so you may have to watch for the unmarked turnoff at the end of Bolinas Lagoon. The reward is a small, eccentric, salt-weathered village at the tip of a mesa on the Marin coast, with a few streets of old wooden buildings, a beach, surfers and an atmosphere that feels decades removed from the Bay Area just over the hill.
Geology explains the setting. The San Andreas Fault runs straight through Bolinas Lagoon and up the Olema Valley to Tomales Bay, and the land to the west, including the Point Reyes peninsula, sits on a different tectonic plate, moving slowly northwest relative to the rest of California. The lagoon is a haven for wildlife: harbour seals haul out on the sandbars, and herons, egrets and pelicans fish in the shallows. Duxbury Reef, off the end of the mesa, is one of the largest shale reefs in North America, with tide pools at low tide.
The road in is the reason to come. Highway 1 from Mill Valley and Muir Woods climbs over the shoulder of Mount Tamalpais and drops down to Stinson Beach on a sequence of tight, twisting bends above the ocean, with sheer drops and spectacular views. It is narrow, often bumpy, frequently foggy and shared with cyclists and tourist cars that stop without warning. The Panoramic Highway and the Ridgecrest Boulevard over Mount Tam are equally twisty and even more scenic. North of Bolinas, Highway 1 follows the lagoon and the Olema Valley toward Point Reyes Station, through rolling pastures and eucalyptus.
Fog is a constant companion, especially in summer, and the coast can be cold and damp even when the inland valleys are hot. Spring brings green hills and wildflowers, and autumn is often the clearest season.
Bolinas has a couple of places to eat and drink, but do not count on filling the tank here. Fuel up in Mill Valley or Fairfax before heading out, or at Point Reyes Station further north. Respect the locals' wish for quiet: park considerately, keep the revs down in town and enjoy the beach, the lagoon and the strange, independent spirit of the place.