For the last several months we kept hearing about how fabulous Pt. Reyes Station is.  We finally decided to go up there and see it for ourselves.  We rented the "Barn Loft".  It is a small and cozy part of a charming group of rooms/cottages just set off the main drag in Pt. Reyes Station.  We loved that the set up is such that you don't see a single person while you are there.  You pay in advance, the owner leaves a key for you just inside the open door, and she's rarely around.  No check out or check in required.  It was fabulous. Our only disappointment is that it was a bit smaller than expected and we would have appreciated a real bed instead of a pullout couch.  We still loved that it wasn't a hotel and was a comfortable place to spend time.  But, in the future, if we feel like splurging, we'll have to stay in the Jasmine Cottage.

The gardens around the properties were gorgeous.  Tons of fresh flowers.  We even had a vase full of fresh flowers waiting for us on the kitchen table when we arrived.  It really was a charming place -- despite the crappy mattress.  :)  We weren't able to fully appreciate how charming the gardens and buildings were until we were on our way out.  From the time we arrived on Friday night until mid-morning on Sunday it rained and rained and rained.

We did expect the rain and came equipped. DVD's, games, books and rain gear if we felt ambitious.  Turns out the only TV at the loft is teency tiny and in the closet with a built in VCR.  When we were in town on Friday night we stopped by an incredibly eclectic shop (videos, groceries, pizza, burgers, deli sandwiches all for sale and was all decked out with Halloween fog and hanging skeletons) and picked up a few video tapes.  Their entirely collection of videos (or what was left of it) was on sale for $2.  We purchased a couple and added them to the collection at the Loft.

We were super lazy on Saturday.  We are currently Carcassonne addicts and played five games while the rains poured.  We ventured out only for food.  We hit the Bovine bakery for some pretty impressive croissants and scones.  The Cow Girl Creamery for one of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had - it just needed to be bigger.  And Point Reyes Station Cafe.  We actually ended up eating at the Cafe both Friday and Saturday night.  The food was delish.  We both decided that they served the best french fries we've ever had.  If you ever visit Pt. Reyes, you MUST eat there.

By mid-morning on Sunday the rains had stopped and we headed out to explore. I've always loved the Pt. Reyes National Seashore and continued to love it as we visited new places.  We went to the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse -- and were lucky enough to see a whale or two off in the distance as he traveled by.  We hiked out to Chimney Rock and loved those views.  We would have really loved it if the fog had lifted so we could have seen further along the coast -- but it was still gorgeous.  We also did a trail run along the Estero Trail which was beautiful.  The waterways are amazing.  We plan on going back in late April or May when it's a lush green, hopefully sunny and when the Mama and Baby whales swim right along the coast on their trip home.

Our weekend ended with dinner at Joy's house.  She blew us all away with her crock pot dinner!   Her culinary skills are reaching new levels.  As always, we loved hanging out with Joy and Collin.

For more pictures check out our Point Reyes album in our photo gallery.