Fun Things to Do in Dillon Beach, a Beautiful California Beach Vacation Town Great for Families

There are so many fun and interesting things to do in this beautiful little town of Dillon Beach, located in beautiful Marin County on the California coast. Plan a wonderful visit for a family reunion, girls’ weekend, or corporate retreat. Vacation rental homes abound here, from a small beach cottage to large, beautiful homes that comfortably sleep up to 12 people for weekend or weekly rentals. There are so many fun activities that you’ll want to come back again and again, year after year. Here are a few things to love about your Dillon Beach vacation:

Trekking

At the top of the bluff off Oceana Drive at the end of the street, go through a cattle gate. To the left is a beautiful view from Eagle Rock, overlooking Bodega Head and beautiful Tomales Bay. You’d think you’d be in Scotland, but it’s just over an hour’s drive from San Francisco! You will see some deer trails, follow the ones to the right and you will come to a fire road. Go left and you will reach the Estero in about a mile. Lots of good sticks and rocks along the way! Fun for children of all ages. Dogs love this hike!

Another great hiking area is the Pt. Reyes National Seashore National Visitor Center. It’s a beautiful 45 minute drive from Dillon Beach. There are fun trails – make sure you go for the Earthquake and then go check out the Miwok village too. You can drive along Tomales Bay on an adventure to climb the 300 steps to the lighthouse. Look along the path to see Tule moose running free and listen to the barking of sea lions along the shore.

villages

If you’re headed to the National Coastal Center, plan on spending some time in Pt. Reyes, it’s a cute little town with some fun shops. Be sure to visit Toby’s grocery store. There is a park behind Toby’s for children. Bovine Bakery is well known, and good! The locals have their own cups of coffee on the shelves, so bring your own to feel a part of things. Next door is a large bookstore to explore.

However, Tomales has the best bakery in the world. Open Thursday through Sunday only, you need to get there early, before they sell out! The William Tell has just been renovated and it’s pretty good. now you can sit outside to enjoy a delicious barbecued oyster. The deli is great for sandwiches, which you can take across the street to the park and let the kids play. Don’t miss the hot lamb sandwich! In the opposite direction is the Native Plant Nursery, which is fun to explore.

Petaluma has a great old downtown area. cute shops, antiques, and great restaurants. It wasn’t damaged much in the 1906 earthquake, as many areas of the North Bay and San Francisco were, so the buildings are among some of the oldest in our area. Known for its past poultry industry, it still hosts “Chicken and Egg Days,” with a fun parade and family activities honoring the popular poultry of yesteryear.

Other fun towns to explore: The small town of Bodega (not Bodega Bay) is where Alfred Hitchcock filmed “The Birds.” Sebastopol has a great downtown area, plus plenty of antique shops along the Gravenstein Highway. Healdsburg is a great place to visit, the town square is lovely with shops and restaurants to explore.

San Francisco is a fun day trip away. You can explore Golden Gate Park with the museums or the Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts. Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Ghirardelli Square are fun to explore.

Wine tasting

So many to choose from! While Napa is the most famous, and is only about 45 minutes away, locals really prefer the area closest to Dillon Beach. Sonoma County rivals Napa for world-class wines. Head to the Alexander Valley, Russian River Wine Road, or try some of the smaller boutique wineries in Sebastopol.

Dillon Beach

If you want to be close to home, try our beach! You can make a fire in a bonfire and your dog can also enjoy the beach. The north end of the beach often has great pools to explore. The dunes are great fun to run and climb, but be sure not to let the kids dig too deep, the sand moves and can easily collapse a hole.

You can walk south along the beach to Lawson’s Landing, the camp. There is a dock where you can fish or crab. Clam is also popular here. There is a fee to drive to the landing.