A northern California version of the California surf town, Bolinas comes complete with a vegetarian deli, aging hippies and some seriously wetsuit-worthy chilly water. It has a good hippy history having been home to musicians with Grateful Dead, and many counter culture poets and artists which today run the unincorporated town with a rose in their fisted gloves.
Known for its reclusiveness, the locals are friendly so long as you respect their town and clean up after yourself on the beach. Not a lot of rules on Bolinas beach, so dogs off leash, bonfires, camping, weed-it’s part of the scene. There are no actual police in Bolinas, so unless something is truly egregious, most everything flies smoothly under the proverbial radar.
Bolinas is a popular surfing spot, perfect for beginners and those preferring not too big of a break. For a Bolinas surf report, go to the local surf shop’s site HERE.
At 2 Mile Surf Shop boards and wetsuits are available for rent or sale, and it’s a good place to get the lowdown on whatever is happening in the water that day. They also do lessons and run surf camps for kids in the summer. It’s namesake is the “Bolinas 2 Miles” sign off Hwy 1 that is never there because the locals continually take it down every time the county puts it back up.
So, if you can find it, have a great day in Bolinas.
