Stinson Beach

Destination
Stinson Beach in Marin County is a great place to take any beach-loving dog. Although a far trip north for those of us living in the south bay, the drive through San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin is well worth it. The views from Highway 1 as you skirt the coast are one-of-a-kind. However, if your dog has a tendency to be car sick, this might not be the drive for you. Clark is mostly tolerant of windy roads, but on our first trip to Marin, he wasn't very happy in the backseat. Luckily, there are several convenient turnouts that allowed him to get fresh air along the way. Stinson Beach, located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), can be found along Highway 1 in the town of Stinson Beach, just a blip on the map, but very cute and quaint.



Recreation
There are a few options for dogs visiting Stinson Beach. They are allowed to enjoy the county section of the beach on the north side, but are not allowed on the GGNRA portion to the south. The south side is the most readily accessible portion since it is right by the open parking lots, but the south side is just a short walk away. Also, though dogs are not officially allowed on the south beach, I saw many there, although still far less than on the north county beach. Dogs are also required to be leashed at all times, but that rule seems to have been brushed off by many dog owners. Whether you want to obey the rules is really up to you as I didn't see many enforcers in the area. Trying to obey the rules, we took Clark to the north section of the beach. The beach was full of dogs having a great time and it seemed to be a popular spot. Unfortunately, with many of the small dogs off-leash, we had to keep a mindful eye on them and Clark so as to avoid any problems. Clark did enjoy himself in the waves and sitting on the beach for a bit, though. Afterall, if you give Clark waves and some sand to role around in, he'll love you forever.


Dogs are also allowed in the grassy picnic areas in the parking lot, of which there are a few. The area farthest north of the parking lot is open and allows for a lot of room to roam. Eventually fleeing the busy dog beach, we ended up here. Clark had a great time exploring the area, full of trees, grass and the smells of countless dogs who came before him. Especially if the beach is cold and windy, this area is relatively enclosed and can be convenient to turn to for drying off and eating a picnic lunch.



Degustation
Not having brought a picnic lunch and looking for some local flavor, we ended up at the Stinson Beach Grill, right off the highway. We asked the restaurant staff if we could bring Clark along with us while we ate in the large outdoor dining area and they were very accommodating. Although not allowed to actually be on the patio, he could sit just outside of it. There is a fence running around the edge of the patio, so we put Clark on one side of it, passed his leash through one of the holes in the fence and enjoyed our lunch while he drooled from the other side. This set-up only works if you get a table that is next to the edge of the patio of course, but there are several of those and the restaurant didn't seem like it gets overly busy. Although not as convenient as a restaurant that lets you have your dog next to your table with you, it served its purpose. Plus, our food was really delicious - which Clark didn't mind, either since he was passed a few samples.


Stinson Beach is definitely worth the trip, especially if your dog loves the beach and socializing with other dogs. Since it was our first trip up to Marin, we also managed to fit in a drive up to Point Reyes where we roamed around the little town and went into the dog-friendly bookstore, Point Reyes Books. If you're traveling all the way from the south bay like we did, I recommend making a day of it by visiting both Stinson Beach and Point Reyes. Dogs are also welcome at many of the beaches on the Point Reyes National Seashore, so if your pup really is wild about the sand and surf, combining these two areas of Marin would make for a great day for you and your dog.






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