Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [333]
Formerly the lodge for a chapter of the United Ancient Order of Druids, an Elks-like organization of men in funny hats holding secret meetings, this 1885 structure has been transformed into a terrific inn. Inside the lodge are three standard rooms with a European feel. The suite and the cottage are quite lavish: The suite, once the Druids' secret throne room, has a stainless-steel kitchen that is sometimes used for culinary classes, a private deck, and an antique mantle above the working fireplace; the cottage (which once served as a woodshed) has radiant floor heating and Asian-meets-Arts-and-Crafts decor. Guests in the standard rooms eat breakfast in the common room, while the staff delivers baskets with pastries, fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and a newspaper to suite and cottage guests.
Point Reyes Country Inn & Stables 12050 Hwy. 1 (P.O. Box 501), Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. ☎ 415/663-9696. Fax 415/ 663-8888. www.ptreyescountryinn.com. 6 units, 2 studios, 2 cottages. $95–$180 double, $95–$325 studio, $190–$225 cottage. $10–$15 per horse. Rates include breakfast. MC, V.
This five-bedroom, ranch-style home on 4 acres offers pastoral accommodations for two- and four-legged guests (humans and horses, that is) and easy access to plenty of hiking and riding trails. Each room has a private bathroom and either a balcony or a garden. Above the stables are two studios with kitchens, and two cottages in Inverness are equipped with decks, stocked kitchens, fireplaces, and a shared dock.
Where to Dine
Manka's Inverness Lodge & Restaurant
Argyle St., off Sir Francis Drake Blvd., 2 blocks north of downtown, Inverness. ☎ 415/669-1034. Fixed-price dinner $58–$88. AE, MC, V. One seating daily: Thurs–Sat 7pm, Sun 4pm. CALIFORNIA ECLECTIC.
The specialties of this fine restaurant are game and fish, including oysters from Tomales Bay. In fact, almost everything in the kitchen is sourced within an hour of the lodge. The menu changes every night; it might feature duck, seared over almond wood and served on a bed of coastal cabbage and locally grown apples; wild axis deer; a rich mussel stew; or everybody's favorite, local king salmon.
Station House Cafe
11180 Main St., Point Reyes Station. ☎ 415/ 663-1515. Reservations recommended. Breakfast $5–$8; lunch items $6–$18; dinner main courses $8–$25. DISC, MC, V. Thurs–Tues 8am–10pm. AMERICAN.
A local favorite, the Station House Cafe is known for its good food and animated atmosphere, particularly when live music plays on weekends. The menu changes every week but always features vegetarian selections (with veggies from the cafe's garden), locally raised beef, and a good selection of fresh fish. For breakfast, try a frittata with asparagus, goat cheese, and olives, which always seems to taste better at a table outside on the shaded garden patio. A lunch specialty is double-cheese polenta served with sautéed fresh spinach and grilled garlic-buttered tomatoes. For dinner, start with a platter of local oysters and mussels, followed by a braised lamb shank (made with Guinness stout) or one of the old standbys such as meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes. Rounding out the menu are homemade turkey chili, calamari, steamed clams, fresh soup, and mouthwatering desserts made daily. The cafe has an extensive list of fine California wines, plus local and imported beers.
Taqueria La Quinta
11285 Hwy. 1 (at 3rd and Main sts.), Point Reyes Station. ☎ 415/663-8868. Main courses $5–$9. No credit cards. Wed–Mon 11:30am–8pm. MEXICAN.
Fresh, good, fast, and cheap: What more could you ask for? Taqueria La Quinta has been a favorite lunch stop in downtown Point Reyes for years. A huge menu of Mexican standards (enchiladas, rellenos, tamales, and the like) is posted above the counter, but those in the know order the standout fish tacos, sheathed in fresh homemade tortillas. Since it's all self-serve, you