Indian Beach(Tomales Bay State Park)

Located in the northern part of Tomales Bay State Park, Indian Beach has light brown sand and sparse amounts of vegetation. This beach has wetlands behind it and a creek flows through the beach into Tomales Bay. This beach and the area around it were inhabited by the Native American Coast Miwok people during the pre-Columbian era. 

While Indian Beach does not have any lifeguards, the beach has restrooms and interpretive trails. 

Indian Beach offers many fun activities including swimming, sunbathing, wildlife watching, hiking, picnicking, fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, and boating. The beach has two reconstructed traditional Coast Miwok shelters that offer a unique insight into the lifestyle of the Native American People who lived around this area for millennia. The calm and shallow water near the beach is ideal for children, kayakers, beginner swimmers, and paddleboarders. The water near Indian Beach is home to harbor seals and you can also see a wide variety of seabirds near this beach. Depending on the time of the year, you can also catch many kinds of fish in the water near Indian Beach including surfperch and halibut. However, if you are planning to fish in the water near Indian Beach, please make sure that you are following the local fishing regulations. You can also launch your kayak from this beach and explore Tomales Bay. As an interesting fact, Tomales Bay is home to interesting bioluminescent marine organisms, which often light up during the night and make the water blue which creates a unique and memorable experience. This bioluminescence makes Tomales Bay a popular spot for night kayaking sessions. You can also explore the vivid wetlands behind Indian beach via hiking trails present here. The beach and the area around it are also known to be the home of many animals including foxes and deer. However, if you are planning to hike in the area around this beach, we recommend being careful as the area around the beach is known to have poison oak.

Getting to Coast Miwok Beach is easy - the sign indicating the entrance to Tomales Bay State Park is present near 1208 Pierce Point Road, from where you need to first drive to another separate beach called Heart’s Desire Beach, where there is also a paid parking lot. Once you get to this beach, you need to take a half-mile-long self-guided trail known as the Indian Nature Trail that starts near Heart’s Desire Beach and leads to Indian Beach. This access trail has interpretive displays and signs that offer interesting information on the local history and biodiversity. This trail goes through a boardwalk over a creek before leading to Indian Beach. It is important to note that if you are planning to visit Indian Beach on a weekend, make sure that you visit early in the morning as the parking lot for Heart’s Desire Beach fills up quickly during weekends. In addition, the state park restricts public access to the beaches when the parking lot fills up.

There are many attractions near Indian Beach. Kule Loklo, which means "Bear Valley," is a recreated Native American Coast Miwok village that offers an interesting insight into the pre-Columbian history of North California. Guided tours of this historical site are available from the nearby Bear Valley Visitor Center every Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You can call the Bear Valley Visitor Center on (415) 464-5100 for more information regarding these tours. This site also hosts the annual Big Time Festival in July which sees Native American cultural performances and exhibitions displaying unique Native American art and handicrafts being organized here. Inverness Ridge is a mountain ridge that has hiking and biking trails that offer a unique insight into the interesting topography and vibrant biodiversity of Marin County. If you are looking for another attraction near Indian Beach, the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History has interesting exhibits on the rich history of Marin County and northern California.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Indian Beach. Sir and Star at The Olema is an upscale restaurant that has a charming vintage ambiance and offers delicious coastal Californian cuisine. In addition, the restaurant has been also praised by the MICHELIN Guide. Tap Room offers delicious sandwiches, burgers, tacos, nachos, fries, salads, and barbecued oysters. In addition, this restaurant has also been praised by the Marin Independent Journal. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Indian Beach, the modestly priced Bovine Bakery offers excellent pizzas, quiche, calzone, and soups. In addition, the restaurant is famous for offering delicious baked desserts including muffins, scones, pastries, and cookies.

If you are looking for a hotel near Indian Beach, there are many great nearby options. Cottages at Point Reyes Seashore offers many amenities including a hot tub, a saltwater pool, a tennis court, space for lawn games, and a barbecue spot. A more affordable option is the 3-Star Olema House offers many amenities including a restaurant, a game room with a pool table, a deli, and a garden. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Indian Beach, the modestly priced Abalone Inn is a bed-and-breakfast that offers many amenities including a garden patio, a hot tub, a lounge with a fireplace, complimentary breakfast, and massage treatments (for a fee).