Major city · United States
Bolinas
Go for one day from Marin, not as a base: the town is a 15-minute walk end to end and the road signs pointing in are often missing.
Bolinas is a small unincorporated town on the Marin County coast, reached by a turn off Highway 1 that is easy to miss. There is one short commercial street, a beach, a museum and a tidepool reef. One day covers it; a night is only worth it if you want the beach at low tide and a quiet evening.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- avoid Jul–Aug (fog and crowds), Dec–Feb (rain)
- Airports
- SFO · OAK
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Bolinas911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Bolinas, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyBolinas is a quiet, low-crime town; the real risks are the ocean, the reef and the drive in.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportSFO San Francisco International (About 1 h 15 min by car via US-101 and CA-1; no direct transit to Bolinas).
- Getting aroundThe commercial strip is walkable in about 15 minutes.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee$4–6
- Street or quick mealBreakfast plate$12–18
- BeerDraft beer at the saloon$7–10
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–30
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entryfree, donation suggested
- Budget bedHostel or shared bunk, a night, per personUS$45
- Mid-range bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$200
- High-end bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$320
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$250
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- SFO San Francisco International (About 1 h 15 min by car via US-101 and CA-1; no direct transit to Bolinas) · OAK Oakland International (About 1 h 30 min by car; longer by transit)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Feb
Avoid
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
Mar
not flagged
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Apr
Best
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
May
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Jun
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Jul
Avoid
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Aug
Avoid
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Sep
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Oct
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Nov
not flagged
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Dec
Avoid
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Best: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Sep (22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)), coolest Jan (6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C) low), wettest Jan (11 rain days), driest Jul (1). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Bolinas: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
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Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
11 rd
Feb
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
10 rd
Mar
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
10 rd
Apr
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
6 rd
May
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
4 rd
Jun
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
2 rd
Jul
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
1 rd
Aug
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
1 rd
Sep
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
2 rd
Oct
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
4 rd
Nov
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
8 rd
Dec
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
11 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The commercial strip is walkable in about 15 minutes. A car is needed for the residential streets and for Duxbury Reef; the Agate Beach lot is small, so arrive early on weekends. Marin Transit's West Marin Stagecoach route 61 links Bolinas with Marin City, where you can connect to San Rafael and the wider Bay Area, but service is infrequent — check the timetable before relying on it.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 20 min
CA-1 south by car, about 15 min
Wider beach and more food; go early for parking.
Door to door: About 30 min
CA-1 north by car, about 20 min to the town, longer to the trailheads
A full day if you add the lighthouse or Tomales Point.
Door to door: About 45 min
CA-1 south then US-101 south by car, about 40 min
Redwood trails and a small walkable centre.
Door to door: 45 min by car, 1.5–2 h by bus
CA-1 south then Sir Francis Drake Blvd and US-101, about 45 min by car; Stagecoach 61 plus a transfer by bus
The county seat for supplies, trains and onward transit.
Door to door: About 1 h
CA-1 south then US-101 south by car, about 50 min
Better as a stop on the way back to San Francisco than a return trip.
Door to door: About 1 h 10 min
CA-1 south then US-101 and CA-131 by car, about 1 h
Ferry to San Francisco; pair it with a one-way drive.
Fairfax
goDoor to door: About 35 min
Sir Francis Drake Blvd east by car, about 30 min
Last reliable gas and a good lunch stop on the way out.
Door to door: About 1 h
CA-1 south then US-101 north by car, about 50 min
Nothing here that Bolinas or San Rafael does not cover better.
Door to door: About 50 min
CA-1 south then US-101 south by car, about 45 min
Shopping and the ferry terminal; not a sightseeing day.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Wharf Road and the town centre
The only walkable base: a handful of rooms, the saloon, the museum and the beach within 5 minutes on foot.
Stinson Beach
About 15 min south by car; more beds and restaurants, still close enough for a Bolinas day.
Point Reyes Station
About 20 min north by car; a larger choice of lodging and food for a Marin coast trip.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- $60–100 excl. bed
- Mid
- $100–180 excl. bed
- High
- $180+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Motel or inn double room1 × 1 night × US$200 | US$200 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$130 | US$260 |
| Car hire, one day, compact1 × US$70 | US$70 |
| Fuel, Bolinas return from San Francisco1 × US$20 | US$20 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20 | US$40 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$59 |
| Trip total≈ US$325 per person per day, bed included | US$649 |
2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax is added at checkout. Flights and car hire excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | $4–6 |
| Breakfast plate | $12–18 |
| Sandwich or burger | $14–22 |
| Draft beer at the saloon | $7–10 |
| Museum entry | free, donation suggested |
| Parking at Agate Beach | free, fills early |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $15–30 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Road signs pointing into town from Highway 1 are often removed by locals: watch your odometer and turn carefully.
- There is no gas station in Bolinas; fill up in Stinson Beach, Point Reyes Station or Fairfax before you arrive.
- Cell signal is patchy in parts of town and on the reef.
- Duxbury Reef rocks are slippery and the tide comes in fast: check a tide table and turn back before the water rises.
- Do not touch or move tidepool animals; the reef is a protected marine area.
- The beach has no lifeguard and the lagoon mouth and ocean currents are strong.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
Pocket card
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BolinasBolinas
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Embassy
No embassies in Bolinas; consulates-general are in San Francisco, embassies in Washington, DC.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Stagecoach 61, Bolinas → Marin City: about $2–5, roughly hourly
- Rideshare, San Francisco → Bolinas: $70–110, about 1 h
- Fuel, Bolinas return from San Francisco: about $20
Say or show
- Thank you — Thank you
- Where is the beach? — Where is the beach?
- Is this the road to Bolinas? — Is this the road to Bolinas?
- Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
- Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?
No gas station in town: fill up before you turn off Highway 1.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bolinas. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (fog and crowds), Dec–Feb (rain) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 9 day-trips, door to door
- 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contracts for SFO and OAK: last Stagecoach 61 departures field-checked, rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
- Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: Wharf Road, the beach and lagoon mouth, Duxbury Reef.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (Bolinas Museum, Duxbury Reef, Agate Beach parking) and eat pages with last orders.
- Tide-table and fog fixtures so the reef and beach gates can go green.
Sources
Ask about Bolinas
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