If you live in the Bay Area, you owe it to yourself to experience this hike-in breakfast at least once. It’s only a 2-mile walk to West Point Inn on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais if you take the Old Stage Road connecting to dog-friendly Marin County Municipal Water District trails. The inn, an off-the-grid haven built alongside a long-defunct railroad, sits at a lofty 1,785 feet elevation, offering sweeping views of the landscapes and seascapes below.
Once a month May through October, it hosts an outdoor pancake breakfast for hikers and bikers. The $10 spread, served from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., includes pancakes, sausage and coffee served up by volunteers. Check West Point’s website for dates.
There are many ways to reach the inn, with most routes requiring a hike of less than an hour. To stretch it out to two hours, start at Stinson Beach or in the town of Mill Valley.
Also on the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge, Cavallo Point Lodge on the outskirts of Sausalito makes a great starting or ending point for a hike into the Marin Headlands, where you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the bridge and the blocky white San Francisco skyline. The dog-friendly lodge is part of Fort Baker, a 19th-century military installation.
Park on East Road or at the adjacent Bay Area Discovery Museum and follow the Drown Road bike-and-hike trail to the ridge-top above the cluster of beautifully restored buildings. Then, clamber down to the hotel’s Murray Circle restaurant and Farley Bar, where you can relax on the veranda with your four-legged companion and enjoy a libation, small plate or other dish from the acclaimed kitchen.
