Planning Your Trip

Festival Headquarters
Environmental Action Committee of West Marin
65 Third Street, Suite 12
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Weather, Tides. & Air Quality
Learn more about the area here.

Places to Eat, Stay & Play
If you live outside the area, the closest towns to stay in coastal Marin County are Point Reyes, Inverness, Marshall, Bolinas, Tomales, and Stinson Beach. Depending on your festival schedule, the towns of Petaluma, Novato, and San Rafael may also fit your budget and needs (about a 30-35 minute drive). Thank you for supporting our local businesses. Learn More.

Air Travel
If you are outside of the Bay Area, the three closest airports are located in San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Rosa (a much smaller airport). All three are roughly the same distance to Marin County. Use Google directions to estimate your time to meeting locations.

Car Travel & Carpools
Due to our remote locations, a car is necessary for travel since bus service is limited (Marin Transit/Stagecoach). Please do not rely on Uber/Lyft, as they may bring you out, but will not back. Plan ahead, and give yourself an extra 10 minutes to reach your destination, especially if you are new to the area.

Registered attendees will receive info on their confirmed events and can download/print them with details on meeting locations. Parking at trailheads is often limited. Carpooling is at your own risk and coordination. Please lock all valuables in your trunk.

Fuel/Gas
Point Reyes Station has one gas station and it can be very busy on weekends. Please prepare to arrive with a full tank of gas, especially if your event is caravanning or carpooling around.  

Being Prepared

Wear Layers, Bring Binoculars & Rain Gear
In spring, the weather in Point Reyes is highly variable and often very windy. Be prepared by bringing layers, good hiking shoes, a sunhat, sunscreen, sunglasses, an extra pair of socks, and wind/rain gear. Check the weather.

Pack Food and Beverages
Participants should plan to bring water, snacks, and lunch. It is important to note that while in coastal Marin, once you pass Inverness and head out to the Seashore, there are no amenities.

Bringing Your Fledglings & Chicks
Children are encouraged on many of the field events. See the schedule at a glance for age recommendations. We also understand some youth are more advanced, so if you have a question about registering a younger child for an event, please contact us. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. We also invite families to join us for our Sunday Family Fun Day.  

Pets vs. Service Dogs: Sorry, no pets are allowed on field events, or keynote social gatherings unless as a certified companion/assistant dog. Assistant dogs must be properly identified, and any accompanying paperwork brought to share in case of law enforcement questions.  If you have brought a pet, you can board her or him at the Point Reyes Animal Hospital (415) 663-1533, just across the bridge at the south end of Point Reyes. Do not leave your pet in your car.

Leave No Trace & Watch Your Waste
Please adhere to Cleaner California Coast and Leave No Trace Principles. Use the proper receptacles to dispose of trash and recyclables, or pack out, what you pack in. Whenever possible, utilize reusable containers for food and drinks to reduce the impact on the environment.

Being Mindful

DO NOT PICK UP WILDLIFE OR BIRDS
Not only is it best to keep wildlife WILD, but they also carry diseases that can harm you, including Avian Bird Flu.

When Outside You may experience wind, rain, a variety of predators, and insects (for example (ticks, spiders, or bees). Come prepared, and do tick checks. If you have a known allergy, be prepared. We do not recommend DDT sprays or anything harmful to the environment.

Birdsong Audio
The use of audio or mechanical devices to playback bird vocalizations to attract birds is not allowed at the festival. These devices stress and disrupt wildlife mating/nesting activities. Additionally, Federal Regulations prohibit use in National Parks, and California Law prohibits broadcasting vocalizations of endangered species. Read the American Bird Association Code of Ethics below.

Birds & Wildlife First
When observing birds/wildlife, pay attention to their posture and position. If birds are alarmed, step back and allow the birds to relax. Do not approach nests, roosts, or display areas. Please do not feed the wild animals or remove them from their location. If you have a concern, staff, volunteers, or your guide. Read the American Bird Association Code of Ethics below.

Field Event Etiquette
Place your phone on airplane mode or turn it off when on field events. Do not wander away from the group. Keep conversations at a low volume so participants may hear the guide and listen to birds. If you have a medical emergency, notify the guide or volunteer, and call 911. 

Reporting Inappropriate Behavior
The Festival works to provide one of the best birding and nature festival experiences. If you experience unethical or inappropriate behavior, please let us know at (415) 663.9312 or at events@eacmarin.org. 

The American Birding Association’s Code of Birding Ethics

1. Promote the welfare of birds and their environment.
   1(a) Support the protection of important bird habitat.
   1(b) To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording, or filming. Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, of Special Concern, or is rare in your local area. Keep well back from nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas, and important feeding sites. In such sensitive areas, if there is a need for extended observation, photography, filming, or recording, try to use a blind or hide, and take advantage of natural cover. Use artificial light sparingly for filming or photography, especially for close-ups.
   1(c) Before advertising the presence of a rare bird, evaluate the potential for disturbance to the bird, its surroundings, and other people in the area, and proceed only if access can be controlled, disturbance minimized, and permission has been obtained from private landowners. The sites of rare nesting birds should be divulged only to the proper conservation authorities.
   1(d) Stay on roads, trails, and paths where they exist; otherwise, keep habitat disturbance to a minimum.

2. Respect the law and the rights of others.

   2(a) Do not enter private property without the owner’s explicit permission.
   2(b) Follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing the use of roads and public areas, both at home and abroad.
   2(c) Practice common courtesy in contact with other people. Your exemplary behavior will generate goodwill with birders and non-birders alike.

3. Ensure that feeders, nest structures, and other artificial bird environments are safe.

   3(a) Keep dispensers, water, and food clean and free of decay or disease. It is important to feed birds continually during harsh weather.
   3(b) Maintain and clean nest structures regularly.
   3(c) If you are attracting birds to an area, ensure the birds are not exposed to predation from cats and other domestic animals or dangers posed by artificial hazards.

4. Group birding, whether organized or impromptu, requires special care. Each individual in the group, in addition to the obligations spelled out in Items #1 and #2, has responsibilities as a Group Member:

   4(a) Respect the interests, rights, and skills of fellow birders, as well as people participating in other legitimate outdoor activities. Freely share your knowledge and experience, except where code 1(c) applies. Be especially helpful to beginning birders.
   4(b) If you witness unethical birding behavior, assess the situation and intervene if you think it prudent. When interceding, inform the person(s) of the inappropriate action and attempt, within reason, to have it stopped. If the behavior continues, document it and notify appropriate individuals or organizations. Group Leader Responsibilities [amateur and professional trips and tours]:
   4(c) Be an exemplary ethical role model for the group. Teach through word and example.
   4(d) Keep groups to a size that limits the impact on the environment and does not interfere with others using the same area.
   4(e) Ensure everyone in the group knows of and practices this code.
   4(f) Learn and inform the group of any special circumstances applicable to the areas being visited (e.g., no audio playback allowed).
   4(g) Acknowledge that professional tour companies bear a special responsibility to place the welfare of birds and the benefits of public knowledge ahead of the company’s commercial interests. Ideally, leaders should keep track of tour sightings, document unusual occurrences, and submit records to appropriate organizations.