Pt. Reyes is a great place to visit, one of the many beautiful areas to be found in Marin county and the greater San Francisco bay area. It's also quite interesting, geologically and historically. It's a triangular sliver of land that—in a way—isn't part of North America. More precisely, it isn't on the same tectonic plate. The famous San Andreas fault, which runs along the coast near San Francisco, separates Pt. Reyes from Marin County and the continent as a whole, allowing it to slide slowly northward at a rate of about 5 cm (2 inches) a year. Supposedly it started out down in Mexico, and may eventually reach Alaska.

Though it has been the subject of much debate, the large sheltered bay is reputed to be where Sir Francis Drake landed for repairs and reprovisioning, and hence carries his name: Drake's Bay.