Point Reyes is one of my absolute favorite places to shoot on the California coast. It is a location that offers more than just a backdrop; a Point Reyes engagement is an experience. Whether you are looking for dramatic cliffside vistas or one of the best engagement session activities—a cozy beach fire—this peninsula has it all.

When planning your Point Reyes engagement photos, it’s important to remember that this landscape is as wild as it is beautiful. I’ll cover six of the best locations on the peninsula below, but there are countless hidden trails to explore. I always suggest taking a day to wander the park and find the specific "pockets" that fit your personal style.

A Note on Weather & Timing The weather is notoriously fickle here, and the famous Northern California fog rolls in quickly. If your vision for your Point Reyes engagement session includes bright and airy photos, I suggest shooting around midday. However, if you love that moody, romantic "Pacific Northwest" aesthetic, be ready to embrace the heavy fog, which creates a soft, natural lightbox that makes for incredible, intimate portraits.

Pointe reyes engagement photo session a couple viewing of beach

Keep in mind that many of the park activities are closed during the weekdays, so we’ll want to plan accordingly. Before you head out for your Point Reyes engagement session, make sure to pack some warm clothes, a blanket or two, and some wind-resistant fire starter. I’ve included some links at the end of this page for park hours (which do change occasionally), as well as permit information and a map of the area. Cell reception is nonexistent out there (for me anyway), so you’ll definitely want to download the map before you lose signal.

Once you pass through Point Reyes Station, you’ll be in mostly open country, so I would suggest filling up on gas here. There’s also a great little coffee shop called Toby’s Coffee Bar in town if you need a caffeine fix. There aren’t a ton of restaurants once you get deeper into the park, but Palace Market is great for grabbing snacks or premade sandwiches to take with us for your Point Reyes engagement photos.

1. Point Reyes Shipwreck

Once you pass through town, your next stop is just about eight minutes down the road in Inverness. This is where you’ll find the iconic Point Reyes Shipwreck, tucked right behind The Inverness Store.

It’s a staple for Point Reyes engagement photos because of the gritty, rustic texture it adds to the gallery. Honestly, in all the times I’ve shot here, it’s rarely been crowded, usually just two or three people lingering about, which makes it feel like a private little discovery.

A Note on Preserving the Magic If we head here for your Point Reyes engagement, I just ask that we respect the area and leave it better than we found it. This shipwreck almost completely burned down a few years back because of some photographers messing around with steel wool for "light painting" shots. It would be a huge shame to lose what’s left of this landmark, so let's make sure we're keeping it safe for the next couple who wants to explore it.

The light here hits the hull beautifully in the late afternoon, making it a perfect starting point before we head deeper into the peninsula for those coastal cliff shots.

2. Monterey Cypress Tree Tunnel

Monterey cypress tree tunnel couple posing together.

Couple getting engaged at Point Reyes. — There’s also some pretty sweet fields right outside of the tree tunnel.

As you continue down Sir Francis Drake Blvd, you’ll notice the road progressively getting a bit rougher. Depending on the season, certain stretches can actually flood, so definitely take your time and enjoy the drive. About 15 minutes past the shipwreck, you’ll see the Monterey Cypress Tree Tunnel coming up on your right.

This is arguably the most iconic spot for Point Reyes engagement photos, and because of that, it does tend to get crowded. We’ll likely have to work around other visitors to get those clean, symmetrical shots, but the results are always worth the patience.

To keep your Point Reyes engagement stress-free (and ticket-free), you can either park on the main road outside the tunnel or drive all the way to the end toward the water treatment plant, where there’s a small parking lot on the left.

The Park Rangers come through here pretty often. If you see them and have any questions, feel free to chat them up; they’ve always been super pleasant and are a wealth of knowledge about the peninsula.

A happy couple getting engaged at Point Reyes.

3. Point Reyes North/South Beach

A engagement photo shoot at Point Reyes. Image features a couple by the fire. — Want to make a more dramatic fire for photos? Bring along some ground coffee. It catches easily and burns off fast.

Both North and South Beach will be on your right once you pass the Tree Tunnel. While they look fairly similar and simple at first glance, I actually prefer them for several reasons. First, neither of them is nearly as popular as Drake’s Beach to the east. The difference in the number of visitors is pretty crazy, and these western beaches always just feel cleaner. They both have their own bathrooms, and the dunes near the parking lots are really neat for unique Point Reyes engagement photos.

The Beach Fire Experience. This is easily the best place to end the day with a campfire. It makes for such a romantic, cozy finish to a Point Reyes engagement session. You do have to have a permit, though. You can’t really plan too far ahead because permits must be obtained on the actual day you plan to have the fire.

The good news is that there are two easy ways to get these free permits. You can go to one of the visitor centers or just flag down a park ranger. If you are a big planner, you can stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. It has the most consistent hours (10 am to 5 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on weekends). I’ve never personally been to that one because it is pretty out of the way, south of Point Reyes Station. The other two visitor centers at the Lighthouse and Drake’s Beach are closed during most weekdays.

The Ranger Trick: Because the centers are often closed, I normally just snag a permit from a park ranger. You can find them driving around the park or, most reliably, at the tree tunnel. In my experience, they come through there every 30 minutes or so. Filling out the form only takes a minute or two, and then we are all set for your Point Reyes engagement sunset fire.

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4. Drake’s Beach

A couple getting engaged at Drake's Beach Point Reyes.

Drake’s Beach is one of the more put-together-looking areas of Point Reyes, and it borders the beautiful Drake’s Bay. It is a very accessible spot with a large parking lot and the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center, which has a sweet little gift shop if you want a souvenir.

Once you hit the sand, the first thing you’ll notice is the massive cliffs jutting up along both sides of the beach. These cliffs are a fantastic backdrop for Point Reyes engagement photos because they add so much scale and drama to the frame.

The Best Viewpoint. If you head to the right, there is a trail you can take up to the top of the cliffs. I tend to avoid the main beach area since it attracts so many visitors, but it is absolutely worth taking the short hike up. Once you reach the top, you get a great wrap-around view of the ocean. It’s one of the best spots to capture the true coastal feel of a Point Reyes engagement without having to deal with crowds in the background of your shots.

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From the top of the rather large dune it’s an easy walk down the other side to a large pile of driftwood, and you can head back to the parking lot along the beach. This stretch is right up next to the cliff of the wall, a pretty great spot for some more abstract photos.

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5. Lighthouse Visitor Center

A couple getting engaged at the Lighthouse Visitor Center Point Reyes.

If you head all the way to the end of the peninsula away from Drake’s Bay, you’ll end up at another very popular spot, the Point Reyes Lighthouse. Parking here tends to be a bit of a nightmare. There is only a small parking lot that always seems to be full of tour buses, so you will probably need to park along the road. It’s a short hike to the lighthouse itself, but the views even from the road are pretty crazy.

If you’re lucky enough to be there on a clear day, you’ll be able to see all the way to Tomales Point. The view of the beach below is incredible and makes for a stunning backdrop for Point Reyes engagement photos. The walk to the lighthouse is paved and easy with a slight uphill tilt. Keep in mind that the lighthouse is closed from Tuesday through Thursday, so definitely plan your Point Reyes engagement accordingly. If you are there on the weekend, this is also a great spot to snag a fire permit for later on in the evening.

Wildlife Spotting As a side note, there are two overlooks along the south end where you can see sea lions and elephant seals. While it isn’t great for your actual Point Reyes engagement session since you aren't allowed anywhere near the beaches where they lounge, it is always fun to stop and spot them while you're in the area.

6. Tule Elk Reserve

A couple getting engaged at the Tule Elk Reserve at Point Reyes.

The Tule Elk Reserve is one of my favorite spots in Point Reyes, but it is a bit away from everything else. Instead of continuing along Sir Francis Drake Blvd after seeing the shipwreck, you will want to turn right onto Pierce Point Road. You aren't guaranteed to see elk, but if you do, it will probably be a pretty large gang of them. This is a unique area for Point Reyes engagement photos because it feels so untouched and wild.

There aren't a lot of fences in this area, so please be cautious and keep your distance. The elk tend to stay away from people and the road as far as I’ve seen, but you definitely don't want to piss off an elk. Constant vigilance is key here. If you head all the way up Tomales Point, you will end up at the historic Pierce Point Ranch.

Hiking and Beach Access The ranch has an incredible hike out to Tomales Bluff, which offers some of the most dramatic views of your entire Point Reyes engagement. It is a little long, though, so if you are looking for something quicker, there is an easier walk down to McClure’s Beach nearby. Just a quick heads up for the end of the day: fires are not allowed in Tomales Bay, even if you have a permit, so we would need to head back toward the western beaches if a campfire is part of your Point Reyes engagement session plans.