This Tiny Town North Of San Francisco Is An Oyster Lover's Dream

On the shores of Tomales Bay, there is a dot of a commune known as Marshall, California, that beckons food lovers with a local delight: seafood. As an oyster lover, you may have seen the name Point Reyes Station pop up on many a menu, which is a slightly larger town sitting south of Marshall. But, as home to local gems like Hog Island Oyster Company and Tomales Bay Oysters, Marshall is the spot for oysters that literally can't get any fresher.

Oysters are so synonymous with a broad swath of the west coast that they hold a place of pride on the list of foods to try when you visit California. Somewhat sleepy Marshall is the permanent home to only a few hundred residents, but its imprint on the oyster trade looms large. Marshall's geographic position on the bay and its naturally pure waters have made it a place for oystering since before the oyster industry even existed.

The lynchpin of a visit to Marshall is time spent at Hog Island Oyster company. Here, you can book a farm tour to learn about oyster farming, the oyster marine environment, and even take a master oyster shucking class. Once you've worked up an appetite, dine bay-side at The Boat Oyster bar right next to the spot where the oysters are harvested, and in-season, you can even shuck your own. If you want a quicker experience, grab provisions, oyster paraphernalia, and to-go seafood from Hog Island's General Store and Hog Shack.

There's also the Marshall Store for another chance to taste the local delicacies. As you head further back towards bustling San Francisco, pull out your cooler and stop at Tomales Bay Oysters, California's oldest continually running shellfish farm, to try some succulent wares. Once you've taken in all that Marshall oyster bounty, finish your day out with another local delicacy in nearby Point Reyes Station: cheese. As a required stop on the California Cheese Trail, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese is the move for favorites like Toma, a buttery, crowd-pleasing cow's milk cheese. Back at home, you can continue your oyster fest, but make sure to follow oyster best practices, like only shopping at reputable vendors, buying quality farmed product, and making sure to keep the oysters refrigerated or on ice.