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One of the best and most amusing hidden surfing towns is a place called Bolinas, California. Although only a stream's breadth away from the popular Stinson Beach, and just over one hour north of San Francisco, California, this town remains elusive. It is this elusiveness that makes it such a tantalizing destination.

What keep Bolinas hidden from tourists is a combination of a beautiful, but windy, trek north along Highway 1 and its wiley residents. Highway 1 branches off highway 101 in Marin County to snake through state and national parks before passing into a beautiful beach town, Stinson Beach. The beach is long and sandy. The surf is good and surfers are only occasionally bothered by the Great White sharks that patrol the northern California coast.

Bolinas lies just north of Stinson Beach and is the continuation of the luxurious, pale, sandy stretch of beach. However, continuing north on Highway 1, a traveler would never see a sign, posting, or hint that this town exists. The residents of Bolinas are a population composed of millionaire-turned-hippie types combined with beach bums that jealously guard the knowledge and location of their town. They have notoriously torn down directional signs, distance signs, street signs, anything that would give the slightest hint to outsiders of their home's existence. They have even been rumored to attack websites boasting of their town as a tourist destination. This is part of the Bolinas allure.

Driving into Bolinas, you feel part explorer, part invader. Walking the streets, it is easy to imagine that you have a giant sign: "Outsider" posted on your head. It is quite a memorable experience. To find the beach, simply keep to the right at the main fork in town. The beach access is marked by shark warning signs and limited parking. Try to park legally; you would not want to risk the wrath of the inhabitants.

To find Bolinas, and I hope you do, simply follow Highway 1 through Stinson Beach and past Bolinas Lagoon. Take the first left as soon as the Lagoon ends and follow the unmarked road past fields and barns straight into town. I will be grinning with amusement and glee when you do. Good luck and good surfing.

Learn more about this author, Gretchen Gingerich.
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