Nestled above San Francisco on the Pacific Coast is historic farmland that is so beautiful it might just take your breath away.

I was working on a project in San Francisco when a buddy texted me and asked if I wanted to go explore Point Reyes National Seashore. I was ahead on my projects, so I packed up my computer, threw on my McDonald's-made Detroit Tigers hat from the 80s, and we were on our way.

As you cross the Golden Gate bridge headed north, you travel through beautiful peninsular California, from city to superb to village, until you realize there will be no more stores. No more marketing. No more white noise.

And then you enter another peninsula: the national park itself.

The road, though, doesn't just take you into the park, it takes you to a different culture and time. Farmland, which has been in families for hundreds of years (and is protected by the Marin Agricultural Land Trust), balances in an beautiful awkwardness with the otherwise completely natural forests and the gorgeous bay that cuts deep into the land.

This symbiosis becomes more clear as you draw nearer the coast and the trees become less frequent, with farmsteads and their cattle dotting the beautiful California coastlands. But then...the coast. You begin to see it in the distance and hear the drum of the waves in the air.

It made me feel like I was at the end of the world for settlers. And funny enough, there was one more farmstead when we got to the end of the road—Pierce Point Ranch, a 150-year old historic monument reminding visitors of how life used to be. I heard an interesting fact that 60% of families from the area used to make their living from raising food. Taking in comparison to our culture now, that is fascinating to me.

The land near the ocean is quite elevated, so even though you can be close to the water, you’re still high up. To get there, you have to hike down small creek-like veins hidden by lush low-lying vegetation. We picked one and began our hike down the trail toward the water. The vegetation there seemed smaller and more shrub like and it almost reminded me of a lush version of hiking above the timberline, even though this was only a couple hundred feet above sea level.

As we drew near the coast, the quantity of plants diminished and the presence of of creek shown more vividly against the oranges and browns of the growing valley walls.

And there it was, the deep teal blue of the Pacific Ocean—cold and foreboding both in it’s appearance and temperature (if you brave the waters).

The coast, on the ground level, is like stepping inside a remarkably ornate home where the residents where the residents make you feel like the home is as much yours as it is theirs. "For me?" You say. "Yes, of course," you hear in response. "Enjoy." The tall cliff walls hold you in with the shore crashing up steep beaches. Meanwhile, tide pools offer refreshment to cool yourself in, with the water warmed by the sun.

The scene was entrancing. I could have stayed for days.

Eventually, we made our way to the one of the most iconic locations in the park, with one of the most iconic views—the lighthouse.

The drive up to it was more of the same, with the beauty of the coast showing itself over each hill and around each turn.

It’s windy up there, so much so that the trees are drastically angled. But as you climb higher, you can see an incredible amount of the beautiful California coastline—far north of Point Reyes and far south of San Francisco. If you know where to look, you can even see some of the coastal San Francisco neighborhoods, even though you feel so far away surrounded by nature.

The entire peninsula is a gem, unique in its grandeur, yet the marriage of different core California .

on the powerful Pacific Coast.

When you stand back to think about the unique gem of this place, you can't help but both be overwhelmed and at ease. It's a slice of California that gives you

The entire peninsula is a unique gem that both reminds of settlers in days gone by and speaks of natural Californian beauty, wrapped together as a gift for any willing visitor to this haven on the powerful Pacific Coast.