Gwyneth Paltrow has been on a road trip in sunny California's West Marin, an hour north of San Francisco, and here at HELLO! Online we couldn't resist taking you along for the 24-hour ride…The first stop of the luxury road trip, which takes you "oyster farm hopping, cheese tasting, secluded lodging and more..." is Nick's Cove, where cosy cottages on the beautiful Tomales Bay coastland offer stunning vistas of shallow waters, secluded coves and beautiful paradise beaches. Gwyneth recommends Nick's Bloody Mary, which, she says, "is famous in these parts."
After a lesson in how to shuck an oyster, the latest post of Gwyneth's lifestyle blog goop takes us to one of the most famous oyster farms in the area, Hog Island Oyster Company. Here, you can book shuck-your-own tables, or you can wait for the weekend for the in-house oyster bar called The Boat, for deliciously fresh shucked oysters served with wine and beer.
Next up is casual seafood joint The Marshall Store, where fresh grilled oysters are the speciality of the house, as well as dining in the open air of the dock with beautiful bay views. After that, the lifestyle guru suggests "the most bare-bones spot" on the travel route, Tomales Bay Oyster Company.
The Oscar-winning actress, known for her healthy lifestyle, then heads for a hike in Tomales Bay State Park, where you can wander all the way to the edge of Tomales Bay.
Day Two kicks off with breakfast on the beach, followed by more oysters at Drake's Bay – "the end of the earth, in the best possible way" says the beautiful blonde.
Day One is rounded off by checking into Manka's Inverness Lodge, a "magical lodge in the woods surrounded by pine and redwood trees on the edge of the Bay" where in-room massages and locally-sourced breakfast is on the menu.
A couple of stops later it's time for a cheese plate at Cowgirl Creamery in the small town of Point Reyes Station where you'll find a wonderful range of regional artesan cheeses. Gwyneth's top pick: their famous Mt. Tam triple cream cheese, made with nearby Straus family dairy.