Point Reyes Buzz

Visit Heidrun Meadery in Point Reyes

07.17.2015

Next time you want to go to wine country, head for Point Reyes Station. It's home to Heidrun Meadery, a sweet secret worthy of some buzz. Heidrun is a master of "honey wine" (aka mead) and beekeeping! Unlike most meads (which are still), Heidrun uses the French champagne method in addition to a unique infusion of champagne yeast to give the mead a light, natural carbonation. The result is dry, delicate, and naturally sparkling varietals. Reserve a 60-minute tour ($15) and learn more about honeybees and how sparkling mead is made in Heidrun's small production facility. You'll conclude with a generous patio tasting flight of four or more of their refreshing seasonal offerings, such as California Orange Blossom and Point Reyes Wildflower. In between pours, explore the property's radiant fields, gardens, and greenhouse. Flowering plants available to the honeybees create spellbinding displays of color. Several hives are dispersed throughout Marin County and neighboring Sonoma County, while 12 remain on site for you to observe. Last year 600 pounds of honey was harvested from only eight hives. Those are some busy bees!

HIKING BONUS: Follow the bees to Muddy Hollow Trail for an easy 4-mile out-and-back hike to Limantour Beach through Point Reyes' coastal scrub. For a longer and easy 7-mile loop, connect Muddy Hollow to Bucklin Trail and trek through the area devastated by the 1995 Mount Vision fire before returning via Drakes View Trail.

Heidrun Meadery, 11925 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station, (415) 663-9122; Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hour-long tours, which include a patio tasting flight, are scheduled at 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. every day for $15. Call ahead. Patio tasting flights only are $10 and should also be reserved. No dogs. To get to Muddy Hollow Trailhead from Heidrun Meadery, head southeast on Hwy. 1, turn right onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd., left onto Bear Valley Rd., and right onto Limantour Rd. for approximately 6 miles. Sign for the trailhead will be on the right. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Perles Beach Angel Island San Francisco Bay

    Secret Beach

    A hidden beach and a killer view? Those are hard to come by, but that’s exactly what you’ll get at Perles Beach on Angel Island. Bike or hike to this beautiful pocket cove.

    View

  2. Cinematic Sonoma

    Longer days. Golden light. Wildflowers in bloom. It’s the perfect moment to plan your spring escape to Sonoma for the Sonoma International Film Festival, March 25–29. No fuss. No sprawl. Just films, friends, fresh air, and that unmistakable Sonoma glow.

    View
  3. Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

    Mellow in the Marsh

    Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their easy to navigate (well-signed) Sequoia Audubon Trail.

    View
  4. A man is looking through his binoculars at sunrise at the Bayland Nature Preserve in Palo Alto

    Baylands Bird & Art Loop

    Combine an outdoor art walk and wildlife sightings at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. This 5-mile loop through Byxbee Park and the Emily Renzel Wetlands features striking installations by artists Peter Richards and Michael Oppenheimer—where the landscape itself becomes part of the canvas.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Tree Town

    Home to an estimated 21,000 trees and 100 acres of parkland, South Pasadena has earned its nickname: the City of Trees. This 2.5-mile neighborhood walk lets you experience its leafy canopy up close, winding through charming streets and three of the city’s beloved parks.

    View

  2. A Better Way to Baldwin

    The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City is one of West L.A.’s most popular hiking spots, but most visitors miss the bigger picture. This 3.5-mile out-and-back along a section of the Park to Playa Trail offers a fuller experience of this gorgeous nature park with sweeping urban views and a few artistic surprises along the way.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

    View
  4. A woman standing at the pond's edge at Ernest B Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles. Trees are making reflections on the pond.

    Urban Oasis Loop

    Home to the city’s Audubon Center, Ernest E. Debs' 282-acre park features a robust network of hiking trails and surprising wildlife diversity. More than 140 bird species have been spotted here. Birdwatcher or not, this 2.5-mile route makes for a gorgeous outing.

    View