Activities

Plan a great vacation or romantic weekend in Marin with activities list 

(in alphabetical order)

Underlined information on your activity or item of interest is just a click away, provided to you by GoMarin.com

Alcatraz Island is controlled by the National Park Service, all tours are via the ferry service that leaves from north San Francisco. The island has lots of history before it became a prison. During the civil war era was used to defend San Francisco Bay. Temperatures tend to be on the cool side, bring a jacket.

Angel Island has it all, places to barbeque, guided tours, historical immigrants building, wild life, hikes, roads free of cars to bike, views of the bay & bridges and kayaks to rent. Ferries leave from Sausalito & Tiburon. Bikes & kayaks can be rented there, bikes can be brought over to Angel Island ($1 extra). 

Ballooning. Hot air ballooning is an unforgettable thrilling experience. Hot air balloon rides are available in Sonoma County.

Bars in Marin can be found by the phone book or by Internet. The bars I like are: Mayflower - English Pub lots of imports on tap & bottle, darts, English Imported Foods & English cuisine located on 1533 4th St, San Rafael 415-456-1011 Near Pier 6 Chinese restaurant 415-457-1773
Flatiron sports bar with several viewing monitors by satellite hookup, wine, spirits and a large selection of bottled & tap beers, good food & relaxed setting. Located at B street & 2nd or 724 B street, San Rafael 415-453-4318

Baseball teams near Marin are the American League Oakland Athletics and the National League San Francisco Giants. Ticket availability varies and good seats should be purchased in advance. Giants tickets (standing room & bleacher) for same day can be purchased 9 AM but you need to get in line around 7:30AM. Athletics tickets are usually more available. Getting to Giants' PAC Bell Stadium can be fun by ferry or bicycle or a combination of the two. Leave from Larkspur terminal, bikes allowed, to the San Francisco Ferry Terminal or directly to PAC Bell. Walk, ride your bike or transfer (just ask - free) to a Muni bus. The enjoyable safe walk takes about 25 minutes and is good exercise. If you already have tickets & gusto, bicycle from Marin across the Golden Gate to PAC Bell (see  route 1-9 on bike path page). 

Beaches are numerous, most are listed. Broadband users can get pictures from the California Coastline Stinson Beach is the most popular beach with houses to rent, bars, stores, post office but NO GAS STATION! McClures beach offers an excellent 9.1 mile hike along the coast where you encounter herds of Tule Elk and view elephant seals from the cliffs. Drakes Beach, North Beach have long stretches, nearly deserted. Drakes beach, Stinson & Dillon beaches have excellent restroom facilities & food service, others are very basic. Point Reyes Light House is near Drakes and has two fun nature hikes, whales can been seen seasonally.

Bed & Breakfast Inns are located in west Marin along highway one (Pacific Coast Hwy) a few are found in the at this link.


Bicycling  Marin has many bike paths facilitating safe & enjoyable riding. Mountain Bike Trails are abundant, Bolinas Ridge, China Camp and Marin Headlands each have multiple trails. Bike Paths designated & reserved for bikes only stretch from Novato across the Golden Gate Bridge through San Francisco.


Bird Watching in Marin is the best in the world. In general, migrating birds can be found where the salt water meets Marin. Bolinas Lagoon (picture) is next to Audubon Canyon Ranch, Las Gallinas Ponds are located on San Pablo Bay from China Camp to Novato. Bodega Bay is in South Sonoma on the coast. You might want to go birding with a local expert.

Bodega Bay is located just north of Marin County on the coast. The temperature tends to match the ocean's. Fishing from the shore or party boats, bird watching and quiet low key enjoyment of the seashore are reasons to visit here. Combine a trip to the Russian river area, canoeing or dine in Occidental.


Bolinas Lagoon is the Mecca of bird watching. Located just north of Stinson Beach off of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). There are trails that take you from the bird center to the top of the ridge. The San Andres fault runs through the lagoon north and formed Tomales Bay.


Brew Pubs & Breweries San Rafael Limelight Brewery Broken Drum Novato Moylan's Dempsey's Sonoma Brewing Co. (Petaluma), J & L Brewing Company at TJ's (Novato), Marin Brewing (Larkspur), Sonoma Mountain Brewery (Glen Ellen), Santa Rosa Third Street Aleworks Russian River Brewing Co (Guerneville), Dempsey's Ale House (Petaluma), Lagunitas Brewery (Petaluma) are local breweries you can visit. If you plan ahead, like a few months, try Anchor Brewery in San Francisco tour, located near PACBELL ballpark. Also in SF: Thirsty Bear beyond: Half Moon Bay Brewery

Buses mainly run in the eastern populous portion of Marin. Express Golden Gate transit busses run along highway 101 from San Francisco to Santa Rosa. Golden Gate transit busses also run to West Marin on a limited basis. Golden Gate busses cover surface streets, see the schedule, the numbers refer to the bus number route. Shuttle Busses serving San Francisco International and Oakland International will save your friends from the inconvenience of dropping you off or picking you up from the airport. Car rentals are cheaper away from the airport. Both Shuttle and Greyhound busses stop in San Rafael between 2nd & 3rd just west of the freeway. 

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Camping is allowed in many of the State Parks such as China Camp, Samuel P. Taylor, Point Reyes National Seashore , Golden Gate Recreation Area


Events Italian Street Art Festival, Dipsea Run, Garlic Festival, Bay to Breakers, Marin County Fair, see events

Exploritorium is located within the Palace of Fine Arts in North San Francisco. It offers science exhibits that inspire & educate kids to adults. Combine seeing Fisherman's Wharf or Alcatraz Island with the Exploritorium, they are all in North San Francisco..

Farallone Island Organization Want to get involved with protecting the marine wildlife? Go their website and get involved. They have education & volunteer programs and they need your financial support too.

Ferries run from Marin (Larkspur & Sausalito) and Sonoma (Petaluma) to San Francisco's ferry terminal, selected times to Pac Bell Ball Park (SF Giants). Special ferries run from Tiburon to Angel Island & Sausalito to Angel Island. The ferry that serves tours of Alcatraz Island leaves north San Francisco and tickets should be purchased in advance.

Fishing is not allowed in Papermill creek (Samuel P. Taylor Park) but almost anywhere else. State fishing license is required. Nicasio reservoir, Kent Lake, Stafford Lake and Alpine Lake are popular fresh water fishing spots.

Football teams in the Bay Area include San Francisco Forty Niners, Oakland Raiders, University of California Bears and Stanford Cardinals. Tickets for these games are difficult to impossible to obtain. Cal Bears Berkeley's games can be seen for free on "Cheapskate Hill" although rumors of rectifying this is in the works.

Fort Ross was a settlement built by the Russians for the fur trade. Go to California Coastline Org. and search for image No. 12379, look just right of center. The original fort was burnt to the ground in the late 1960s and rebuilt with the aid of photos. I don't notice any difference. Located on Sonoma's coast, reached over scenic, twisting & curvy roads. To get to the coast with minimum effort, take highway 101 to Lakeville Hwy exit in Petaluma, then go west on Tomales-Petaluma road to Tomales. PCH (highway 1) goes north (Bodega Bay & Fort Ross) & south further into northern Marin.

Flatiron Sports Bar is the best place to enjoy the game. Flatiron has several viewing monitors by satellite hookup showing multiple games while you enjoy your favorite wine, spirits or selection from a large list of bottled & tap beers. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Good food & relaxed kick-back-setting. Located at B street & 2nd or 724 B street, San Rafael 415-453-4318 Public parking at 3rd & B street

Golden Gate Bridge is a favorite of many visitors who want their picture taken with a true landmark. You can walk across the bridge on the eastern half or ride your bicycle on the western half, those who mix the two are subjected to ridicule & fines. The vista point on the northern half is frequently full. Tip: Go north to the first exit and go under highway 101 and you will find another parking lot, intended for tourist & commuters & cyclists.


Golden Gate Park has many attractions including Art Museums, Natural History Museum, Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Don't forget the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, M.H. de Young Museum and the Asian Art Museum. The park is gigantic with many areas for picnics, bicycling, roller skating or even rent a small paddle boat on Stow Lake. The park is generally rectangular with 19th Avenue making an "S" shape road entering on the north and exiting on the south.


Golf Course - 5 Public shown below

Indian Valley Golf Club  Mill Valley Golf Course  McGinnis Park Golf Center 

San Geronimo Golf Course  Stone Tree Golf Course Peacock Gap Golf & Country Club (Semi-Private)


Great America Amusement Park Sometimes you want to have fun riding roller coasters, Great America is one of three such parks within an hour drive from Marin. Located north of San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Guide Dogs for the Blind located in San Rafael, free tours of the center where guide dogs are breed, trained and matched with their blind companion. Interesting & inspiring. Beautiful A.K.C. dogs. Information on becoming involved with this organization on the web.


Hang Gliding is popular from Mount Tam and Stinson Beach. Contact the link for more location & rentals.

Hearst Castle is a very popular tourist destination. Many different tours cover the castle, all sell out frequently. DO NOT GO WITHOUT RESERVATIONS, minimum four hour excursion from Marin, passes Monterey & Big Sur. A minimum of fifty miles are over many curvy twisting roads, not the best for big RVs.

High Tech Burrito High Tech Burrito offers healthy fast food, customized to your tastes. Four locations in Marin; Terra Linda, Novato, San Rafael and Mill Valley. In Sonoma; Santa Rosa

Hiking - There are hundreds of trails & fire roads well suited for day hikes. One favorite hike Lake Lagunitas. Find your own favorite hike. Overnight hikes are allowed in some areas, near China Camp Area & some areas in Point Reyes National Seashore. Also try MALT

Hiking, Guided - Hikes are enhanced by guides who know the trails, educated on the local flora & fauna. Guides will know how much further to destinations & trail heads, point out popular sites all while assuring you when darkness approaches that you make dinner on time.

Horseback Riding can be lots of fun and for those who don't want to walk the trails, a great alternative.

Hot Air Ballooning can be found just north of Marin in Sonoma. Some balloon ride packages include champagne. Combine this experience with a visit to a nearby winery for a great vacation.

Hotels can be found in the phone book but here are a few special hotels: Stinson Beach Sausalito Area Mountain Home Inn Pelican Inn a few less expensive hotels


House Rentals is a great idea for group or large family vacation for a week or more. Once you try this, you might not go back to hotel vacations.


Italian Street Art Festival This annual free entrance event is held in June, check for exact date. Many Professional artist display their skill along with amateurs. For a small fee, children can create their own masterpiece in a separate section. Food vendors & live music, bring your camera and have fun!


Kayak SF Bay & Kayak Tomales Bay & Canoe trips Kayaks used in San Pablo Bay & Tomales Bay and can be rented at the link underlined. Kayak around Angel Island use caution when the tide is changing. Tomales Bay is a breeding ground for Great White sharks, keep your hands & feet inside the Kayak! (Tiburon is spanish for shark) Canoe trips are available mostly around the Russian River in Sonoma County, avoid this river till after the rainy season. Check the Farallone Island Organization website for kayak outings, fun & educational. Marin's reservoirs are not for boating.

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McNears Beach Park - near San Rafael, well maintained county park, entrance fee, for information (415) 499-7816 Located off North San Pedro Road along the shore of San Pablo Bay, the County's most popular park offers a swimming pool, tennis courts, family and group picnic sites, a sandy beach, lawn areas, snack bar, and a 500 foot long fishing pier.

Monterey Bay Aquarium is located 2.5 hours south of Marin in Monterey. Presently, the ultimate in aquariums. This facility was built from David and Lucile Packard (Hewitt Packard) foundation. A Wow.. I Can't Believe It Must See attraction.


Motels see Hotels above or click on Hotels at the top of this page.


Motorcycles - Marin is motorcycle riding heaven. Scenery and plentiful open road allows easy cruising or challenging curvy road racing. Sunday Morning Ride is an outlawed unofficial race every Sunday morning starting in Mill Valley (Tam Junction) and ending in Point Reyes or Inverness. A more law abiding group, Montgomerybikers, rides from Big Rock Deli (about 2 miles west of HWY101) on Lucas Valley road to destination point: Occidental, Sonoma. Anyone on these routes should be aware of high speed riders. Harley Davidson Motorcycles can be rented in San Rafael.


Mountain Home Inn is located above Mill Valley and offers great views of San Francisco, spectacular sunsets, in the summer, just above the fog making it seem like you are in heaven or flying in a jet airliner.


Muir Woods is a beautiful forest located on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Muir Woods has always been very popular tourist attraction. The Pelican Inn is located between Muir Beach and Muir Woods, staying here will maximize your time exploring Muir Woods. Coastal areas tend to remain cool even in summer.


Museum of Natural History is located in Golden Gate Park across from Steinhart Aquarium. Exhibits are educational & entertaining. 


Musical Performances live music in Mill Valley, Marin Center (San Rafael), Stern Grove, Clubs, Theatrical Performance ,  Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium


NASCAR events are held at Sear Point Raceway (Now Infineon Raceway). Races attract 100,000 plus race fans, be prepared for traffic jams. Many bring RVs and stay for days of racing barbeques and beer.

Newspapers Marin Independent Journal covers Marin & Sonoma news, events and movies. Pulitzer award winning Point Reyes Light House focus is west Marin. Bolinas local news http://www.coastalpost.com/ San Francisco Chronicle covers the "City", SFGATE is their web presence. Press Democrat covers Sonoma news. 
 
Olompali State Park is known to be a brief Grateful Dead hangout and where Spanish coins from Sir Francis Drake were found among native Indian artifacts. The Park is nice but little evidence of the Grateful Dead nor the Miwoks remains. The park is just off of Hwy 101, 2 miles north of Novato on the western side.

Palace of Fine Arts is located in north San Francisco, just off of highway 101. Many statues throughout the grounds combine with the Greek Architecture, pond & ducks. You can spend an enjoyable day just viewing the beauty of the park. The mind stimulating Exploritorium is located with the Palace of Fine Arts.

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Point Reyes National Park has beaches, campsites, dairies, trails and historic sites. Many Bed & Breakfast Inns are located along Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1). Stinson Beach has everything except a gas station.


Restaurants here is a link for some local restaurants. In San Rafael, Fourth Street has many good restaurants for Chinese, Japanese and Thai. An excellent Mexican restaurant, Taqueria San Jose, on Fourth Street directly under the 101 freeway, sometimes has live music. Best pizza, Lo Coco's in Terra Linda (415) 472-3323.

Rock Climbing beginner courses at Big Rock (just east of Nicasio) or East Peak of Mount Tam. More advance climbs just south of Stinson Beach, see image 5630 at website. All three courses can be exited by going off course & walking around.

Running in Marin is fantastic! The beautiful scenery, cool temperatures & fresh air make ideal conditions for this sport. Most beaches in Point Reyes National Sea Shore are several miles long & some allow dogs (check bahikes.com). Dipsea race, Miwok 100 are very challenging  runs over gorgeous trails. The Bay to Breakers can be challenging, shocking & comical, some run in the nude, some in fancy costumes, some aim to be shocking so be forewarned. Escape from Alcatraz is a tri marathon for elite athletes only starting on Alcatraz.

Russian River is located in Sonoma County, an hour drive from Marin. Canoeing is available after the rainy season. Beautiful trees and places to enjoy. The big town on the Russian River is Guerneville, attracts persons of the "alternative life style", those who are uncomfortable with them should avoid this town.

Samuel P. Taylor Park has numerous nature trail & bike paths and campsites. Nearly as beautiful as Muir Woods but without the crowd and a little warmer. Outdoor amphitheater suitable for group prayers. Well maintained with Park rangers present 24/7.  

San Francisco has anything a major world class city has to offer; Art museums, live performances of opera & music, fine dining of nearly any cuisine, major sport events and historical sites are abundant in "The City". San Francisco has a famous Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Japan Town and convention centers. Public transportation in the "City" is well suited for visitors, BART & Muni, cable cars and Golden Gate Transit buses. Parking is difficult & expensive (hint: see Fisherman's Wharf Sunday Mornings, less crowd & easier parking).

San Rafael is rich with historical sites, restaurants, farmers market Thursday afternoon, festivals and a center for transportation.

Santa Cruz has the Boardwalk amusement park for lots of summer fun. Generally cooler than Silicon Valley, Two hour drive south of Marin, take highway 101 south, just after the Golden Gate Bridge, take 19th Ave through Golden Gate Park to Interstate 280 to HWY17 to Santa Cruz.

Sears Point Raceway was renamed to Infineon Raceway, located just east of Marin in Napa County. NASCAR, formula car, motorcycle and drag racing events happen throughout the year. Racing schools teach defensive driving and go-cart racing. Six Flags Marine World, Papas Taverna restaurant and many nearby wineries with Sunday brunch are within a short driving distance.


Sight Seeing Sea Plane rides are better than amusement park ride. Generally, leaves Pier 39 in San Francisco & Sausalito with different tours to match your taste & budget. Romantic rides available at sunset.

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Six Flags Marine World Located north of San Francisco in the city of Vallejo. This park combines amusement park rides with the combination wildlife park & aquarium / oceanarium. Season passes are available at the park & Longs Drug in Terra Linda (415-479-9070).


Shuttle Bus takes you to/from the airports to major metropolitan points in Marin. The Airporter serves San Francisco International and the Airport Express serves Oakland International.


Sports Bar; Flatiron in San Rafael 415-453-4318, MANCUSO'S BAR AND GRILL 1535 E, S. Novato Blvd., Novato. (415) 892-5051 or try this link


Sonoma (City) in Napa County is in the center of Napa's Wine Country. A central point to stay if you are touring Napa County Wineries.  


Steinhart Aquarium located with Golden Gate Park, was for many years the premier aquarium. Today, there is an entrance fee and there are bigger & better aquariums but none as close & fun and convenient.


Stern Grove offers free concerts in a gorgeous grove of redwood, fir and eucalyptus trees. Sit on a blanket & picnic while taking in the tunes. Located in south San Francisco at the intersection of 19th Ave & Stern Grove. See the webpage for scheduled events. The performances are free of charge but donations are welcomed. Parking availability & cost varies, expect some walking; limit what you want to bring or bring it on wheeled carts.

Stinson Beach has always been a favorite beach for Marin & San Francisco residents. The beach is a State Park and thus some restrictions apply. A group of rocks south of Stinson provides a challenging vertical wall of rock to climb, some anchor points exist. Repelling is fun but short with the ocean just below. Stinson also is a favorite of hangliders.

Tennis can be played in many public courts; Albert Park & Boyd Park (San Rafael), Terra Linda High School, Miller Creek Junior High, Lucas Valley & Marinwood, McGinnis Park and McNears Beach. Private courts & Clubs can be found in the phone book.


Wine Tours Train are the ultimate wine tasting & dinner experience, you & your friends & family will never forget this experience. Many wineries have tasting rooms, brunch & tours. Stop searching here are the complete links for tours of wineries in Sonoma  or List of Sonoma Wineries. For wineries in Napa or Napa Winery List, enjoy!


Zoo Marin has a zoo like center in San Rafael, Wildcare, the nearest zoos are in San Francisco & Oakland. Wildlife can been seen everywhere in Marin, especially at the salt marshes. Deer, Tule Elk, mountain lions, birds, harbor seals, lizards, elephant seals and even a rare bear can be seen in Marin.

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