Things To Do
in Marin County
For Every Day — Every Season
Marin is renowned throughout California and the nation for its scenic splendor, outstanding arts and cultural events. Each year Marin hosts a wide variety of local, regional and nationally recognized events.
Each season provides the visitor new and colorful choices in outdoor activities, entertainment, parks and beaches.
The Antiques Dealers Association of San Anselmo brings you over 110 dealers in four collectives and 25 smaller shops. It’s a perfect destination for a day of antiquing. Plus award winning restaurants, sidewalk cafes, a winery, and the San Anselmo Inn are all within a one-half square mile area. Park once and walk to everything.
Antiques Dealers Association of San Anselmo, P.O. Box 684, San Anselmo, CA 94979
415-459-2002,
San Anselmo Chamber Website — Antique Dealers & Stores
In the heart of downtown San Rafael on Fourth Street Art Works Downtown, Inc. owns and maintains a large arts center. Formal and informal galleries house exhibitions by local and Bay Area artists, lectures, special demonstrations and shows provide opportunities for the public for art education and appreciation. Studios are open to the public to interact with the artists and purchase their varied artwork, jewelry, ceramics, etc.
Art Works Downtown, Inc., 1337 Fourth Street (between C & D Streets)
San Rafael, CA 94901, 415-451-8119,
www.artworksdowntown.org
The Marin Theatre Company is a professional, regional theatre producing classics and contemporary plays that examine and interpret the world we live in. The production of plays is complemented by a Performing Arts Conservatory offering classes for children and adults.
Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94903
415-388-5208,
www.marintheatre.org
For nearly a century the Mountain Play has been a treasured community tradition, presenting award-winning, large scale Broadway musicals in a stunning 4,000 seat amphitheater atop Mount Tamalpais annually each May and June.
Now you can cycle your way up the mountain!
Bicycling up to the Mountain Play can be a wonderful experience. With Marin County Bicycle Coalition's free valet bike parking at the theater, you no longer need to carry that heavy lock with you up the mountain.
Mountain Play, PO Box 2025, Mill Valley, CA 94942
415-383-1100, www.mountainplay.org
In its 56th subscribtion season, Music Director Alasdair Neale, leads the Marin Symphony in a showcase of symphonic retertoire.
Marin Symphony, www.marinsymphony.org
The Ross Valley Winery is small Marin County operation that specializes in transforming modest lots of unique grapes into vineyard-designated wines, each with its own individual character and particular personality. Located in downtown San Anselmo, the winery showcases local artists’ work, and offers unique gifts and wine accessories. The tasting room is open Tuesday-Sunday from 1:00 PM-7:00 PM.
Ross Valley Winery, 343 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo, CA 94960
415-457-5157, www.rossvalleywinery.com
All visitors agree, the SF Theological Seminary campus is beautiful beyond compare. Located within comfortable walking distance of downtown San Anselmo, the campus was established in 1892 on 14 acres, set at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais and overlooking Ross Valley. The “castles” in the hills, one patterned after the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy, several Victorian houses, and historic chapels are featured in this self-guided walking tour.
San Francisco Theological Seminary
2 Kensington Road, San Anselmo, CA 94960, 415-451-2800
Download PDF of Self-Guided
Historical Walking Tour:
www.sananselmohistory.org/seminarywalkingtour.pdf
You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this.
If not, you can get a free download at: Adobe.
 Tea Garden Springs 38 Miller Avenue
San Anselmo, CA 94941
415-389-7123
www.teagardensprings.com 
Set in the midst of fragrant gardens and soothing streams, Tea Garden Springs Zen Day Spa offers a myriad of rejuvenating, relaxing, and therapeutic spa services. The teahouse and garden are the perfect choice for reading a book, enjoying reflective moment, or chatting with a friend, all while relaxing in the quiet of tea rituals. Sip a cup of calming tea, unwind and leave the busy world behind you!
Safronya Retreat
523 D Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-259-0433
www.safronya.com 
Ancient Healing for Modern Times, Safronya Retreat is committed to an Ayurvedic approach and offers spa treatments, Ayurvedic consultation, a varity of ongoing workshops and yoga, as well as a Safronya Retreat Lifestyle Membership. Prior to your appointment, enjoy relaxing in the gorgeous soul-southing lounge where complimentary Ayurvedic refreshments and beverages are provided.
All Marin County campsites are located in scenic areas that are perfect for hiking and wildlife observation. Please visit our Camping page for a list: Camping in Marin County.
Marin County has a network of bicycle paths that enable bikers to travel from one part of the county to the other on paved roadways. Please visit our Biking page for a list: Biking in Marin County.
The Marin Agricultural Land Trust explores the many ways that Marin’s farmers and ranchers define sustainability — from diversifiying their production, to operating retail businesses, to going organic. Visit them at: www.malt.org/hp/hikestours.html
You can also find other agricultural-related references in our Attractions & Destinations section.
Marin County offers some of the best bird watching on the Pacific Coast. Please visit our Bird Watching page for a list: Bird Watching in Marin County.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Marin Civic Center, a national and state designated historic landmark, is a popular destination for architectual lovers. You can find out more about this building as well as other historic buildings in our Attractions & Destinations section by going to: Tours.
History & Preservation Resources:
www.marin.org/comres/history.cfm
Marin County is home to a number of rare wildflowers, many of which are found in the county’s 33 open space preserves, the Golden Gate National Recreation area and the Point Reyes Seashore.
Ring Mountain Preserve’s unique geology and microclimate provide a home for a number of rare plants. The Tiburon Mariposa Lily is found on the upper slopes of Ring Mountain and nowhere else on earth. Spring wildflowers on the trailhead from Paradise Drive to the top of the preserve are breath-taking.
The 117-acre Old St. Hilary’s Preserve in Tiburon is the only place to see the extremely rare Tiburon Jewelflower. This odd member of the mustard family, usually seen in mid-May, has dark maroon petals that appear almost black.
Other rare plants like the Dirca Occidentalis grow naturally only in the San Francisco Bay Area. Marin County has five or six known small populations of this wildflower that are associated with basaltic greenstone rocks in a mixed evergreen forest. White Wakerobin can be found in the northern part of the Pt. Reyes Peninsula.
Patches of serpentine soil in the Loma Alta Preserve provide one of the best late-season wildflower displays in the county. Douglas Iris can be spotted in the Bald Hill Preserve, and the Bush Monkeyflower and Dwarf Checkermallow inhabit the Camino Alto Preserve.
The below Websites give visitors information on the many species of wildflowers that grow in Marin County and where they can be found:
The National Park Service has a brochure called Wildflowers of Marin that can be downloaded from their site at www.nps.gov/goga/maps.
The Marin Branch of the California Native Plant Society provides information on Marin County’s rare plants and field trips. Go to: www.marin.edu/cnps.
The Marin County Open Space District’s website lists all of the open space preserves in the county and describes the plants and animals that can be found there. Go to: www.marinopenspace.org.
On the Marin Trails Website, you can see a page on the Top 7 Wildflower Areas in Marin County: www.marintrails.com/flowers.html
To find the butterflies habitats, go to our Bird Watching page: Butterflies.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area: www.nps.gov/goga
Pt. Reyes: www.nps.gov/pore
Whale Watching at Pt. Reyes: www.nps.gov/pore/activ_view_whale.htm
Muir Woods: www.nps.gov/muwo
Angel Island: www.parks.ca.gov &
www.angelisland.org
Mt. Tamalpais: www.parks.ca.gov & www.mttam.net
Samuel P. Taylor: www.parks.ca.gov
China Camp: www.parks.ca.gov
List of & Links to Marin County Parks: www.co.marin.ca.us
You don’t have to leave your dog at home when visiting Marin County. The county has four dog parks for romping and numerous trails for hiking with your favorite pooch.
Larkspur — Piper Park
250 Doherty Drive (behind police station)
Mill Valley — Bayfront Park
Two-acre park located on Sycamore, east of Camino Alto, 415-383-3298
San Rafael — Field of Dogs
Located on Civic Center Drive at Armory Drive and the Lagoon
Novato — O’Hair Park
Located on Novato Blvd. just west of Sutro in San Marin, 415-892-1826
Sausalito — Remington Park
Located on Ebbtide at Bridgeway, 415-332-3270 or www.dogpark-sausalito.com
Leashed dogs are permitted at all Marin County parks except McNear’s Beach, Paradise Beach and Stafford Lake. Dogs are permitted off-leash but under direct, immediate control at portions of McInnis Park and Upton Beach at Stinson Beach.
Marin County’s regulations permit only three dogs per individual on open space lands.
Dogs are permitted on open space lands when restrained by a 6 ft. (maximum) leash. Dogs may be off-leash on maintained fire roads only when under direct and immediate control of a responsible person.
Information and trail maps: www.marinopenspace.org.
There are many trails and some beaches within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) that allow off-leash dogs. The Marin Headlands, at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, is a spectacular area to hike with your dog. The GGNRA can be accessed from several roads off Highway 101: Alexander Avenue, Shoreline Highway and Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Information: www.nps.gov/goga.
Beaches | Biking | Camping | Golfing
Hiking | Bird Watching | Whale Watching | Antiquing
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