Attractions

Do everything at once. Or do nothing at all.

You can lounge on a beach. Or you can launch yourself from a mountain and soar 2000 feet to the ocean's break. You can go to dinner. Or you can visit the ranches and farms that supply some of the finest restaurants in the world. There's no such thing as a typical Marin County vacation. Because there's nothing "typical" in Marin.

Plan your next trip and it will be like no other!

Arts & Entertainment & Cultural | Environmental | Food & Wine
Historical & Museums

Arts & Entertainment & Cultural

Marin County is well known for its arts, entertainment and culture. The County is proud of its home-grown Marin Symphony that plays to sell-out audiences each season.  The Marin Ballet, Marin Opera and Marin Theatre Company offer professional performances to appreciative local audiences.  The Mountain Play, one of the longest running theatre companies in Marin, performs its annual Broadway musical production in a huge amphitheatre at the top of Mount Tamalpais.  The Marin Center in San Rafael is the venue for national and international music, theatre and dance productions and numerous exhibitions throughout the year.

Falkirk Cultural Center
1408 Mission Avenue
San Rafael, CA
415-485-3328
www.falkirkculturalcenter.org

Falkirk, an 1888 Queen Anne-style Victorian building is the former home of shipping magnate Robert Dollar. The 17-room mansion was purchased by the community in 1974 to be preserved as a historic and cultural resource. This national landmark building is surrounded by 11 acres of formal grounds, natural wooded hillside, a sculpture garden and a restored green house. Falkirk exhibits contemporary art in the upstairs galleries and holds seasonal public events throughout the year. Admission is free.

Marin County Civic Center
3501 Civic Center Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-499-7009
www.marincenter.org
www.co.marin.ca.us/visitorservices

Thousands of visitors come to Marin County each year to see the futuristic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Marin County Civic Center. It was Wright’s last major commission and is one of the famed architect’s most distinctive designs. It is now a national and state historic landmark.

The Civic Center, with its sculptural sky blue roof, scalloped balconies and golden spire are so extraordinary that it was the location for the 1997 science fiction movie Gattaca. The entire complex includes an 11-acre lagoon, 20-acre park and the Marin Center Auditorium and Exhibition Hall, which hosts large local, regional and national events and exhibits.

Marin Symphony
4340 Redwood Highway, Suite 409C
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-479-8100
www.marinsymphony.org

The Marin Symphony season (October through May) consists of twelve concerts offering six programs of meticulously selected and performed classical music. Our featured works range from time-honored classical favorites to today's most fresh and innovative compositions.  Our Maestro, Alasdair Neale, is quickly earning an international reputation for masterfully insightful and precise interpretations of the classical music repertoire. Consistently, he creates programs with powerful appeal to today's audiences. Standing ovations are not uncommon!

 

Mayflower Choral Society
4460 – 16 Redwood Highway
PMB 414
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-883-4078
www.mayflowerchorus.org

Originating in 1977, the Mayflower Community Chorus began as a pub chorus and continued to grow for 14 years with founder and director, Larry Vargo.   Since 1999, world-renowned Argentinean musical director, Daniel Canosa, has taught, inspired and directed the chorus to increasing musical excellence.  The Chorus operates two seasons during the year—Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter— with each season culminating in a professional quality show.  In addition to seasonal shows, the Mayflower Community Chorus also provides vocal entertainment in a variety of musical styles for private, corporate and community events.  Small ensembles and/or the full chorus can be scheduled.  Performance fees support the educational and cultural programs of the Mayflower Choral Society.

Mountain Play

177 E. Blithdale

Mill Valley, CA 94942

415-383-1100

Email: info@mountainplay.org

www.mountainplay.org

 The Mountain Play Association’s mission is to produce an annual, spectacular, outdoor theatrical experience that nurtures an appreciation of Mt. Tamalpais, involves and strengthens the community, and builds on decades of tradition. The Mountain Play has been serving the Bay Area community since 1913.   The Mountain Play isn't just a wonderful theater and outdoor experience; it can also be an incredible dining experience. Many attendees choose to pack along gourmet picnics, combining the stunning views and award-winning entertainment with a fantastic feast.

Our annual performance for 2010, Guys and Dolls, will be featured at the Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre (a.k.a. The Mountain Theater), in Mt. Tamalpais State Park, located at 801 Panoramic Highway in Mill Valley. Performance Dates are May 23 and May 30, and on June 6, June 12, June 13, and June 20th. All performances are at 1 pm on Sunday, except for Saturday, June 12th.

 Please reserve your tickets now by calling us or visiting us online.

O'Hanlon Center for the Arts
616 Throckmorton Avenue
Mill Valley, CA 94941
415-388-4331
www.ohanloncenter.org

O'Hanlon Center for the Arts in Mill Valley operates two well-appointed art galleries featuring new and experimental works from upcoming and professional Bay Area artists. They host an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. the First Tuesday of each month in conjunction with the Mill Valley Art Walk. That event is free of charge and open to the public. Additional hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Artwork on display is available for sale and represents various interpretations of the Center's creative philosophical approach of visual perception. The Center also schedules programs and classes that compliment the exhibits.

Photo Credit: Michael Reinhardt

Youth in Arts
999 5th Avenue, Suite 290
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-457-4878
www.youthinarts.org

Youth in Arts provides quality visual and performing arts experiences and instruction to public and private school students annually and enriches the community with cultural events. With an outstanding reputation among the arts and education community, Youth in Arts has been providing arts education to students in the Bay Area since 1970. Over 85% of the students in Marin are involved in one or more of our programs including our classroom art programs and special events. Youth in Arts is famous for the annual Italian Street Painting Festival which takes place the second weekend of June in front of Mission San Rafael Arcangel in downtown San Rafael, California.

Environmental

Marin County has been called the San Francisco Bay Area’s park. Almost 85 percent of its land has been protected from development through open space purchases, federal parkland, watershed lands and strict agricultural zoning.

The spectacular Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area have been set aside for the enjoyment and use of the public. More than 2.5 million people travel to Marin each year to enjoy the beaches and unspoiled wilderness that make up the Point Reyes National Seashore.

They are joined by hundreds of thousands of national and international visitors who stroll through Muir Woods and marvel at this towering ancient redwood forest. The scenery and beauty of Marin County’s environment is an unusual treasure.

Bay Model Visitor Center
2100 Bridgeway
Sausalito, CA 94965
415-332-3871
www.spn.usace.army.mil/bmvc

The Bay Model Visitor Center is a fully accessible education center administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It allows the public to view a three-dimensional working hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta System. The 1.5 acres model is capable of simulating tides and currents and is the only one of its kind in the world.

The Bay Model Visitor Center is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00am to 4:00pm.

 From June through Labor Day the Center is also open on Sundays.  Admission is free and donations are welcome.  Please check our website for workshops and other special events.  Group tours may be arranged with advance reservations.

Photo Credit:  Gina Marr

Bear Valley Visitors Center
Located off Highway 1, 0.5 miles west of Olema,
CA along Bear Valley Road
415-464-5100
www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm

Before exploring the Point Reyes National Seashore, a visit to the Bear Valley Visitors Center is in order. The Center provides an orientation to the park’s roads, trails and general history. It also offers ecological and historical exhibits including a seismograph, weather station and auditorium for films and educational programs. The Bear Valley Visitor Center was designed to blend in with the historically significant ranching culture of this area and is located in the heart of the Olema Valley.  Reservations and permits for back-country camping can be obtained here.  The Visitor Center is open year around and closed on Christmas.  Hours of Operation:  Weekdays from 9:00am – 5:00pm and on eekends and Holidays from 8:00am – 5:00pm.

Headlands Institute – Retreat & Conference Center
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Sausalito, CA 94965
415-332-5771
www.yni.org/hi

Headlands Institute is a private nonprofit organization that offers environmental education opportunities for students and teachers, teen leadership programs, summer day camps for kids, and conference facilities in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just north of San Francisco. Headlands Institute is dedicated to teaching science and environmental education in nature's classroom to inspire a personal connection to the natural world and responsible actions to sustain it.

Marin Agricultural Land Trust
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
415-663-1158
www.malt.org

Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) was the first land trust in the United States to focus on farmland reservation. Founded in 1980 by a coalition of ranchers and environmentalists to preserve farmland in Marin County,  California, MALT acquires agricultural conservation easements on farmland in voluntary transactions with landowners. MALT also encourages public policies that support and enhance agriculture. It is a model for agricultural land preservation efforts across the nation. MALT has so far permanently protected more than 40,500 acres of land on 63 family farms and ranches.


Photo Credit:  www.marinopenspace.org

Marin County Open Space District
Marin County Civic Center
3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 415
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-499-6387
www.marinopenspace.org

The Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) is the local government agency responsible for preserving public open space in Marin County, California. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in Marin through the acquisition, protection, and responsible stewardship of ridge and bay lands and environmentally ensitive lands targeted for preservation in the Marin Countywide Plan. MCOSD lands represent outstanding examples of northern California environments including oak-bay woodlands, savanna, grasslands and salt marsh. These habitats are managed to protect and enhance their natural, undeveloped character while accommodating educational activities and trail-oriented uses such as hiking, horseback riding and mountain  bicycling. Lands of the Open Space District, together with Marin’s extensive federal and state parklands, contribute to Marin County’s reputation as a highly desirable place to live and work.

Photo Credit:  Gina Marr

Muir Woods National Monument
Mill Valley, CA 94941
Visitor Information:  415-388-2596
www.nps.gov/muwo

Just 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge on Highway 1 grows an ancient coast redwood forest named Muir Woods.  Within this isolated forest, visitors from all over the world continue to marvel at 1000 year old giant redwood trees that tower 260 feet high.   In 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt declared Muir Woods a national monument. The forest was named for conservationist John Muir.

Visitors can stroll along the forest floor on marked paths viewing interpretive displays in this magnificent, natural setting. Hiking trails wind through the forest, but no dogs, bicycles, picnics or camping are permitted.  Bird watching, nature walks and interpretive programs are part of the activities within Muir Woods. The park is open from 8:00am to sunset, daily including holidays. The Muir Woods Café and Gift Shop are open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, September through May and from 9:00am to 6:00pm, June through August.

Summer months are the busiest and parking is challenging; vehicles over 35 feet long are prohibited. A free shuttle bus serves the park on weekends and holidays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Summer visitors are encouraged to use the shuttle to avoid parking hassles and to spare the environment. Admission is $5 for adults; children 15 and under are free.

Old St. Hilary’s Historic Preserve
201 Esperanza Street
Tiburon, CA 94920
415-499-6387
www.landmarks-society.org

The land immediately surrounding historic Old St. Hilary’s Church in Tiburon was set aside as a historical landmark in the 1950’s, but it didn’t pass into public hands until the 1990’s. The slope below the church is called the John Thomas Howell Botanical Garden.   The only place to see the extremely rare Tiburon Jewelflower is within this 177 acre preserve. The flower has been named Streptanthus Niger because of its dark, almost black, maroon petals. It is usually seen in mid-May. Other featured species at this site are the Acmon Blue butterfly, the Barn Swallow, the Leopard Lily and the Two-toned Tidytips. Views from the top of the preserve are spectacular.


Photo Credit:  www.marinopenspace.org

Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve
415-499-6387
www.marinopenspace.org

Located at the top of the Tiburon Peninsula, Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve contains some of the most unusual natural landscape in Marin County. Named for George E. Ring, county supervisor from 1895 until 1903, this rock-strewn site is a mélange, resulting from dramatic earth movements. Rocks such as blue and green schist, together with abundant serpentine, create soils which are toxic to most plant life. Plant communities which are able to survive this harsh nvironment, however, thrive in the absence of competition. For this reason, Ring Mountain harbors an unusual number of rare and endangered plant species, including the Tiburon Mariposa Lily, which is found nowhere else on earth. Hikers to Ring Mountain are rewarded with spectacular views of San Francisco and the entire Bay Area. 

Please Note: Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve is closed between sunset and sunrise (at night). This is due to a stipulation in the title deed when the preserve was received from the Nature Conservancy.

YMCA Point Bonita Outdoor & Conference Center
981 Fort Barry, GGNRA
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 331-9622
www.pointbonitaymca.org

Surrounded by ocean beaches, rolling hills, and incomparable views of an Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and that famous rugged northern coastline, our “green” , residential facility is the ideal getaway location!  Just minutes north of the Golden Gate, our affordable, rustically charming site is perfect for school field trips, business meetings, trainings, and community retreats.  Let our naturalists guide you into nature while our healthy kitchen prepares your delicious meals.  Check out our Environmental Education programs and our Conference Center facilities.  Welcome to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area!

Food and Wine

Marin County is known as a center for organic food and cutting-edge organic farming techniques.  Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Marin County in 2005 to learn more about the organic farming methods used by Marin’s growers.

The Marin Civic Center Certified Farmers Market has been chosen as one of the top ten markets in the country, and local residents flock to their favorite farmers market each week to take home fresh, locally-grown produce. Chefs from Marin’s top restaurants also select fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, and artisan breads at the local farmers markets to create their culinary delights.

Marin Farmers Market
800-897-FARM
415-472-6100
www.marinfarmersmarket.org

Our first market opened in 1983 at the Civic Center in San Rafael.  In 1987 Marin Farmers Market Association (MFMA) was established as a non-profit organization for the mutual benefit of the farmers and consumers.  In response to the growing number of farmers markets in California, an expansion that tends to overextend rather than benefit farmers, MFMA set out to facilitate only the best, most productive, markets for our members.  MFMA currently manages seven Certified Farmers Markets in the bay area, and represents over 400 active members.

Marin Farmers Markets:  Shop Them All:

FAIRFAX

Wear some flowers in your hair for this charming market featuring West Marin farmers, food purveyors, and artists.  Bolinas Park, June – October; Wednesdays 4pm-8pm.

NOVATO

Treat yourself to flavor-packed produce, a serenaded dinner, and a twilight stroll through downtown Novato.  Location and Time:  Grant Avenue, April – September; Tuesdays 5pm-8pm.

SAN RAFAEL – MARIN CIVIC CENTER

Discover unusual varieties of produce alongside local restaurateurs at the “Chef’s Market”.
Location and Time:  Civic Center, Year-round; Thursdays and Sundays 8am-1pm.

Bring the whole family to explore the incredible selection of the third largest market in California.

Downtown San Rafael Certified Farmers Market Festival
415-492-8007
www.sanrafaelmarket.org

A community celebration on Fourth Street every Thursday night.  Thousands of visitors browse the wares of 150 vendors in the five-block festival.  Free entertainment is offered at five different locations.  In addition to certified farmer-direct produce, the Festival includes arts and crafts, barbeque and international dinners, clowns, balloons and activities for children. Open 6:00pm-9:00pm, Thursdays, April-September.

Town Center Corte Madera – Farmers Market
100 Corte Madera Town Center
Corte Madera, CA 94925
415-924-2961
www.ShopTownCenter.com
 
Farm fresh produce and delicious baked goods are found at the year-round Corte Madera Farmers Market every Wednesday from Noon until 5:00pm, rain or shine.

Historical and Museums

Visitors to Marin County can choose from a variety of historic activities by either visiting State Parks that are scattered throughout, checking out local museums, walking the Earthquake Trail adjacent to the Bear Valley Visitors Center in West Marin or visiting historic Downtown Larkspur with its turn-of-the century buildings. Marin’s historical attractions offer all visitors a plethora of activities to choose from at any time of the year.

Angel Island State Park
415-435-1915
www.angelisland.org

Angel Island State Park is a 740-acre mountainous island in the San Francisco Bay offering a variety of activities including hiking, biking, camping, picnicking, and tram tours. It also has some of the best views of San Francisco and the entire San Francisco Bay. Angel Island was an Immigration Station from 1910-1950, designed to control the flow of Chinese into the county.  Angel Island used to also be a POW processing center during World War II.  

The island is open to the public from 8:00am to sunset all year around. The Angel Island Museum is open during the summer season, April - November. Please visit the following websites for ferry schedules servicing the park:  www.angelislandferry.com and www.blueandgoldfleet.com.
*Due to budgetary cutbacks of our California State Parks,the following applies: Ayala Cove and the U.S. Immigration Station restroom facilities will remain open during normal operating hours. All other restroom facilities will only be open on weekends and some holidays through April 30, 2010.
Environmental living programs are canceled, and other interpretive programs not related to the immigration station will be conducted on a limited basis, until state park staff can be hired and trained to provide such programs. There will be delays in non-emergency responses to inquiries.

Bay Area Discovery Museum
Fort Baker
557 McReynolds Road
Sausalito, CA 94965
415-339-3900
www.baykidsmuseum.org

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor children’s museum at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, serving over 300,000 visitors per year on its 7.5 acre Sausalito campus. The Museum is recognized as the leading children’s museum dedicated to developing childhood creativity, nurturing future generations of creative thinkers and innovators. With this emphasis on creativity through play, we encourage children ages 6 months to 8 years to develop into curious, creative, adventurous lifelong learners and explorers.

The Museum's unique programs feature hands-on art, science and environmental exhibitions, performances, special events, cultural festivals and ongoing educational curricula... all with a focus on fun!  Hours of Operation:  9:00am-4:00pm on Tuesday – Friday  and 10:00am-5:00pm on Saturday – Sunday.

Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
1550 Tiburon Blvd., Suite M
Tiburon, CA 94920
415-435-1853, x.2
www.landmarks-society.org

The mission of the Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society is to acquire, preserve and maintain artifacts, landmarks, and open space of local historic significance and make them available to the public.  Below are the four landmarks that are represented:

Art and Garden Center
841 Tiburon Blvd.
Tiburon, CA 94920
415-435-1853

The property was part of the earliest settlement on the Tiburon Peninsula—John Reed's Mexican Land Grant, El Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio. The Cottage (c. 1870), believed to be the oldest structure on the Tiburon Peninsula, was originally a bunkhouse for workers at the Rancho's brick kilns in an area called the Hilarita, which was named for Hilarita Reed Lyford, heiress to the 1834 land grant. Working class homes and a dairy, which was located where Reed School is now, were part of the neighborhood as well.

China Cabin Maritime Museum
54 Beach Road
Belvedere, CA 94920
415-435-1853

The Victorian saloon, now a fixture on the Belvedere waterfront, boasts elaborate walnut woodwork, etched-glass windows panes with a floral design and oil-burning brass chandeliers hung with crystal prisms. The walls and arched ceiling are panels of wood painted with crisp white paint, highlighted with gold leaf.  This museum is inside the actual drawing room of a passenger and cargo side-wheeler steamer that sailed between San Francisco, Japan and China. Hours of Operation: Sundays and Wednesdays, April through October, 1:00pm-4:00pm.

Old St. Hilary’s
201 Esperanza Street
Tiburon, CA 94920
415-435-1853

The building is of significant architectural importance because it is one of the few remaining Carpenter Gothic churches to survive in its original setting. It is constructed of redwood, with redwood doors and a Douglas fir ceiling. Amber glass replaced the original stained glass windows after they were broken. The stained glass window above the door has been restored and depicts St. Hilary (fourth century), patron saint of scholars. It was a gift from Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Lyford.

Railroad Ferry Museum
1920 Paradise Drive
Tiburon, CA 94920
415-435-1853

More than a pretty waterfront town, Tiburon has a rich railroad and maritime history, which is captured in the Railroad & Ferry Depot Museum. It has a prime shoreline location with priceless views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Angel Island. The Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



China Camp State Park
Four miles east of San Rafael on North San Pedro Road to the shore of San Pablo Bay
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-456-0766
www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex

This 1,648-acre bayside park just outside of San Rafael, acquired its name from a Chinese fishing village that once flourished there. Visitors may view a preserved fisherman’s cottage and the China Camp Museum. Located in the original shrimp processing plant, the museum offers self-guided tours showing photos and artifacts from China Camp during its peak operation. The park is open 8:00 am-Sunset all year round. The museum is open daily 10:00am-5:00pm. Access the park from Hwy. 101, Exit North San Pedro Road, East.
*Due to budgetary cutbacks of our California State Parks,the following applies: Back Ranch Meadows Campground will be closed weekdays but open on weekends and some holidays on a first-come, first-served basis through March 25, 2010. Current reservations will be honored. Back Ranch Meadows Campground will go back on the reservation system starting March 26, 2010.
Weber and Buckeye Point day use areas and the lower China Camp Village parking lot will be closed weekdays and open on weekends and some holidays from Sunday through June 30, 2010. Restrooms at Weber, Buckeye Point and China Camp Village will only be open when those areas are open.

Golden Gate Bridge
Dial 511 (within the Bay area)
415-455-2000 (outside the Bay area)
www.goldengatebridge.org/visitors

A trip to Marin County wouldn’t be complete without a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. This historic bridge, which is 1.7 miles long, was opened to vehicular traffic on May 28, 1937. Pedestrians and bicyclists may access the bridge sidewalks during daylight hours.

Five acres of manicured gardens on the southeast side of the bridge allow visitors to wander along paths to view the bridge from different perspectives.

Marin History Museum
Located at the Boyd Gate House
1125 B Street
San Rafael, CA
415-454-8538
www.marinhistory.org

Since 1935, the Marin History Museum has fostered the discovery of local history for both adults and children. Through programs, lectures, exhibitions, and artifact preservation, we bring the past to life.  The Marin History Museum provides cultural programs and educational resources for the community at numerous sites throughout the county and beyond, as well as online. 

Boyd Gate House, San Rafael - Showcases the Marin History Museum’s changing exhibitions and educational programs and offers a Family Activity Room. Built in 1879, the Boyd Gate House is a beautiful example of high Victorian Gothic architecture, set in a park setting, surrounded by a granite and iron fence.  The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com.  Gallery Hours of Operation: Tuesday through Friday and the second and third Saturday of each month 11:00am - 4:00pm.

Mission San Rafael Arcangel
1104 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-456-3016
www.saintraphael.com

On December 14, 1817, Mission San Rafael was established as an assistencia or “helper” mission to Mission Dolores in San Francisco.  Because its original purpose was to care for the sick, it was named after St. Rafael the Archangel, the angel of bodily healing.  Mission San Rafael Arcangel is part of the Saint Raphael parish in downtown San Rafael. It is a 1949 replica of the original Spanish mission, which was constructed in 1817 and was second-to-last in the California mission chain.  The

Mission Chapel is open for visitors Monday-Friday, 6:30am-5:00pm, Saturday, 8:30am-5:00pm and Sunday, 9:00am-5:00pm; self-guided tours are available. Admission is free, donations are welcomed.

Novato Historic Old Town
415-897-1164
www.tourism.novato.org

Historical buildings dot downtown Novato, including the Novato History Museum (1850), City Hall (a former Presbyterian church built in 1896) and Druid’s Hall (1899), among others. Novato’s old town is located along Grant Avenue.

 O'Hanlon Center for the Arts
616 Throckmorton Avenue
Mill Valley, CA 94941
415-388-4331
www.ohanloncenter.org

O'Hanlon Center for the Arts - Loka Retreat Center, located on several acres of picturesque woodland, features two galleries, day retreat center, sculpture garden and outdoor gathering spaces. Loka Retreat Center, capacity 50, is a two-story, newly renovated building with bamboo floors, kitchen, break room, balcony with view, and a 660-plus square foot open room, ideal for meetings, classes, films, and workshops or left open for yoga, meditation, movement and dance. Also available are the Loft, capacity 40, and Gallery, capacity 125, a two-level, 2000 square foot exhibition, reception and performance space.

Olompali State Historic Park
Novato, CA 94948
415-892-3383
www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex

This 700-acre park overlooks the Petaluma River and San Pablo Bay. It features several historic buildings, including the adobe house of Camilo Ynitia, the last headman of the Miwok community living at Olompali. The park’s name comes from the Coast Miwok language meaning “southern village”. The settlement at Olompali has been inhabited continuously since about 500 A.D.
The park is open for day use only. Olompali State Park is located 2 ½ miles north of Novato on U.S. Highway 101.
*Due to budgetary cutbacks of our California State Parks,the following applies: The park will be closed to public use Monday through Friday from Nov. 2 through June 30, 2010.

Point Bonita Lighthouse
Sausalito, CA 94965
415-331-1540
www.nps.gov/goga/pobo.htm

This active lighthouse dates from 1877 and sits on top of a rugged outcropping overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Access to the lighthouse is from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, down a one mile long road and across a suspension bridge. Access is restricted except for regularly schedule tours.

Open 12:30pm-3:30pm, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and for “full moon” tours.

Point Reyes Lighthouse
Lighthouse Visitor Center
Point Reyes, CA
415-669-1534
www.nps.gov/pore

The Point Reyes Lighthouse is located at the western-most point of the Point Reyes Headlands. Due to concerns that Point Reyes’ heavy fog could obscure the lighthouse, it was built 275 feet down the bluff. In 1975 the station was automated and in 1977 it was handed over to the National Park Service. The Lighthouse Visitors Center is located .04 mile from the parking lot and the lighthouse is down another 308 stairs.

During the winter months, Point Reyes Lighthouse is one of the best places along the California Coast to view the California Gray Whales on their annual migration from Alaska to Mexico.

The Visitors Center is open 10:00am-4:00pm, Thursday through Monday. The lighthouse is sometimes closed due to high winds. For tour reservations call after 10:00am the same day you wish to visit.

San Francisco Theological Seminary - San Anselmo
105 Seminary Road
San Anselmo, CA 94960
415-451-2800
800-447-8820
www.sfts.edu

The Seminary was founded in 1871 in San Francisco as Presbyterian City College. In 1870 the College received a gift of a 14-acre hilltop in San Anselmo. Money to build the campus was also donated, and on September 21, 1892 the San Anselmo campus was opened.

The Seminary is within walking distance of downtown San Anselmo and consists of numerous historical buildings, chapels, Victorian homes, and includes the “castles on the hill”, one which is patterned after the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. San Francisco Theological Seminary is located just 15 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Situated on 14 beautiful acres with views overlooking the Ross Valley and Mt. Tamalpais, many agree that it is a lovely, convenient place for weddings, receptions, concerts, conferences and retreats.