By Joe Kukura

 

As we ring in the new year, there’s nowhere better to set a healthy new path than the northern California destination of Marin County. With magnificently mild Mediterranean-style winters, the “sunny side of the Golden Gate Bridge” can nourish your soul with Pacific Ocean coastal hikes and mountain hiking trails.

Marin County can also transform your body and mind with ultramodern fitness facilities and a plethora of classes in yoga, Pilates, SoulCycle and more. You’ll find world-class spa facilities and massage practitioners, plus aromatherapy and essential oils.

And for the farm-to-table foodie experience, Marin County offers an eclectic mix of healthy restaurants and culinary tours. So whether you want to try a delicious new diet regimen, work up a sweat or take in a relaxing spa, here are some of the best ways to enjoy a new-year Marin County makeover for your mind or body.

 

Stay Fit

Your Marin County fitness and wellness opportunities include some of the most beautiful natural gems in the world. A hike at Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Marin Headlands features breathtaking sea cliffs and unbelievable views of the Golden Gate Bridge. For an invigorating 300-step leg workout, the Point Reyes Lighthouse recently underwent a $5.7 million renovation and is an unbeatable spot to watch the migrating winter whales. Guided tours from Coastal Walkers can hike you through the giant redwoods of Muir Woods or up the spectacular Mount Tamalpais.

You can also work it out with structured exercise regimens or alternative training. You can take indoor yoga sessions at Larkspur’s destination shopping center Marin County Mart at Love Story Yoga, or develop your core at Mighty Pilates at Marin Country Mart, hit the stationary bicycle at SoulCycle at Marin Country Mart. Practice the ballet barre method at Pure Barre at Strawberry Village or sculpt your body with the pros at The Stretch Lab at Bon Air Center. The Bay Club Marin at Town Center Corte Madera is an enormous workout facility with teams of trainers at the ready, and the region’s top cardio spot is Orangetheory Fitness at Bon Air Greenbrae.

Among the Marin County sports attractions, Peacock Gap Golf Club can get you in the swing of the new year with a remarkably architectured course.

 

Rest and Relax

For relaxation, sensational spa facilities make Marin County a must-visit for body therapy.

Highly skilled masseuses are ready to work out your knots at 9 Corners Med-Cryo Spa. Take a steam room or get luxury holistic treatments at International Orange at Marin Country Mart, which has both indoor and outdoor lounges. Expert estheticians and skincare technicians await at Mill Valley’s SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic. Mill Valley’s destination shopping center Strawberry Village is also home to both the facial and waxing boutique EVO Spa.

 

Shop and Eat Healthy

If you want to shop and eat healthy foods in Marin County, Marin County farmers' markets are always in season. The Marin Civic Center Farmers Market put on by the Agricultural Institute of Marin offers a variety of fresh produce every Thursday and Sunday morning. The Marin Country Mart's Farmers Market brings the organic magic to the Marin Country Mart on Saturdays, while that same center’s Farmshop Marin offers both artisan and on-site dining seven days a week.

At an array of Marin County farm tours, see where the healthiest food in the world comes from and how they get it to be so good. Petaluma’s scenic McEvoy Ranch boasts 550 acres of orchards, olive trees, and gardens. Both cheese and oyster tours are on tap at Food & Farm Tours, which span all across the Marin County landscape. Cheese classes and tours make The Fork at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese an artisan cheese lover’s hot spot, with more cheese tours and tastings available at Petaluma’s Marin French Cheese Company, and Point Reyes’ Cowgirl Creamery.

The whales, seals and sea lions always come through Marin County during the new year months, so find a place to stay in Marin County and join them for a new-you getaway. With Marin County’s famed spas, farms and restaurants, it’s easy to set good new year’s habits in high “resolution.”

 

For all you need to plan your Marin County vacation, visit the Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau’s website or Facebook page.