Marin County Special Spots

The Lark Creek Inn's Bradley Ogden is considered one of the best chefs in California. LCI was the first of several restaurants he now co-owns w/partner Micheal Dellar. Not only is the food special, but the setting is magnificent. LCI sits in what once was a Victorian manor. The property is set amoung Redwood trees, along a babbling creek.

The menu changes quite often, depending on season. LCI focuses on local ranch and farms as much as possible. Service is always outstanding.

The charming town of Larkspur begins at LCI. After dining, spend an hour walking around town. Guaranteed great time.

Built in 1937, right after the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, The Buckeye Roadhouse is a throw back to a different time & place. She looks like a Ralph Lauren-Stucco & Wood hunting lodge. Original owners (with family still living near restaurant) sold to current partnership in 1991. Completely renovated, with its own smokehouse, the Buckeye is very distinct & charming. Ribs, forget it, knock your socks off. I like the lounge (red leather booths) best of all.

Fun and lively!

Back in the late 1800s, trains ran from Sausalito out to the coast with a stop at Point Reyes Station, which remains fairly intact today and makes a good starting point for side-trip options. You could head 15-minutes north, to Marshall, for some world-famous Hog Island Oysters, or 5-minutes south to the Bear Valley Visitors Center for a park trip, or 10-minutes west to Inverness and the seashore beyond.

Biking, hiking, horseback riding, beach-bumming, shopping, or just driving along are all great here. For a picnic lunch, head to Tomales Bay Food Co., where you'll find local cheese from Cowgirl's Creamery and a loaf of Brick Maiden's rustic bread (the best on earth); if they're sold out, try Toby's Feed Barn down the street, where you should also check out the cool T-shirts in the back. You could also hit up the Food Counter for fresh sandwiches and great potato salad.

You'll get a kick out of walking around PRS. It's very cool.

Back in the 1800s, Tiburon used to be a trainstop, where the ferry would move loaded train cars across the bay, into San Francisco. Shops sprang up, and the little town remains.

This is a great place to visit for the day. Old Main Street is filled with interesting shops, galleries, and restaurants. Of special interest:

1) The Row of Arks--several of these shops were once actually small houseboats. Really quaint and interesting.
2)Sam's--this saloon/restaurant has been here for years. Wonderful food and a lively, party-like atmosphere. It also allows for fantastic views onto the bay. Don't let the bar-room front fool you.
3)Guaymas--excellent southern-Mexican food in a fantastic location next to San Francisco/Tiburon Ferry. They make a brilliant, spicy Bloody Mary and thick, homemade tortillas with delicious guacamole and salsa for starters.
4)Water's Edge Hotel--right in the middle of the action is this small, hip, elegant hotel. Next to all this, is the San Francisco Yacht Club. There are boats goin' in and out of the harbor all day. Loads of fun on a sunny day.

Marin County is very large and diverse. Mt. Tamalpais sits in the center of the southern portion of the county. Towns lay around her base, each providing trails to the summit.

One of my favorite hikes is the Phoenix Lake Trail, which starts in Ross. It begins with a walk beside gorgeous mansions from a bygone era. Then the beautiful Lagunitas Country Club, with its charming lodge, is quite visible from the path. You will go through a small Redwood grove, bearing left and ascending beside the dam, up to the lake. Phoenix is one of five lakes that dot the northeastern side of the mountain. Circle the lake clockwise. The local forest is comprised of Oak, Bay, and Redwood trees. The streams and creeks are covered in moss and fern. You will see occassional waterfalls, wild turkey and deer, duck, and turtle. The best time of year to visit is in the spring, when all the local wildflowers are in bloom. Marin's hikes are interlinked and quite clearly posted. Visiting other lakes can be done quite easily. This is only one of many great hikes available here.

This is one of the best mountain bike trails I've ever done. It's really fun for most levels. What's great is, I hardly ever see anyone on the trail. Try and get a map at the entrance booth. Immediately bear right and wind along the back foothills, just above the San Francisco Bay. The ride weaves in and out of forests, up and down small rises. You'd think you were cross-country skiing. The whole thing is just a single trail. Ride on out to China Camp and visit one of the last, authentic Chinese fishing villages from the 19th century. Pick plums from a 200-year-old fruit tree and sit beside the bay, before heading back. This ride is best done in the spring. It's almost effortless and loads of fun.

At the visitors center is the trail leading off to Arch Rock. This is a wonderful, popular trail that leads through Redwoods down to ocean. Great fun for young and old.