Recently, some friends shared a favorite Marin spot with me and I’m glad to share with everyone else. It’s a waterfront dog park in Sausalito that you’d never find if someone didn’t tell you exactly where to go. And, even then, you have to trust their directions because you’re going to encounter a sign saying you’re entering a private yacht harbor, as well as a large asphalt parking lot that you can’t see any greenery beyond. Yet, nevertheless, you proceed forward and at the other side is the dog park!
The dog park is an unglamorous spit of land that juts out into the Bay, with marinas flanking it on either side. It’s a fabulous location for sitting and enjoying a gorgeous view while your dog runs around. There are benches along the walkway that goes all the way out to the end. Sometimes you see people just sitting, reading, or fishing, too. You don’t even need a dog to come enjoy this place.
Since the parking lot is private, park along Harbor Drive just before the parking lot entrance.
Where: Past the end of Harbor Drive, across the Clipper Yacht Harbor parking lot, Sausalito, CA 94965 (map)
Wasn’t this a fabulous weekend? I never get tired of saying that here in Marin, and I’ll never run out of opportunities to say it!
Like most people here in Marin, we spent the weekend outdoors as much as possible. One place we visited again was Bon Tempe Lake, one of the reservoirs in the chain of lakes that makes up Marin Municipal Water District’s drinking water supply and storage system. The fact that it’s part of this means that it must be kept pristine, so no one is allowed to swim in or boat on the water. While this is not ideal for some water sport enthusiasts, the upside is that the lake is pristine, and unspoiled by garbage or noise.
There is a wonderful path all around Bon Tempe Lake which is pretty level for the most part. You can walk or ride it, but there are a few parts where you’re required to walk your bike. You can also take your dog as long as it’s on a leash.
There’s a parking lot at the base of the path where you head up to the top of the Bon Tempe Dam, which you walk across to either start or finish your loop.
Where: Head west on Bolinas Road, left on Sky Oaks, left on Rocky Ridge Road almost to the end. (map)
Hours: Daily from 7:00 a.m. to Sunset
Fee: Cars pay $ 8.00/day (pay at machine at entrance to park by credit card or dollar bills, but NO $ 20 bills accepted!)
Hours: Daily from 7:00 a.m. to Sunset
Anyone who has ever driven 101 going over the pass from Corte Madera to Mill Valley has passed “Horse Hill†many times. This is the hill on the west side of the pass, with the horse pasture on it and open space beyond. If you’ve ridden your bike from Corte Madera to Mill Valley, you probably have also taken this route in the dedicated bike lane just west of the freeway, in which case you’ve ridden right through the parking lot of pasture on Horse Hill. You may have even stopped to admire the horses, as I have done.
This area is the Horse Hill – Alto Bowl Open Space Preserve, and it is open to the public for horseback riding, hiking, dog walking (on-leash), and bike riding (mountain biking, that is). There are two dedicated paved bike paths on the east and west sides of the preserve, linked by Lomita Drive. Lomita Drive is also where the entrance to the Horse Hill Fire Road is located. The trails are not too steep, and the terrain and views are wonderful.
Where: Various Trail access points on the hill between Corte Madera and Mill Valley:Â Click here for Horse Hill Alto Bowl Open Space Trail Map
Open 24 Hours
Link to Marin County Open Space District map
There are two great “pocket†parks in Mill Valley that I love and that are fabulous for kids. They’re both in the flats of Mill Valley in the neighborhood generally known as “Sycamore Parkâ€. They are set back behind and surrounded by houses on all sides. The lack of street frontage creates a quiet, traffic-free environment which is so much safer for little kids and so much more relaxing for the adults watching them.
The first pocket park is Freeman Park, which sits behind the houses on Ryan and Nelson Avenues. There are paths from both of those streets into the park, where you’ll find  beautiful lawns, big shade trees, a half basketball court, swings and jungle gym, plus barbeque grills and picnic tables.
The other park is Sycamore Park, with a truly awesome climbing structure, in both size and features, as well as a large and enclosed Tot Lot, and two really big open fields. It’s accessed via Sycamore Avenue and Park Terrace.
Dogs are welcome at both parks but must be on leash.
Where:
- Freeman Park: Enter from Ryan or Nelson Avenue (map)
- Sycamore Park: Enter from Sycamore Avenue or Park Terrace (map)
City of Mill Valley Parks and Recreation Department website
A friend told me about this park and immediately regretted doing it. Oh no! Now it will be on 365 Things to Do in Marin and everyone will find out about it. Well, not to worry, friend. This spot won’t be overrun any time soon. It will stay the quiet little gem of a young kids playground for the foreseeable future.
As you can see from the photo above, this little play yard sits right on Richardson Bay, on the side facing west towards Sausalito. There’s a great climbing struture shaped sort of like a boat with a prow front, perfect for the young and fanciful minds of the kids who will play on it. Right next to that is the shore line, with grasses in a sandy soil sloping gently into the water. And, there’s a picnic table and several benches for the perfect make up of a children’s playground.
It’s a bit hard to spot, because the only part of it that is at the street it the sign and the entry to the path, and it’s a shady area so it doesn’t jump out at you.
Where: Great Hill Circle, Mill Valley, CA 94941 (map)
Almost every town in Marin has a neighborhood that is old and quaint and focused around a lovely old park. San Rafael’s is Gerstle Park, with the neighborhood and the park of the same name. Once the site of the wealthy San Francisco Gerstle family’s summer home, it now features large open grassy areas, benches and picnic tables scattered throughout, children’s play structures and sand box, the famous climbing dragon as well as basketball and tennis courts.
It’s a great venue for grabbing a sandwich and having a really quiet lunch, meeting with other parents of young kids who love the play structures and swings, shooting a game of hoops, or walking the dog (be sure to clean up). The tranquility makes it a great place to take a blanket, spread out on the lawn with a good book and just while away a few hours in the warm sun.
Tonight is the annual Gerstle Park Neighborhood Association (GNPA) Meeting , which is a great place to find out all of the activities planned for the year and the people who make it all happen. The vote for new board members also takes place tonight. It’s being held at Trinity Church, 333 Woodland Avenue, from 6:30 – 8:30 (map).
Where: San Rafael Avenue between Clark Street and Lodge Lane (map)
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Amenities: Drinking fountains, picnic tables and restrooms
Locals know about the little park at the end of Lagunitas Road in Ross called Natalie Coffin Greene Park, although they may not know its name. Most people think of it as the shady little park just below Lake Phoenix, and the place to park your car and set off on a hike or or mountain bike ride on the extensive Marin Municipal Water District’s watershed lands and Mt. Tamalpais. It is a very private, secluded and peaceful spot to set out on a day hike, or a shorter walk up to Phoenix Lake with your kids or dog. The park also makes a great destination in and of itself. It has picnic tables, Ross Creek running through it, and restrooms.
The fire road up to Phoenix Lake continues around the north side of the lake, and connects with fire roads running throughout the watershed lands up to the top of Mt. Tam. The south side of the lake is strictly a hiking trail, so no bikes allowed. However, dogs are allowed as long as they are on leash. The round trip walk from the park up and around the lake is about 2.7 miles.
Although the parking lot is usually full on summer weekends, you don’t tend to see many around the lake. Even the park has never felt full to me. Up at the lake, there are a couple of benches for relaxing and enjoying the view and the quiet; you can also fish, but there are no people or boats allowed in the water. That can be a bit frustrating when it gets so hot in the summer!
(map of Natalie Coffin Greene Park)
(map of Marin Municipal Water District Watershed lands)
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
I can’t do justice to all of the amazing organizations/facilities at Fort Baker in one blog, so this is just a “whet your appetiteâ€Â overview. I’ll do a more in-depth blog on each entity as the year unfolds.
Fort Baker started life as an army post dedicated to defending the San Francisco harbor entrance. It’s now part of the Golden Gate National Parks, and includes the breathtaking landscape and coastline stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge, around Horseshoe Cove, and along the Bay until it meets Sausalito. It’s got so much to offer that it can please any visitor regardless of age or interest. Here are the highlights:
1. The (phenomenal)Â Bay Area Discovery Museum, perfect for families with kids aged 1-10
2. Battery Cavallo and Battery Yates: World War II era concrete battlement fortifications for exploration
3. Picnicking (including tables and benches in many locations) along the waterfront, the paths and the East Road (fantastic hillside views of SF)
4. Hiking/walking/biking along the Bay Trail or paths along the cliffs
5. Fishing off the public pier
6. Sailing lessons or sailboat (with captain if needed) rentals at the Travis Marina
7. Photography or simply enjoying the views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, sailboats and shipping traffic on the Bay
8. Dining or drinking at Cavallo Point (Farley Bar or Murray Circle Restaurant) or Travis Marina (Mike’s Place – Fri-Sun only)
Location: (Map)
Hours: Check the website of each facility for current hours/fees
Fees: None for Fort Baker entrance or parking
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By Anne Kennedy
There are countless great bike rides in Marin, but the bike path that starts at Blackies Pasture, runs along Richardson Bay through Linear Park along Tiburon Boulevard and ends in downtown Tiburon at Shoreline Park is one of the most beautiful and accessible in the county. It’s perfect for families with young kids, because the path is wide and gentle enough that one parent can be pushing a stroller while the other guides a newbie two-wheeler. Self-sufficient but younger riders can easily complete the distance (a little over 2-1/2 miles) with no huge hills to climb. Dogs are welcome, too, so the whole “family†can get out for fresh air. And, the parks along the way provide great resting opportunities or turn-around points if the kids have reached their limit.
At the same time, plenty of highly accomplished riders take this route as part of the longer and more strenuous Tiburon Blvd-Paradise Drive loop, where one can continue on Tiburon Boulevard past downtown, ride along Paradise Drive all around the peninsula, past Paradise Beach County Park and connect back to Tiburon Boulevard via Trestle Glen Boulevard. I’m no great rider, but I’ve done the loop a couple of times and it’s a lot of fun, beautiful, and great exercise. Seriously athletic riders do the loop (just a bit over 8-1/2 miles) more than once and I’ve been “looped†on Paradise Drive by some of them – always hoping they’re not noticing me as much as I notice them!
Easy Route (relatively short and relatively flat):  Blackies Pasture (A) to Tiburon Linear Park (B) to Shoreline Park (C) (2.7 miles one way)
Hard Route (lots of hills and winding roads – watch for cars): Blackies Pasture (A) to Tiburon Linear Park (B) to Shoreline Park (C) to Paradise Beach County Park  (D) back to Blackies Pasture (A) (8.7 miles loop)
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By Anne Kennedy
This San Anselmo main street coffee spot / cafe is right on one of the most popular bike routes through Central Marin out to the Coast. So, naturally, it is always packed weekend mornings with lots of spandex-clad cyclists refueling with coffee and pastries. There are lots of families with young kids, singles and couples of all ages, and even the occasional teenager. During the week it tends to be a somewhat different crowd, with a lot of self-employed, laptop wielding patrons who grab a coffee and settle in for a few hours using the free wi-fi.
The appeal is the very casual Marin vibe, the excellent coffee drinks, and the people watching scene. The breakfast pastries are good, too, and I hear the breakfast burritos/wraps are great, but I’m a pastry gal so I haven’t tried those. Even if you’re in a car but headed out to the Coast for a day trip, it’s a great place to fuel up for the drive or hike ahead.
There are lots of tables inside, and some also outside in the front and on the side in the paved alley. You’ll also find bike stands and plenty of room to park your bike while you dine. On weekends they have live music (usually a guitarist) which most customers seem to enjoy.
Where: 546 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo, CA 94960 (map)
Hours: Mon-Th 6:00 – 6:00    Fri-Sat 6:00 – 7:00   Sun 6:30-6:00
(415) 258-9549
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By Anne Kennedy
