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As if the sights and sounds of San Francisco were not enough
to keep visitors completely enthralled, Mother Nature
invites you to drive just a few minutes north of the city,
across the Golden Gate Bridge and into a suburban area that
seems like the other side of the planet from downtown.

Of course that’s why people live in Marin County, where as
much as half the land is open space and there are so many
trails and vistas you might think you were in a national
park. It’s expensive to live here, all right, but then how
many places offer you a multi-cultural city of
sophistication on one side of the bridge, and quiet trails
and solitude on the other? If you crave recreation in the
Great Outdoors but drive a Mercedes, you just might be a
Marin County resident.

The good news for the rest of us is that we can drop in and
sample this lifestyle for ourselves. We took a little time
to visit the southern part of the county, setting up our
base of operations at the San Anselmo Inn, a charming
European-style lodging in Northern California’s antiquing
capital, San Anselmo. From there, it was easy to explore a
few of the Marin County communities and their visitor
attractions;

The San Anselmo Inn is on San Anselmo Avenue, an especially
enchanting downtown street that gently winds its way
through the town’s historic buildings. The streets in this
area are narrow and buildings close together, so the
European feeling extends well beyond the inn itself. On a
bright fall weekday, a wide variety of shops and stores –
including 130 antique dealers — welcomed locals and
visitors alike. It wasn’t a busy atmosphere, but more a
casual, relaxed feel that seemed ideal for the many young
mothers and babies we noticed enjoying a stroll on this
colorful street.

Everything in this small town is within walking distance of
the inn. We would explore the town’s shops, or hike nearby
trails and then return to our comfortable room at the inn.
The innkeepers, Julie and Peter McNair, have taken care to
give each room a historical feel befitting their building,
which was one of the first built in the area as the new
railroad line facilitated the development of San Anselmo
and nearby towns. Our room was spacious for a
bed-and-breakfast inn and featured a four-poster bed,
marble-top vanity, antique desk, nightstands and cabinets
and, in the private bathroom, a Jacuzzi style tub.
Breakfast was a special treat at the inn – a delightful
Spanish quiche, lots of fresh muffins and pastries,
waffles, fruit, juices, cereals and all served in a
pleasant and spacious dining area.

After breakfast, it was off to experience some local
recreation, and one nearby hike recommended to us was the
Phoenix Lake Trail, a 2.8-mile that takes visitors around
the lake through a mixture of oak, bay and redwood trees.
Like most trails near San Anselmo, this one was quick and
easy to get to – although be prepared to wait for a parking
spot. Local joggers and walkers love the combination of
lush redwood forests, lake views and wide trails, so the
20-plus parking stalls were full-up when we visited about 9
a.m. on a Wednesday. No matter, though – we only had to
wait about 10 minutes.

Another local point of interest is the San Francisco
Theological Seminary, which relocated its school here from
San Francisco in 1892. You can’t miss the seminary with its
castle-like grand stone buildings standing above Ross
Valley.

Even more history is revealed in the many historic
buildings downtown, which are easily visited by taking a
self-guided walking tour prepared by the San Anselmo
Historical Society. At the inn, you can pick up a copy of a
very detailed magazine produced by the San Anselmo
Historical Commission, which provides an excellent
description, history and photo of each of the town’s major
historical points of interest. Be sure to check out the
Robson-Harrington House and Park, the Carnegie Library and
the American Legion Log Cabin.

About a 15-minute drive south from San Anselmo took us to
one of the other scenic bedroom communities of Marin County
– Tiburon.

If you’re looking for scenic vistas of the San Francisco
skyline across the bay, this is the place. Tiburon is a
four-mile-long peninsula that is positioned just across the
bay from the city and, because of that, offers some of the
most sought-after real estate in the area. The views of San
Francisco Bay, the city and the Golden Gate Bridge are
breathtaking.

Be prepared for slow traffic that last four miles going
into Tiburon – the two-lane highway gets busy in both
directions, especially in summer when there is apt to be
some type of road construction fiber optic cables activity. As you drive along
the peninsula, be sure to look to the south, where what
must be the World’s Most Expensive Soccer Field is located
on a long swath of view property (all in the spirit, of
course, of Marin County’s love affair with open space).

The town of Tiburon looks almost like any modern suburban
town until you get to the edge of downtown where a couple
of blocks of historic buildings and nearby marina give the
feeling of a New England fishing village. It’s apparent
this is the place locals go to soak up the views, walk or
run the shoreline trail or, for the less ambitious, just
hunker down at one of the dockside outdoor restaurants for
drinks and maybe a seafood lunch. Numerous fishing and tour
boats are tied up at the pier, and a popular day trip is to
take the regular ferry service six miles over to Angel
Island State Park for an afternoon of hiking and
exploration.

Tiburon’s historic Main Street is known as “Ark Row”
because of the 1890s houseboat lifestyle enjoyed by the
town’s earliest residents. Today, the arks are gone and the
bay shopping district includes a number of upscale
boutiques as well as the occasional tourist shop. The
nearby walking path, with its views of the city, is
considered one of the most romantic spots in Bay area.

Another nearby city that’s just minutes away from San
Anselmo is Larkspur, whose downtown area is officially
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The
town’s historical buildings, including Queen Anne
Victorians, make this an excellent place to glimpse what
one of San Francisco’s suburbs looked like at the turn of
the century. The historic downtown area is west of Highway
101.

It’s also in this area that you can hop a ferry to San
Francisco. A foot bridge over the highway will take you to
Golden Gate Ferry terminal where you can get on a ferry
departing for the San Francisco Ferry Building. The ferry
ride is a great place to get photos of such attractions as
Mt. Tamalpais, Angel Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Nearby San Rafael is a bit larger city – in fact the
largest in Marin County. The downtown shopping area offers
the stores, ethnic restaurants, large banks and other
services that aren’t found in the smaller towns of Marin.
It’s the only place in these parts where you see high-rise
buildings – yet there still is a lot of rich, Victorian
architecture that gives San Rafael a feel all of its own.

One particular point of interest is the authentic
re-creation of Mission San Rafael Arcangel. This was
founded in 1817 and today you can visit a replica of the
original mission and tour a museum. Also check out the
Marin County Historical Society Museum and the Falkirk
Cultural Center.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: San Anselmo and other nearby Marin County cities are
located just a few miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. .

WHAT: These southern Marin County communities are a little
bit off the beaten path for tourists, but each of the
cities and towns offers a distinct character and charm, and
are fun to explore.

WHEN: Year-round. The weather can turn cold in these areas
– the San Francisco climate is often compared with Seattle
– so bring warm clothing. Even in the warmest summer
months, the occasional cold weather can settle in. But
often you’ll find bright sunshine.

WHY: This area north of San Francisco is rich with history
and offers an unusual combination of upscale shopping and
dining, along with numerous opportunities for outdoor
recreation.

HOW: For more information on Marin County, phone (866)
925-2060 toll free or go to www.visitmarin.org.

—————————————————-
Cary Ordway is president of Getaway Media Corp which
publishes websites focused on regional travel. Among the
sites offered by GMC are http://www.californiaweekend.com
and http://www.northwesttraveladvisor.com .