Sights in Marin County
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Mt Tamalpais State Park
Mt Tamalpais State Park encompasses 6300 acres of parklands, plus over 200 miles of trails; get a map and don't miss East Peak. Panoramic Hwy climbs from Hwy 1 through the park to Stinson Beach, a mellow seaside town with a great beach. Park headquarters are at Pantoll Station, the nexus of many trails and location of a wooded first-come, first-served campground.
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Muir Woods
Wander among an ancient stand of the world's tallest trees in 550-acre Muir Woods, 12 miles north of the Golden Gate. The easy 1-mile Main Trail Loop leads past thousand-year-old redwoods at Cathedral Grove and returns via Bohemian Grove. Come midweek to avoid crowds; otherwise arrive early morning or late afternoon. Take Hwy 101 to the Hwy 1 exit, and follow the signs. No camping or picnicking is permitted.
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Bay Area Discovery Museum
At Fort Baker, the Bay Area Discovery Museum is cool for kids, with hands-on science exhibits, musical instruments, festivals and camps.
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Angel Island
Rising from the middle of the bay, Angel Island was devastated by a 2008 fire that burned 300 of the park’s 740 acres. As you explore this domed beauty, all around you’ll spot signs of the land repairing itself. You can spread out a picnic in a protected cove overlooking the close but immeasurably distant urban surroundings, or explore the island on foot or bicycle. The island has served as a military base, immigration station, WWII Japanese internment camp and Nike missile site, leaving it some interesting and thought-provoking forts, exhibits and bunkers to explore.
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Marine Mammal Center
Marine Mammal Center, on the hill above Rodeo Lagoon, is the largest marine mammal hospital in the world. In 2009 the center opened its all-green, solar-powered hospital, with observation decks for visitors to get close to the recovering patients (mostly seals and sea lions) before they’re released back into the wild. Spring brings oh-so-cute new pups – and the most visitors. Kids love the hands-on exhibits and see-through glass walls to the science labs and animal rooms.
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Hawk Hill
Every fall, migratory birds and raptors – including hawks, falcons and eagles – soar overhead at Hawk Hill. Because open water doesn’t support the thermals that birds need to stay aloft, they use the headlands to gain altitude for the 2-mile crossing of the Golden Gate. Bring binoculars. Go 1.8 miles up Conzelman Rd, park along the road and walk up the west side of the hill; for a map and details on which birds are there now, see www.ggro.org.
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Old St Hilary’s Church Museum
Commanding splendid views from its perch in Tiburon, Old St Hilary’s Church Museum is one of the country’s last examples of Carpenter Gothic architecture still in its original setting. The hillsides around the deconsecrated Catholic church comprise St Hilary’s Preserve, which nurtures a treasure trove of rare wildflowers, including the black jewel and Marin dwarf flax. Best in spring.
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Marin County Civic Center
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Marin County Civic Center is a long, beautiful structure blending into the hills directly east of Hwy 101; exit on N San Pedro Rd, 2 miles north of San Rafael. Tours begin here Wednesday at 10:30; reserve by calling 415-499-6646. The center hosts regular concerts and events, including the Marin County Fair each July and a farmers market every Thursday and Sunday morning.
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China Camp State Park
China Camp State Park, about 4 miles east of San Rafael is a pleasant place to stop for a picnic or short hike. From Hwy 101, take the N San Pedro Rd exit and continue 3 miles east. The name comes from the remains of a Chinese fishing village here, one of many Chinese shrimp-fishing encampments once prevalent around San Francisco Bay.
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Point Reyes Bird Observatory
The Point Reyes Bird Observatory, off Mesa Rd west of downtown, has bird-banding and netting demonstrations, monthly guided walks, a visitors center and nature trail. Banding demonstrations are in the morning every Tuesday to Sunday from May to late November and on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday the rest of the year.
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Headlands Center for the Arts
In Fort Barry, you'll find the Headlands Center for the Arts. It's a refurbished barracks converted into artists' work spaces and conference facilities. The center hosts open studios with its artists-in-residence three times a year, and two or three times a month there are talks, performances and other events.
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Point Reyes Lighthouse
[ourpick] Point Reyes Lighthouse, crowns the peninsula's westernmost point and is ideal for whale-watching. Our favorite hike: the bluff-top trail on the peninsula's north tip, Tomales Point, through herds of Tule elk. Take Pierce Point Rd.
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Mission San Rafael Arcángel
The town began with Mission San Rafael Arcángel, founded in 1817 which served as a sanitarium for Native Americans suffering from European diseases. The present building is a replica dating from 1949.
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Outdoor Art Club
Said to have been founded by 35 Mill Valley ladies determined to preserve the local environment, the private Outdoor Art Club is housed in a landmark 1904 building designed by Bernard Maybeck.
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Rafael Film Center
Rafael Film Center, a restored downtown cinema run by the Film Institute of Northern California, offers innovative art house programming in state of the art surroundings.
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Old Mill Park
Several blocks west of downtown along Throckmorton Ave is Old Mill Park, perfect for a picnic. Here you'll also find a replica of the town's namesake sawmill.
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Plaza de Viña Del Mar Park
Plaza de Viña Del Mar Park has a fountain flanked by 14ft-tall elephant statues from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.
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San Francisco Bay-Delta Model
At the harbor, the San Francisco Bay-Delta Model is a way-cool 1.5-acre hydraulic re-creation of the entire bay and delta.
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Richardson Bay Audubon Center
Back toward Hwy 101 the Richardson Bay Audubon Center, off Tiburon Blvd, is home to a huge variety of waterbirds.
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Bolinas Museum
Bolinas Museum has exhibits showcasing local artists as well as highlighting the region's history.
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Point Bonita Lighthouse
Attractions in Marin Headlands include the Point Bonita Lighthouse.
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