Going to this park is a lot of fun. There's so many activities going on, especially on the…read moreweekends. I usually will frequent McGinnis Park to walk along the jetty's near the bay. You can really get several miles in and it's completely flat so it's not difficult. But on a hot day it can be a little uncomfortable due to lack of shade, but there is ample parking and restrooms. I enjoy watching the birds, too.

Who would've thunk that this park has public tennis courts?! What a wonderful, unexpected…read morediscovery! Similar to Granada Park in Corte Madera, the John F Mcinnis Park courts feel like a tennis speakeasy. First rule of this tennis club - "you don't talk about this tennis club." The blessing and the curse of these courts is that they're kind of hard to find and get to (especially now, during this Coronavirus lockdown). But once you walk up the steep hill and get there, you'll be rewarded with four beautiful, well-maintained courts. There's no charge to play, nor proof of residence or membership. It's a total tennis lover's oasis! Not sure what's it like in the non-Coronavirus age, but players have to adhere to public court rules (no more than 2 sets or an hour's worth of play if others are waiting to hop on). All in all, this park was a major find! Beautiful, hidden location... but not too far away. Game on!

#23 of 2026! I'm trying to do at least one a day this month! Just 9 days to go…read more This was such a pleasant hike. A bit of an incline at the trailhead but other than that, it was pretty easy. I liked that we went on a sunny day in January. Such gorgeous views!!!

I found Ring Mountain on AllTrails and mapped to the pinned location but was completely lost. After…read moredriving around the residential areas, my friend and I finally found an unmarked trail head. The first part of the trail was extremely muddy (which was strange because it hadn't rained in a few days) and our shoes + my white dog were covered in mud. We decided to venture up the mountain and found the actual trail which was very pleasant. There was no shade so definitely bring your sunscreen and sunglasses! I also found two ticks on my dog so make sure to check yourself/your dogs when you get home. The overall hike was very pleasant & fairly easy and the VIEWSSS were amazing! Pros: VIEWS, dog friendly (on leash), not many people, easy hike Cons: Ticks, no shade, difficult to find the actual trailhead All in all, my friend and I both agreed we would definitely do this hike again!

This is by far our favorite camp site. We booked 6 months out. There was 12 of us in our group so…read morewe reserved 2 camp sites next to each other. Each site can accommodate up to 8 people. It's $35/night + $8.25 reservation fee. 1 free parking per site and $5/day for each additional car. We had 8 tents set up and there was still room to put up more. There was so much space. I was afraid as we've never done a walk in camp site before but the parking lot was so close. There was plenty of garbage totters to help carry stuff to the camp site. We did it in just 1 trip. Bathrooms were ok. The toilet seats have seen better days. There are coin operated showers. $1 for 10 mins. The sign for firewood says sold between 4-6pm but when we arrived after 6pm we could still get some from the camp host. Bring cash. We appreciated the food storage cabinets as they were all in great condition. We did run into raccoons at 5:45 in the morning. Just had to make sure all the food was put away in the cabinets. Saw a cat and a family of deers too. There are some yellow jackets but also traps for them at each site. We didn't do any hikes this time but we went to China Camp beach. It's only 8 minutes drive from camp. The location of the camp site is great too. Just 15 minutes drive from the nearest Safeway and restaurants too. Yet far enough to be with nature. Note, even though there was lots of trees we were told that hammocks were not allowed.

A great place for hiking and mountain bike riding is just a few miles from our home and from many…read morein the Bay Area. China Camp State Park has a number of trails that we enjoy. These are primarily single track trails that take you through the oak woodlands. One of our favorites is the Shoreline Trail. It winds around the campground and then rides like a roller coaster as you follow the terrain of the hills beside the Bay. You'll often see black tail deer, grey squirrel, and if you're lucky - a flock of Turkey. If you're adventurous and have the energy, pedal (or hike) up to the ridge of . You can travel up either Powerline Trail or Oak Ridge Trail and the views at top are beautiful. In 2012, the State of California suspended funding for 70 state parks including China Camp State Park. Locals founded a. Non-profit called Friends of China Camp who keep the park maintained and in good shape. Be sure to purchase a Day Pass (or an annual pass like we have) to support the park and ensure it will be here for us to enjoy in the future.

This park is a hidden gem in a residential part of the Sun Valley neighborhood. There is street…read moreparking. There is a large open field space where people let their dogs run around. Next to that there is a fenced in play area. The play area has two playgrounds for younger children. The ground is covered in sand. There is a super small play structure and one that is a little trickier that has monkey bars and a chain bridge. There are also two swings (no bucket swings)--one is very low to the ground, and one is slightly higher. There are some picnic benches around the outside of the play area, and there are two public restrooms available. Overall, this is a pretty nice park!

Great park! My client reserved the covered picnic table area for their company picnic and it was…read moreperfect. We provided tablescapes and games and the whole area as very clean, super cute and the park overall is well maintained. It has an ADA ramp and very clean bathrooms as well. Great spot to let your dog run and play fetch. More photos and videos on our IG page Picnic.Potential

An awesome place to hike! This open space has good trails featuring views of the Civic Center and…read moreMt. Tam. Some of the trails connect to China Camp State Park and Harry Barbier Park. The preserve is pretty heavily forested by oaks, bays, madrones, and a few redwoods, which keeps it nice and cool while you're working up a sweat. The trails are not heavily trafficked in my experience, and dogs (on leash) and horses are allowed on trails and the fire roads. Bikes are not permitted on some of the trails, but it's not uncommon for mountain bikers to come bombing down the hill with no warning, on trails where they're not supposed to be. Other than that occasional surprise, hiking here can be quite peaceful. If you're looking for a good workout out in nature, San Pedro Ridge is a nice option. I wouldn't recommend hiking here for absolute beginners, as some of the trails can be a little challenging even for experienced hikers.

Outdoors lovers like me look at that big hill west of 101 in the Dominican area of San Rafael, and…read morethink "I wonder what is up there." Thankfully, you can find out. Why? Because it's there. When I lived in San Rafael, I did find out. I started at the trailhead near Dominican University, and did the slow incline up the fire road. It's a dense wooded forest of oaks, very shady. If I remember right, I made it to the top a few times. The big surprise: I looked down the hill, and saw the remains of a car that didn't quite get the curve right, and now it's rusting 40 feet down from the fire road! I don't know if it's there anymore, but it was in the last millennium. Today, I found out more. This time, I started at a trailhead near the Civic Center. Now there is manzanita along with the oaks, alternating between shade and open space. And views, first of the Terra Linda area, then of the neighborhood west of downtown SR and also Mt. Tam. Names of parkland, depending on where you are: Harry Barbier Memorial Park, City of San Rafael; San Pedro Mountain, Marin Open Space; China Camp State Park, Land of Fruits and Nuts. You don't just happen upon the trailheads, you need to know how to get to them. This is not an easy place to hike. If you get winded on hills, you'll have trouble on these trails. It's enough of a challenge to give experienced hikers a good workout. Dogs love it too. Several single-track trails, and mountain bikes are allowed on them. NO WATER. San Pedro Ridge is not a unique place, but it is a very nice getaway when you're tired of being cooped up in your too-expensive Marin shack. The big thing about San Pedro Ridge is not the destination, but the journey. And what a good little journey it is.

Phoenix Lake in Ross is one of my favorite places to hike and has become part of my regular…read moreroutine. It's easy to get to, and if you arrive before 9:30 am, you usually have a good chance of finding a parking spot. Even if the lot is full, it's worth waiting a few minutes because spaces often open up as hikers finish their walks. My friends and I love hiking here, and we also enjoy mountain biking on the trails from time to time. The trails are well maintained, the scenery is beautiful, and the peaceful atmosphere makes every visit enjoyable. During the week, it's especially quiet, making it the perfect place to relax, get some exercise, and enjoy nature. We are fortunate to have such a beautiful outdoor destination in Marin. I highly recommend Phoenix Lake to anyone looking for a peaceful hike with stunning surroundings.

I've loved coming to Phoenix Lake since I moved to Marin in the 70's…read more I used to ride my bike from my house in San Rafael hitch up my bike when I got to the lake and then do a run around the lake and then ride my bike home. Trust me, I only hike it now! Today I added in a few new to me trails including the Yolanda Trail, 5 Corners & Shaver Grade. A mix of open exposed trails to a gorgeous canopy of redwoods & terrific views of Mt. Tam

3/21/2026 On the way back from Cataract Falls Trail in Fairfax, CA, we decided to stop by the…read moreCascade Falls we visited last year with no water, all dried up. Since the Cataract Falls had water this time, we believed Cascade would too. It wasn't far from Cataract Falls, but if we drove from the East bay it would take more than an hour through 880 north 80 - 580 - Fairfax downtown. The hardest part of the trail is to find the parking space on the road to the trail. All along the street has no parking signs, we had to park almost a mile from the gate of the trail park. The hike is about 1.5 miles and uphill but not too hard. There are 2 trails to get to the Falls, on the way to the fall we used the right trail, on the way back, we used the left trail. The left trail is easier, wider than the right trail, both are on either side of the creek. This time, the water is there, very nice, although not many people there due to parking we guess. Anyhow, it's a quest that's successfully achieved for us. We had lunch at the top of the falls, all by ourselves which was nice. The next one will be Burney Falls. https://youtu.be/eHk-oivo32w

Serenity now! Get ready for a great hike, a wonderful workout with such an incredible nature view…read moreof magnificent trees, rocks, water, ferns, birds, clean air, etc etc Cascade Fall trail is near Mill Valley, California. There are several paths from easily to moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 30 min to complete. This is absolutely my favorite trail for solitude, mindfulness. birding, hiking, and walking, Parking is a bit tough but if you can get there early, you can easily find a spot. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Enjoy!

Thanks to Yelp for suggesting this as a nearby place for a walk, as I had never been in the 12…read moreyears I have lived in Marin! We were having a lazy Sunday morning watching TV and decided we should get outside for some fresh air. We didn't feel like walking a lot since the weather was warm, so we happily found 2 Adirondack chairs in the shade at the park. The views of the Bay were gorgeous and it was the perfect spot to read our books. There was plenty of space for neighboring groups to spread out, so we liked the chill, non touristy, and quiet environment. We are already planning to picnic there with a friend and her little one.

This is a really cool local park kind of out-of-the-way so there's not a lot of people there quiet…read morewith great views of the bay large open fields to run around barbecue and picnic tables, bathrooms, etc. plenty of parking. There is also a public fishing pier there which you do not need a fishing license to use. I have spent time at this park also anchored out in my boat in front of it coming to shore by kayak.