Our camp site was just an 8 minutes drive away. We came on a Saturday just before 2pm and intended…read moreto just check out the beach. We did not know we also stumbled onto this little fishing village and museum too. Apparently you can also rent the space out for wedding receptions too as we had seen one being set up. The beach was also nice as we spent a few hours here. It's a pebble beach so bring something soft to sit or lay on. There are also a few picnic tables. Even if we don't camp we could see ourselves visiting here as it's very peaceful and not busy at all.

We had reservations at the campground at China Camp State Park in early August, 2024, which was…read moreintended just as an overnight stop while on-route between Santa Cruz, CA and the Oregon coast. Without having done any research with respect to what to expect at the state park, we were very pleasantly surprised to stumble upon the China Camp Village. The Village commemorates an historical (1880s) Chinese American shrimp fishing village on the shore of San Pablo Bay. The small (unmanned) museum is in one of the original restored buildings, and has exhibits that depict the work and lives of the fishermen from that era. We also walked along the pier, and took photographs of the old boats on the shore and the "Grace Quan", which is moored to the pier. The Grace Quan is a reconstruction of a San Francisco Bay shrimp junk that was a workhorse of the dried shrimp industry from 1860-1910. We ended the evening watching sunset over the bay from one of the plentiful picnic tables. Clean restrooms are available. The state park charges $5 for day use parking.

Nice facility with open space for visitors, but difficult to operate a business for those visitors…read moreand customers. The staff try hard, but the organization has continuous disconnects between different operating units that increase costs and reduce performance. Nice to visit...tough to run customer-focused business.

We couldn't have come here on a more perfect day. Sun in shining, kids in the park. We walked…read morearound this area quite a bit and spent a few hours here between the Disney Family Museum, Lucasfilm, and just enjoying the sites. Fun seating out front too.

Cute mini museum/exhibit on the side of the Mt Tamalpais East Peak Visitor Center…read more The barn doors only open on the weekends, but the signs are informative enough that, even on a weekday, you can pretty much get the gist of it. This is the site of what used to be the Crookedest Railroad in the world, with something like 237 turns. The tracks were ripped out decades ago, after the rides declined in popularity. The gravity cars seem like they were such a fun, wholesome, unique attraction. It's hard to believe there's not enough demand for them to be running anymore. I wouldn't go out of my way to see this, but it could be a fun place to visit with little kids, especially if you come on the weekend between 12-4, when it's open. For those of us children who are a little too old for this, there are plenty of cool hiking trails originating from the same parking lot at the visitor center. Parking is $5 unless you have a pass from camping.

If you go to the trouble to make it to the top of Mount Tam, you should definitely check out this…read moreMuseum. This was actually quite a famous location a few generations ago. Movie stars and other famous people came to this location to ride the famous gravity car, and stay at some of the famous hotels around this area. Mount Tam has some of the most well-known, fun trails in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Did you know that Marin County is the birthplace of mountain biking? That's absolutely true. Some of the most famous mountain bikers and race winners live right here. I highly recommend biking or hiking the old gravity car road. Don't miss the West Point Inn, another famous stopping point for travelers. It's fun to imagine what it must have been like going down on one of those gravity cars. They have a gravity car that you can visit here, but don't try taking it down the mountain, since the tracks are all gone now. It would be a wild ride. I always wonder what would happen if the brake man fell asleep or went unconscious for some reason. Would the gravity car just keep on going?

What an absolutely dreamy spot for a wedding…read more San Rafael Community Center proved this weekend - to be the most picturesque location for a gathering of beaming friends and family - all coming together to celebrate a special union. As an event space it is phenomenal. It has a plethora of parking out front and nearby. I loved that it was right next door to the Marin Bocce court (bringing back lovely memories). The security personnel out front were welcoming and friendly and we were able to walk right in for the festivities. Once inside - we were greeted by kind staff. As we entered the main auditorium we all let out a big gasp at the same time. The space is awe inspiring. The ceilings are tall and majestic - with beautiful wood beams and strategically placed skylights. The stage was big and perfect for the incredible band. - and the main room easily accommodated a plethora of tables - elegantly adorned with stunning flower arrangements. The best part of the venue - was that it opened up to an absolutely gorgeous patio area - complete with an historic fountain, and lined with magical trees and flowers. The whole afternoon was a dream. Everything flowed beautifully. You could tell from every aspect of this wondrous building, and the hired staff that made the event run smoothly - that a lot of love and pride has been instilled in this building. If you enjoy celebrating community spaces in an authentic way - I recommend staying up to date with the different community events happening at this remarkable spot. Be sure to also potentially keep it in mind for your own special event down the road. Trust.

This is a very nice Community center. It's located in the heart of San Rafael with a good size…read moreparking lot. For big events the parking lot is often full. The center has a very large ballroom and smaller rooms that expand to accommodate smaller functions. I've attended events in the ballroom such as the Chinese New Years event with performers using the full stage. Other events include Goldenaires bingo, armed Cross blood drives, and the Mull Valley Film festival party. Even Jared Huffman has used the ballroom for his in person events. The smaller rooms are terrific for trainings by the Women's Pilitical Action Committee and lunches or parties. There is a full kitchen and custodian on staff. It is also a good value.

I feel the Pier 43 Ferry Arch is a bit underappreciated. There are plenty of iconic landmarks in…read moreSan Francisco so this spot does get lost in the shuffle. As the name indicates, this is a historic ferry arch on the aforementioned pier. The pier itself offers a beautiful view of San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz Island. For me, the pier is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris based on its arch design. I visited this spot during a Pride Month in SF and the arch was lighted in rainbow colors which helped to accentuate its beauty. I think the city should consider lighting it up at night to draw people to this spot. Maybe they can do that for holidays like Christmas, Chinese New Year and Independence Day. I think this spot is better to visit when it is lit or at sunrise/sunset. It just seems to get overshadowed in daylight.

This iconic structure is located between Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf in SF!!…read more It's a little bit out of the way when you're walking, but very noticeable!! This historic landmark opened in 1914, and was renovated in 1996 and 2003!! It's headhouse is a decorated hoisting tower for loading and unloading rail cars off ferries, which served the Belt Railroad when it was active!! It also used to be where prisoners, bound for Alcatraz, were put on a ferry!! Now, when you go here, the smell of roasting hot links fills the air, and it's a great spot to take pictures!! Another great landmark in the city!!

I hosted a school party at the pool. Everyone was so professional and the kids had an absolute…read moreblast. The pool and playground are beautiful and the parents felt very safe with the excellent care of the lifeguards. The pricing was super reasonable considering the length of time we had the party. Highly recommend!

A friend took my husband and me to spend a day at Point San Pablo. It was an amazing and beautiful…read moreplace. As we drove up the "long and winding road" we all felt our cares and stress from the San Francisco traffic fall away. We ate at the restaurant, listened to some great jazz in the bar area and had fun walking around the property. Our friend discovered two burning man sculptures that have found permanent homes here. On was a tall steel structure that had a steel tree on top of it. It was really nice but when we walked inside it....OMG, we were transported to another world or an alternate reality, I don't know which but it was astonishingly beautiful inside this tiny room. I will attach some photos. The other burning man sculpture was a metal globe, hard to describe. It was nice and was at the end of a long road in a beautiful spot.

I was out this weekend showing my friend the brighter side of Richmond when we wandered into Point…read moreSan Pablo. It's on the back of an oil refinery (which sounds more ominous than it actually is) and is home to the Point San Pablo Yacht Club and the East Brother Island B&B. Getting to point San Pablo is like going back in time. It's completely untouched from the days when it was inhabited by factory workers (their homes remain boarded up). The sometimes gravel road is long and winding, and it's almost like going on a historical tour of Richmond. It's amazing because you can see how much promise the city actuallly holds if someone would just invest in development of the area. There is so much amazing greenery and the ocean views are unbelievable. At one point you can get a full view of the Richmond/San Raphael Bridge (Who knew it was that long). It's a cool place to stop by on your way somewhere else. It's not much for hiking since everything is gated and access is so limited, but the sunset is totally worth it.

This place is easy to miss. From the street, it's hard to spot, so keep an eye out for The…read moreInverness Store (grocery store). Enter the parking lot next to the store and walk toward Tomales Bay. I actually missed it during my trip to Point Reyes Lighthouse back in 2021. A short walk, we came to a hidden photo spot worth stopping for, especially on a sunny day with a bright blue sky. It creates a unique and picturesque scene. Be careful of the muddy ground on the way to the shipwreck, even in summer. It's going to be very messy with muddy shoes. This place continues to deteriorate over time, so I'd recommend seeing it while you can. It may not be around much longer.

It's free quick thing to see while in the area. Unfortunately it's falling apart and probably…read morewon't last much longer. The signs are gone