After a huge Sunday buffet brunch, we decided to go for a long walk. We ended up in the Belvedere…read moreneighborhood and decide to walk around. We parked on San Rafael Ave which leads to a dead-end at the end of the street but then you can proceed by walking on this paved walkway to the next street up the hill. Thanks to the cyclist who pointed us up this road. It ended up to be a beautiful 2.5 hour walk all over Belvedere nooks and corners. We discovered some lovely staircase lanes passing by lovely homes and nature and plants. The views to the bay and Golden Gate are breathtaking. Wonderful discovery. Check out the photos that are posted.

This place is AMAZING!!!…read more Sooo many places to eat under one roof. From cookies and milk to burgers, steaks, desserts etc.. the choices are endless. During my visit, the entire large building was very crowded as this is a very popular place. Located along the San Francisco Bay a mere feet from this beautiful building, stepping outside offers amazing views of the bay, boats and the surrounding area. This is is MUST see when visiting San Francisco

Duplicate Charge That No One Will Fix…read more I noticed that I had been overcharged for parking and called the hotel. A front desk staff member acknowledged the mistake and transferred me to accounting, but no one answered, so I left a voicemail. I also emailed the address listed on my receipt, but after a full day I received no response. When I called again the next morning, the front desk tried to transfer me to accounting a second time. After I requested the manager on duty, I was sent to the manager's voicemail and left another message. I still have not received any response. This is a simple billing correction, and other hotels resolve such issues immediately and provide updated receipts without difficulty. Unfortunately, that has not been my experience here.

We noticed them last time we were here. This time we had…read moregrandkids with us and went ahead and registered to visit online.. It is FREE! Parking was easy. When you enter it is through the CUTE gift shop. We didn't listen to the tour as we had small ones with short attention spans. We did visit everything! Many educational displays! You can touch skins and see skeletons. We learned about the center and the marine hospital.. Here they rescue injured and sick marine life and nurse them back to health, how crazy awesome is that? At the viewing area where you can see the patients they have binoculars so you can get a good look. The day we were there, just a few were waiting to be released back into the wild. Which is wonderful, still less fun for the kiddos. We will absolutely be back! Another reason to love this area;)

4th of July was my kiddo's birthday so we were looking for things to do as well as celebrate…read moreIndependence Day. My husband found this place and we decided to make reservations for the tour. Once the tour got started we listened to how many different types of seals the center accommodated with rescues that were elephant seals, harbor seals, California sea lions and on occasion otters. We had a chance to see some of the patients from an elevated platform. The volunteers also made the animals' food, ran the gift shop and of course were our tour guides. Because the place thrives largely on donations, we bought plenty from the gift shop including stuffed seals, whales, magnets, snow globes, and stickers. Fun free place to bring the kiddos, not to mention the beautiful views you see in and out of the way.

When you dim sum, go to Chinatown!…read more The oldest and largest Chinatown in America is in San Fran and it offers plenty of Chinese street food classics and of course a wide selection of baked, fried or steamed dim sum. Most shops open at 7 or 8 so get there before the lunch rush as some of the popular ones get sold out. After devouring all the dim sum, explore and walk around. Another must stop is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory which is a family run shop hand folding cookies since 1962. Watch the ladies fold, pack these iconic cookies and pick up a bag or two to take back home to your friends and family. Places we ate at: GOOG MONK KOK BAKERY WING SING DIM SUM DELICIOUS DIMSUM HOUSE OF DIM SUM GOLDEN GATE FORTUNE COOKIE

A special place in SF…read more Love how many dim sum spots there are, grab and go. Lots of Chinese restaurants too And takeout spots. Really happy about the new businesses opening up here! Yes bring the energy and charm! Parking can be hard so park at Portsmouth Square garage

Welcome to Belvedere, California, a beautiful, quiet town located on the south side of the Tiburon…read morePeninsula between Richardson Bay and the town of Tiburon. It is less than one square mile in size, surrounded on three sides by the waters of the San Francisco Bay and composed of Belvedere Island, the Belvedere Lagoon and Corinthian Island. From Belvedere Island you can enjoy magnificent views of San Francisco, Mt. Tamalpais, Angel Island, Sausalito and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Stairways are called Belvedere Lanes consisting of a network of stairs and paths that connect the roadways on the island. In a bygone era, residents arrived at the island from San Francisco by boat and used the stairways to get to their summer houses. These days the lanes provide access to areas that may otherwise be difficult to reach by car as well as providing a means of escape in emergencies such as earthquakes or fire. Many local residents enjoy hiking the island through the passageways of the lanes. A different hand painted wooden sign marks each end of the lanes. The charming signs were the brainchild of artist and long-time Belvedere resident, Diana Bradley, who came up with the idea of using wood for the signs and presented the idea to the Belvedere City Council. She then contacted local artists and the first "painting party" was born. Ms. Bradley spearheaded the first two painting parties and Belvedere resident and artist, Virginia Doyle continued to recruit local artist for existing painted signs for the lanes. While enjoying Belvedere Island you may encounter raccoons, squirrels, skunks, birds and other wild animals. Enjoy climbing the stairs to your good health and happiness.

I've never left a review for a town before, but this place really amazed me. I have never…read moreencountered a community that was so kind and so welcoming. Even beyond the friendly business owners, just walking down the street people were engaging and positive. There is also a big BLM presence. There was signage everywhere promoting inclusivity and celebrating diversity. I am not a person of color, so I cannot speak to their treatment of POC, but it's a lot more comforting than MAGA propaganda you see in even the most left leaning spaces. I really hope I get the opportunity to return one of these days.

Granted, I was happy I even managed to find Bolinas given the fact that it is a bit off the track…read more-- actually, I've driven Highway 1 so many times around it, and didn't realize that Bolinas was just a jump across the pond. I've been lucky to see some interesting small towns in Marin County, and this one takes the cake. The ocean view is ridiculously gorgeous -- I hope to come back for some hiking. The 3 stars is the fact that I admittedly need to explore the area, and also... there is definitely a bit of a 'tude. Can't put my finger on it.

Another gorgeous day strolling thus beauty path. With the view of Mt. Tam and Richardson Bay, you…read morejust can't go wrong. Stay on the right side of path and there are quite a bit of cyclists sometimes. I appreciate when they say "on your left' right before they pass you. Sunsets are a bonus here!

Well, it's flat. I'll give you that. And it's just 7-1/2 miles out and back, which isn't usually a…read moretaxing distance for Jamie W. and me. However, it was one of the most heavily trafficked walkways we had been on in quite a while. Granted it was a warmish Saturday afternoon, but it was so overrun with cyclists, joggers, and dog walkers that it almost felt like we were queuing up for a concert. The stretch from Sausalito is just a sidewalk next to Bridgeway complete with busy intersections and traffic signals. Once you get past the Hwy 101 exit, there are houseboats and marshlands to enjoy, but then it becomes fully exposed with no shade after you pass under the freeway. The traffic is always within sight and certainly earshot. I wouldn't consider it a particularly bucolic setting despite the birds flying above the marshes. The bottom line is that two prototypical Matin hamlets are connected conveniently by a paved path no matter what chaos surrounds it, and that's what matters in the end. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

The library is great, but someone threatened to stab by dog with his keys as we were leaving. It's…read moreshockingly disgusting. I visited on Saturday, November 9th, as our friend was using restroom in the library(she lives in Mill Valley, so she knows the area). We patiently waited outside as passerbies walked by to pet my dog and compliment her. My dog is a 10 year old German Shepherd, and she has been trained extensively since 1 year old, and because of this, she doesn't approach people unless we give her the command to. We understand that if people are scared of her breed, they just have to tell us, and we're happy to give them space. After all, she's a really well-behaved and gentle dog. She has been attacked by countless other dogs(now almost a a human), but she has never attacked any other dog or human. We've worked hard with lots of training to make sure she's doesn't become reactive from all the sudden attacks. So, it's shocking when a grown man threatens to stab your dog with his key! He had kids, too. What a terrible example for his kids. This is what happened: Our friend returned from the restroom, and we started walking down towards downtown. We chatted as we walked and noticed a family behind us, walking on the sidewalk. We moved to the side to let them pass. Unknowingly, the little girl is scared of dogs. With the narrow sidewalk, we tried to move aside, but there was limited room. Instead of speaking to us or asking for more space. The man brought out his key and moved it towards my dog in a threatening manner. Hovering the sharp end of the key 1 inch from my dog. We were so shocked that we didn't have time to react! We wished he would've asked for space instead of threatening us! The only reason we knew anything was because the little girl said, "I'm scared of dogs." With the man's key so close to my dog, we couldn't even give them space! Unfortunately, the description isn't very helpful. It was a middle-aged man, about late 40s. A young boy and girl. Kindergarten age. With a black mid size SUV(like a Toyota Rav4 size). They were leaving the library around 1 pm. The thing is, it's a rather dog friendly town. My friend has two dogs. We met many other dogs, but to think, someone who lives here and is raising his kids here would do that! So, if you bring your dog here... Just know someone might try to stand your dog.

They say it takes a village... and I must say, Mill Valley is sure one helluva village…read more Like all towns across the state and country, the Corona Virus has taken its toll on people's lives and livelihoods. So it was really heartwarming to see Mill Valley biz owners and residents work together to close off the town square for weekend outdoor dining & entertainment. Every Friday - Sunday this summer, folks can eat al fresco at their favorite downtown establishments (Piazza D'Angelo, Gravity Tavern, Urban Remedy, etc.). They closed off Miller Street from 5pm - 9pm and set up outdoor tables six feet apart from one another & heat lamps. They even set up an acoustic band in the Depot to entertain the crowd. The square was packed! The mood was lively. People were eating & drinking and having a grand ol' time. It almost felt like Europe. You would've almost forgot that we were in the middle of a pandemic if it wasn't for all the face masks. Congrats to everyone who worked hard to put this all together. It truly was a team effort. Hopefully (when the virus is gone), they'll continue this outdoor dining for years to come. Way to go, Mill Valley. Very proud of our community.