I had a pretty great childhood, but I didn't have a park with a playground surrounded by redwoods…read more This park is amazing!! But wait, there's more! It's not just for kids here, as there are often people sitting or lying amongst the redwoods... reading, listening to the creek, or even forest bathing. I've done this and let hours slip away while I just zenned out here. It's also in a fantastic location- right next to the MV Library and the Friends of the Library Bookstore. It is a smaller park, and it's a very peaceful place. Come and enjoy, and please leave no trace. =)

It's tranquil. Beautiful. Quiet. And full of peace. It's a great place to read, walk talk or see…read moredogs and humans shuttle to and from.

Super cute, neighborhood-inspired local park. This park is so sweet because of all the wooden…read morestructures and interesting spaces. My daughter used to have fantastic games of tag and hide and seek here with just about anyone who showed up. The little children's play area is fenced with swings, a play structure and a sand box that is usually shaded. The bigger kids area has a sort of wooden castle structure with walkways and secret spots as well as a great twisty slide. There are several picnic tables and large lawn. The lawn is sometimes used for off-leash dog play, so take that as you will. If you like dogs and want to bring yours, it's welcome. If they make you uncomfortable, this may not be the best spot for you as the dogs are right next to the children's area. Usually it's just one or two dogs chasing a ball for a few minutes and then they continue on with their owners. One definite downside: there is NO BATHROOM. I think the neighbors fought this tooth and nail -- the ones immediately next to the park, that is. While I respect the notion of not wanting a public bathroom just behind your yard, this approach was a little short sided. Kids have been known to pee in the bushes along the fence line.

Great park for toddlers! Hard to find but worth the effort. Separate areas for little guys.read more

I first visited Hippie Tree a few years ago, and I remember there were two swings. Parking is…read morepretty easy as just park on the street along the residential area. Today I visited this spot again, and I got to park much closer than the previous time as I passed the entrance to the trail to Hippie Tree last time. The trail to the Hippie Tree has a slight incline, but pretty short hike. This time, there was just one swing. The swing was also pretty high so it was a bit difficulty to get on. The two girls who were there were not able to climb on. Then I tried to climb on, and I was able to do it. :D I showed them that using one leg to hook on the seat and holding onto the ropes to pull yourself up while swing the other leg onto the swing worked for me. This spot is truly a hidden gem, and I just felt pure tranquility when I was swinging there. :) The view is amazing even though today it was a bit foggy over in SF area so couldn't see the city and bridge as much.

Definitely a hidden gem in Tiburon! The entrance is at the end of a residential area. There are a…read morefew spots to park on the side of the streets. It's a bit of an uphill walk towards the tree but once you get up there, it's to your left. We were there on a Saturday afternoon and it was empty so we got to enjoy the views and swings to ourselves. Check the weather prior before going because it can be cloudy and the view won't be as great.

This trail technically goes from Mill Valley to Kent Woodlands but this review is for the trail…read moreloop featured on All Trails which is 2.7 miles and a little over an hour. This leg of the trail runs parallel to the Southern Main Fire Road which is a good alternative if you are going to also go to Dawn Falls but wanted more trail and not a fire road. It's also much less trafficked and has more shade. This loop is better in winter and spring. The winter especially after the rains there are small waterfalls along the trail (they dry up by late March) and it's very green. Spring brings some wildflowers like Irises. The summer can get hot with dead brush so not as great but at least it's mostly shaded. Can see Bay, Richmond Bridge, and Mount Diablo in the distance.

What a gorgeous hike! The drive to get to the base of the hike is an easy one hour drive from SF…read more The first 15 minutes of the hike is mostly covered in tree canopy with a gorgeous stream. It's a little chilly but then it opened up to an uphill climb for a mile. The expansive views of the mill valley are beautiful. Very dog friendly but also lots of mountain bikers so just keep your pup close. Lovely hike and I cannot wait to do it again.

The park itself gets 5 stars. It's in a beautiful location with a variety of family and activities…read morearea and a designated dog park area. The people get lot less stars; please don't bring your little babies to the dog park, stop watching your dog who then jumps on people with its muddy paws while letting the baby play on the dog agility equipment and then give attitude when asked not to because dogs are using the equipment. Geesh Mill Valley. But I digress... The park has great views of Mt Tam and Richardson bay. It's located near a bike path and various parking options, which makes it convenient to stop by.

This park is large and has it all. There are soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, 2 large off…read moreleash dog areas with grass with dog amenities, bike path, and a walking path along a bay. There are also 2 restrooms that are well placed. Very dog friendly with picnic benches sprinkled throughout the park so you can eat and enjoy the outdoors with your best friend. It is very well kept.

Cascade Falls in Cascade Park, Mill Valley is different from Cascade Falls in Fairfax which are…read moreclose together. The Cascade Falls in Cascade Park still have water unlike the Falls in Fairfax in July 2025. The road to get there is cascade drive would take us all the way to the park. There aren't many parking lots for spaces around the area. We're lucky to find one right in front of the Cascade trail. People parked along the Cascade Drive and walk up to the trail. It's a very short hike to the Falls, on the right hand side by the little bridge. The trail is really nice, you can walk up hills pass the Falls. In the rainy season, we can see the water running along the creek on the right hand side. From here we can take a drive to Muir Beach or Muir Woods National Monuments which is very beautiful but we need to book a parking permit in advanced. It's always booked unless we book a week in advance. This Summer we're trying to visit all the beautiful places in Northern California.

This hike is easily accessible from the parking lot and has gorgeous falls and streams straight…read morefrom the beginning. There is a bigger, more challenging loop if you want more exercise and is the quintessential hike to see redwoods and falls in their splendor.

Great views, great trails. If you plan on camping, please…read morecheck the website for limitations on type of camping and spaces. The park has no car camping, just tent camping and the available sites are very limited. I also suggest checking the weather before you go as conditions on the mountain can change dramatically ( like going from over 80° and no wind to 56° windy and foggy so bring layers no matter how warm it is.

Overall B: Bootleg Jack trail, great views, easily accessible, neighborly hikers, and of course…read moreMarin weather exquisitely mild. About 10% elevation gain.

They say that "it takes a village." And this was indeed the case when it came to Boyle Park's…read morerecent makeover. A number of Marin residents raised money and resources to make this project happen for the community. Mission accomplished! They did a wonderful job resurfacing the tennis courts and landscaping the lawn/picnic area. Pros: - very family + dog friendly - recently resurfaced tennis courts (and they have nighttime lighting) - they offer tennis programs for kids during the summer - they have decent restroom facilities Cons: - parking is somewhat limited - no snack shack to purchase drinks or food - children's playground is a bit underwhelming All in all, Boyle Park remains a downtown Mill Valley treasure/institution. We're lucky to have it in our backyard.

*Updated Review* In my previous review I was talking about…read morehow great the staff were during reservations but now the event has taken place and I am an even bigger fan. I had never been to this park before my business, Picnic Potential LLC , was hired to set up a Mothers Day brunch and it is a great location. The picnic area is nicely shaded, plenty of garbages and it is clean! The people in the park were friendly families they have nice clean bathrooms and a cute playground. I will definitely be referring this location to my picnic clients.

#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!

I took my engagement photos in this amazing garden. I couldn't have asked for a better location. It…read morewas private, it was an amazing experience and it is the most beautiful backyard garden I've ever seen. One of the owner's, Chipps Newsom-Barsky, dad architected the Japanese tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. The garden back here is just as incredible. There was a bridge, a koi pond, a huge unique redwood tree, stone-paved paths, a rustic shed, a bamboo cove and move. Alan and Chipps were incredibly hospitable. Chipps has a background in photography and worked with top model agencies so she was able to offer suggestions of hair, makeup, wardrobe and even posture. Alan is very familiar with film and photography as he has an impressive advertising background, so he could recommend typical shot locations to our up-and-coming photographer. They let us be in the garden for hours and the rate wasn't bad either. I'd highly recommend this place for a romantic photo shoot, garden and home tour, commercial video, or film. Thank you so much, Chipps and Alan! I couldn't be more pleased.

From the owner: Not open to the public.read more