Updating my review from 4 stars to 5, because this place is really, truly, wonderful…read more We always meet such kind people here. The kind of people that say "hello" in passing, or even stop and talk for a while. And, oh, the flowers! So many beautiful flowers. The roses are in full bloom again, which is delightful! I love that our sweet pup loves to come here to sniff and walk around. She's an older girl now, and as old age issues are coming upon her-each day with her is a gift. So, to see her joy when pitter pattering the grounds just touches my heart and forces me to be completely present in the moment.

We recently set up a bar mitzvah at this venue on the grove patio for Picnic Potential. The whole…read moreproperty is beautiful but we loved how this space had privacy, an inside studio area, plenty of shade and vendors can drive right up for easy access. The ceremony was done on another part of the property which gave vendors more time to setup the reception and there is plenty of space to have multiple vendors. Picnic Potential arranged all of the vendors and day of management and the day went so smooth! Highly recommend this venue.

We had an amazing event for my daughter's wedding celebration. We had over 100 people with 40…read morepeople sleeping in the retreat. The facility is in a wonderful setting surrounded by redwoods and trails and nature! There is a wonderful large, flat area to set up tables for dinner and a band. We had the retreat for the weekend and hosted a dinner for 40 people inside on one night, dinner outside, one night, and dancing and karaoke inside! The Staff at the retreat center are wonderful and accommodating. I highly recommend the Ralston White Retreat Center!

This place is seriously a hidden gem! Ralston White Retreat is a gorgeous redwood venue that has a…read morelovely romantic history and is the perfect balance of being secluded but also not too far from civilization. You truly feel transported into another time when you arrive. I'm so happy me and my now husband got married here last May. We got exactly what we wanted which was to be married in a redwood grove. The people who run this venue are extremely nice and laid back. They were some of our favorite people we met while wedding planning and although there are some rules to follow you can almost do whatever you want with the place! Seriously people, this is the best venue in the Bay Area, you will love having your wedding here!!!

We rented the Corte Madera Community Center for my dad's celebration of life a few weeks ago. My…read morefamily has held weddings and anniversary parties there all our lives. I can't begin to express what a great experience it was working with Steve, Recreation Supervisor and the staff on site the day of the celebration. The sound system worked perfectly for the video I put together with music. I was nervous but the young man working there as facility attendant helped me set it up. He was so helpful and sweet. We could not have asked for a better day in a more perfect place to honor our father.

Corte Madera Recreation offers a Chair Yoga class twice a week. It's a wonderful gentle class with…read morelots of stretching and balance exercises. Good for all ages and abilities

The San Rafael outpost of Groundfloor is a clean, well-lighted place and then some. I come often…read more Pablo, my dog, sometimes joins. The coffee machine can do many things. Lattes. Cappuccinos. The rest. Black is enough for me. Strong. Simple. It's quiet, but not empty. The hum of others working, softly talking, is a companion--not a distraction. There's a calendar of events: walks, talks, writing nights, yoga, new-member hours, dinners, creative meetups. You can move from work into laughter without leaving the space. The app echoes the calendar. It nudges you into things without pushing. It reminds you there is always a next thing to connect around. Here, you work alone--but not lonely. You sit in quiet--and step into company. You drink coffee--and sometimes wine. You write--and sometimes join a book club, a run, or a gathering of new faces. This is how work was meant to be: rooted, open, full of potential.

I don't think I realized how much I needed Groundfloor until I was here…read more I missed the water-cooler chats, brainstorming, shared lunches & background hum of coworkers in an office when my job went fully remote. I finally realized that those things make a big difference in my energy, engagement and fulfilment in work & everyday life. This is no ordinary co-working space. People are friendly & welcoming: open for a casual chat during Community Lunch, willing to help you think through business or personal challenges, and a blast to hang out with at events both in and outside the club. It's great for work: noise levels are rarely distracting, there are phone booths and a conference room for private calls, a library quiet space, and a gorgeous outdoor patio to shake up the scenery. The socializing is great: book club, hiking club, AI learning sessions. Need a friend to go to a baseball game or music festival with? How about a potluck backyard party with twinkly lights and laughter? Done. When Jermaine, one of the founders, told me that their mission was "to end loneliness" (rather than something like creating just a place for work) it finally clicked for me why this place feels like home. See you at the Club!

2nd Monday of the month live Rag Time Music, amazing! BYOB & food. A great relaxing time.read more

We've been here two 4th of July's in a row for a great pre-parade pancake breakfast put on by the…read moreGirl Scouts and Boy Scouts, hosted by the American Legion. The breakfast is 8-11 am and the parade kicks off at 10:30 am, followed by a festival at the Corte Madera Town Park. For a annual piece of Americana with a small mountain-town feel (just 20 minutes outside of San Francisco) this is a fun experience.

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.

When I first saw this park, I had no idea what to make out of it. As others have said there's a…read morelower part and an upper part. Today, I explored the upper part, where the actual large house is. Right next to it they have all kinds of beautiful gardens. They're doing a fantastic job in growing all kinds of wonderful flowers and vegetables. There's also plenty of places to have a picnic, with plenty of picnic tables, places to sit and so on. This is a really magical place to visit. Don't miss this place.

Gorgeous little community garden with park attached! Many people know of this spot for the small…read moreand intimate park attached to this massive estate, but I am head over heels for this garden!! It is a hodgepodge of steps and walk ways that make for an engaging and fun experience. Not ADA accessible, sadly. As this is a very old estate I do not know if there is intention to change that. This is a calming and simple reminder of the importance for ADA activities in nature. Lovely spot with dedicated gardeners who have clearly spent hours on their unique and creative spaces.

Really nice spot to go after the farmers market on Saturday afternoon. Friendly staff, great wine…read moreand relaxed atmosphere. Theres a patio area with comfortable seating and two fire pits. Tried the red wine flight and the Prosecco brut, both were delicious. I will definitely be going back.

I'm loving it thus far! Perfect Dog, People and car watching spot. Friendly and welcoming. And…read moredirectly across the street from Pizzeria Picco!

This venue is dreamy. We rented it out for our wedding and it was everything we wanted and more…read more My husband and I both wanted a venue with redwoods that felt dreamy and ethereal. This venue was it. We fell in love on our tour and book immediately. We hired Erin Meadows for our day of coordinator, she came highly recommended and made the day seamless. We hired Gorgeous & Green for our florals. Pilar is my friend and also the best in the business. She sources green and sustainable flowers and doesn't use any floral foam when arranging her creations. @gorgeousandgreen on IG We hired Cady Boughtin @cadylately on instagram for our photos. She's the best and captured the day so beautifully and gave us hundreds of gorgeous images. Our cake was from Masse's Bakery in Berkeley CA. If it's in your budget, I would highly recommend booking the bridal suite. It was a great space for my baby and the nanny is staying out when it got late. It was also really nice to have my own space so that I could just take a breather before the ceremony started. It has three rooms and three bathrooms with showers.

Amazing property for our event! The venue made our envision for our wedding day come true.read more

Great experience taking the adult Watercolor 101 class in San Rafael. I decided to take this class…read moreas it has been decades since I did anything remotely fine art related. I thought watercolor would be an easy place to start, but it's actually probably one of the hardest painting mediums (though the easy clean-up does make up for it!). This class taught me the foundation watercolor painting techniques I was looking for to get me started in art again. Hana Buechel was a skilled and engaging instructor. She is friendly, very approachable and encouraging. She is also an exceptional artist. She really helped re-ignite my interest in painting and going to spend the summer putting what she taught me into practice. Hoping to take another class in the fall. Thanks Hana!

Such a great place. My daughter loved the class and learned a lot. Every time I picked her up I…read morewas amazed at what we was making. And Skye was an awesome teacher which is the most important thing. My daughter raved about her every week. Would totally recommend to anyone hoping to light that artistic fire within their kiddos!