marin!
Marin County, California is among the most beautiful places in the world. The County is just North of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the West and San Francisco Bay to the East.
The Conty is famous for its
Hiking and Biking trails
. Gary Fisher, a legend-in-his-own-lifetime, and considered The Father of Mountain Biking (or certainly one of the founding fathers), started building Gary Fisher Mountain Bikes in Fairfax, California around 1968; by 1979, Fisher started a company named Mountain Bikes. His shop in Fairfax was at the base of Mt. Tamalpais, which has some of the most noted mountain biking trails in the World.The county is famous for its views (and extraordinary view homes), waterfront dining, sailing, yacht clubs, mountain biking, superb public schools, a generally eclectic style and high demographics.
The county is also the "birthplace" of Lucas Films (Star Wars, etc.), home to dozens of internationally noted musicians including Grace Slick, Jefferson Starship, Huey Lewis and the News, Carlos Santana and home to hundreds of fine writers including Isabel Allende, Kay Boyle, Richard Brautigan, Ambrose Bierce, Martin Cruz Smith, Julia Child . . .
The county is divided geographically into four sections: Southern Marin, Central Marin, Northern Marin and West Marin (with its small coastal towns. Its hamlets run the gamut from chic small towns ringing the Bay with multi-million dollar homes to West Marin farms that raise sheep, dairy cows and even oysters (in Tomales Bay). Dozens of truck farm operations produce organic vegetables for Bay Area restaurants and farmer's markets (about $3.9 million worth annually). Also there are eight commercial grape growers and several nurseries growing everything from roses and iris to heather and native plants. Marin's agricultural products are known for their high quality, freshness, and distinct flavor.
The current modest population spans a beautiful region that includes 33 open space reserves and a national seashore where residential development is prohibited. Sausalito is one of Marin County's smaller cities; the largest include San Rafael, Novato and Mill Valley, with Mill Valley being the most notable in part because of the song "Mill Valley, That's My Home," popular in the 70s.
The county has film festivals in both Mill Valley and San Rafael, art festivals everywhere—including The Italian Street Painting Festival in San Rafael—music festivals (also everywhere), camping near China Camp State Park or at stunning Samuel Taylor State Park, surfing beaches along the coast, horseback riding, theatres featuring Indy films, dozens of farmer's markets, live theatre, several live music venues (including 19 Broadway, The Sleeping Lady Cafe and Peri's in Fairfax, the Old Western Saloon and the Station House Cafe iin Pt. Reyes, Rancho Nicasio Restaurant and Bar in Nicasio, the Sweetwater in Larkspur), golf courses, phenomenal bird watching opportunities, islands in the middle of the Bay, transportation by ferryboat . . . and it has Sausalito.
Sausalito
alone has ocean kayaking rentals or lessons at Sea Trek Ocean Kayaking Center, Heath Ceramics Factory, The Bay Area Discovery Museum at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Model (with a three-dimensional, hydraulic model of the entire San Francisco Bay), sailing (lessons, clubs, yachts, classic schooners, catamarans), fishing, the Marine Mammal Center and access to the vast protected acreage of The Golden Gate National Recreation area. Tour the houseboats of Sausalito on foot, by kayak or small boat. . . or rent one for a truly unique vacation experience.Or just eat! Sausalito features amazing world-class restaurants: Horizons with its large view deck overlooking the Bay and San Francisco, Murray Circle at stunning Cavallo Point, Paradise Bay, Poggio, Saylor's, Scoma's which is built completely out over the water, Sushi Ran, The Spinnaker—also built out over the Bay.
One of Marin's many jewels is the Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, also known as Green Dragon Temple (Soryu-ji), a Buddhist practice center in the Japanese Soto Zen tradition offering training in Zen meditation and ordinary work.
The Farm, founded by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, is enroute to Muir Beach, another of Marin's choice spots with its Pelican Inn, Restaurant and Bar. Green Gulch is devoted to awakening the bodhisattva spirit, the spirit of kindness and realistic helpfulness as a path to understanding of Buddha's Way.
In addition to the temple program of zen and study, Green Gulch includes an organic farm and garden (perhaps one of the first in the San Francisco Bay Area), as well as a guest house and conference center. It is open on Sundays to the general public.
If none of the above suits your fancy, consider Birdwatching at the Audubon Canyon Ranch where you can watch elegant egrets in their various mating rituals, which includes flying at each other at speeds reaching 40-50 miles per hour! Or stroll along fern lined paths through old growth Redwood forests in Muir Woods. Tour Pt. Reyes Lighthouse. Visit the Miwok Indian exhibits at Olompali State Historic Park in Novato.
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