Hike the Sunny and "Dark" Side of Bon Tempe Lake

This 4.1 mile hike is perfectly designed for all age groups and temperament. Being a moderate hike offering both shade and sun, stunning lake views and overhead Osprey sightings, it is reminiscent of a high Sierra-Nevada location.

Begin clockwise around the lake on the wide-open Sunny-side Trail with fantastic views of Mt. Tam; finish on the Shady-side Trail hiking through madrones, Douglas fir, and plenty of ferns. The trail is also dog friendly!

To get there from Hwy 101 in Marin, exit onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd. toward San Anselmo and follow it west 6 miles to Fairfax. Turn left on Pastori, immediately right on Broadway, then left on Bolinas-Fairfax Rd. Go 1.5 miles to Sky Oaks Rd.; turn left. This takes you into the park. Make your first right after the entrance toward Bon Tempe and drive .5 mile and park.  There is a day use fee of $8.

New Farmers Market in Marin City

There's a new Saturday farmers market which opened in June at the Gateway Shopping Center!
Operated by the Agricultural Institute of Marin, which already runs five markets in the county including the Civic Center location, this new one has about 20 farmers and 10 specialty and prepared food vendors.

In addition to Marin City residents, the market hopes to draw people from throughout Southern Marin with its location near Highway 101 and plentiful parking.
The new farmers market in Marin City runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through September at the Gateway Shopping Center, in the 100 block of Donahue Street. For more information, visit www.agriculturalinstitute.org.

Have you noticed more four-legged friends eating out(side) lately?
Dogs are now welcome in Marin County's outdoor dining areas, thanks to the Marin County Department of Environmental Health.
Marin changed their policy on July First to now allow dogs to legally sit with owners at restaurants with outdoor seating.

The MCVB had the pleasure recently of dining at the Panama Hotel in San Rafael during their "Yappy Hour" with our four-legged staff members! Joining us was owner Dan Miller and his staff for some shared doggie fun and a real happy hour.

Pets are now allowed to dine out with their owners, but only when the dining area has access from an outside area. Animals will not be allowed to go through the food facility since the health and safety code prohibits them from coming inside, unless they are guide animals, signal animals or security animals.

Hike to Arch Rock in Point Reyes

Looking for a day hike in Point Reyes with a little bit of everything? The 8.2 mile RT from the Bear Valley Visitor Center to Arch Rock has just that. With just a gradual incline going out towards the ocean, you pass through meadows, old oak trees and Douglas Firs on a wide and easy path. You can also take your bike the first 3 miles and lock it on the racks provided, then hike the 1.1miles to the ocean.

Limantour Beach

Looking for a beach    just a little out there...?

We have the solution:

Hot days in Marin County are easy to deal with! At Limantour, you can have all the sand and ocean to yourself as you want. From Olema, take Bear Valley Road past the Visitor Center towards Inverness. Take a left turn onto Limantour Road and continue about 15 minutes to the water. Stay cool~

Estero Trail at Drakes Bay

Begin at the Muddy Hollow Road trailhead off Limantour Road in Point Reyes. This is an easy 6.5 mile loop hike with little elevation and great views of Drakes Bay. The trail is very narrow at some parts, but it opens up most the way. Listen to herds of Tule Elk bellowing in the distance with the sounds of cows in the background!

Finding the Earthquake Trail

A great idea for the family, the EARTHQUAKE TRAIL (1 km / 0.6 mi.) is a short, easy, and informative hike.
It is a short paved loop which explores the San Andreas Fault Zone. Interpretive signs describe the geology of the area. This trail begins at the southeast corner of the Bear Valley Picnic Area in Olema, just across the street from the Bear Valley Visitor Center.

Just before the big quake that shook San Francisco in April, 1906, this fence was continuous. Afterward, it had moved to where you see it now, a distance of about 20 feet.

Marin County Fair Begins Today

Going Global:Connecting Cultures is this year's Fair theme.
Have your picture taken with your favorite Star Wars character! The Golden Gate Garrison 501st Legion will make their appearances at the Marin Galactic Outpost in the Exhibit Hall. Don't miss them~

Enjoy over 50 international cultures close to home through arts, crafts, music, dance, cuisine, story-telling and film. Our county fair is all about community - local and global.

Hike With The Cows

Try taking a hike from the ordinary! Begin by taking the Lucas Valley Road off 101 for about twenty minutes and park just beyond the Big Rock on the right. The path takes you east of the road up a gradual incline to the top of the ridge. Along the way you meet up with a number of Marin Cows happily doing what they like to do most.

Take a moment to enjoy the infamous vistas of Marin's rolling hills and landscape. Plan on taking about three and a half hours to get to the ridge and back.

Marin Art Festival Over the Weekend

It was THE perfect weekend for an Art Festival by the Civic Center's Lagoon. Admission was free to the general public until 11:00am, so attendance was up early in the day.

There were new exhibitors to oooooh and ahhhhhh over and the entertainment was...well...entertaining!

Comedy on the Plaza

It was a great comedy evening at Mill Valley's Lytton Square Wednesday evening! Mark Pitta hosted three very funny standups and the community was out in full force.

Tule Elke Refuge - Point Reyes

From Sir Francis Drake Blvd out of Inverness, turn left onto Pierce Point Road and park at the Pierce Point Ranch. From there it is an easy 8 mile walk on the Tomales Point Trail to Bird Rock and Tomales Point. Watch for different herds of Elk on the hillsides. Best in the spring with plenty of wildflowers and cooler weather since there is no shade. Bring a lunch and sit on the grass to watch the Elk graze - but give them plenty of distance since they are wild and possibly calving in early summer.

Bridge over Creek in Fairfax to Carson Falls

Marin Trail in Pt Reyes

It's a clear and beautiful day in Marin today.