Ever wonder what happened to all the hippies who were in Haight-Ashbury in 1968 but had disappeared by 1970? Some of them—including many of the rock bands—moved to Marin County. A lot of other people moved there, too, and for good reason: Marin is immediately across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, close enough to the city to be thought of as a suburb, yet nothing like preconceived ideas about suburbia. Rather, it's made up of villages, rural landscapes and expensive homes hugging steep hillsides. It's a taste of what the farther-north portion of the state is like, though Marin is more affluent. For visitors, Marin's many parks and recreation areas are the biggest attractions and are well worth the short drive from San Francisco.
Angel Island State Park—The largest island in San Francisco Bay, Angel Island was formerly a quarantine station for Asian immigrants, a prisoner-of-war camp and a missile site. It's now a retreat for cyclists, hikers and picnickers and offers great views of the bay, lots of neat little coves and hundreds and hundreds of far-from-timid seabirds. Tours of historic buildings are available on weekends and holidays, April-October. Get there by taking the Angel Island State Park Ferry from Tiburon or San Francisco.
Muir Woods—This national monument, just across the Golden Gate Bridge and up a beautiful, winding road, provides an opportunity to stroll through giant, primordial redwoods towering hundreds of feet/meters high. (You can actually walk inside some of the trees.) Muir Woods also has several nature trails of varying degrees of hiking difficulty. This park is located only 30 minutes from San Francisco.
Point Reyes National Seashore—This outstanding park on the Point Reyes Peninsula has secluded beaches and miles/kilometers of hiking trails along verdant ridges. Whale-watching is possible from shore during the annual gray-whale migration (January-April). For the best views, climb the steps to the 1870s-era lighthouse. The visitors center contains exhibits on lighthouse history, whales and wildflowers. Lodging is available in the nearby towns of Point Reyes Station and Inverness, or try the youth hostel in the park.
San Rafael—The government seat of Marin County, San Rafael is home to a replica of the 1817 Mission San Rafael Arcangel, the Falkirk Cultural Center (built in 1888) and the Historical Society Museum. If you have time, take a walk or a drive past the many lovely waterfront homes. The Marin Civic Center, in the hills to the northeast, was the last project designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. San Francisco is just a short, gorgeous (and inexpensive) ferry ride away.
Stinson Beach—A little farther up the road beyond Muir Woods is Stinson Beach, a nice, white-sand shore area where San Franciscans often rent cabins for a weekend getaway. About 3 mi/5 km north on Highway 1 is the Audubon Canyon Ranch, a wildlife sanctuary with large populations of great blue herons and great egrets.
