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San Francisco Bay Area Top Attractions
Though Marin County is host to spectacular sights and attractions, it is also demographically very accessible to all that the greater San Francisco Bay Area has to offer. When staying at the Marin Vacation Home, break out the map and explore it all, easily. Here is a summary of special places you can find outside beautiful Marin County:
Bay Area Attractions outside Marin County:
From the Marin Vacation Home, get to San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge in a scenic 15 minutes!
Popular Bay Area Counties, near Marin County:
San Francisco (see own page link or click HERE),
Click on links interested in or scroll down:
San Francisco: So much to do! Golden Gate, Museums, Downtown! See own link HERE.
Click on Links above for more info on following county:
Napa: (20 minute drive): Wine Tasting, Olive Oil Tasting, Car Racing, Lake Berryessa, Hot Springs, Natural Geysers, Restaurants.
Sonoma: (20 minute drive): Wine Tasting, Olive Oil Tasting, Pacific Coastline, Train Town, Lake Sonoma, Lake Sonoma Winery, Petrified Forests, Fish Hatchery, Restaurants.
Berkeley: (20minute drive): Wine Tasting, Olive Oil Tasting, Car Racing, Lake Berryessa, Hot Springs, Natural Geysers, Restaurants.
Vallejo:(15minute drive): Wine Tasting, Olive Oil Tasting, Car Racing, Lake Berryessa, Hot Springs, Natural Geysers, Restaurants.
Santa Cruz:(1.5hr drive): Beach Boardwalk, Pacific Ocean, Surfing!
Monterey:(2hr drive): Monteray Aquarium, Cannary Row. Pacific Ocean.
PebbleBeach: (2.5hr drive): Gorgeous World Class Golf, Pacific Ocean Surf.
For Marin attractions, click on links to left or click on one of the following links:
- Beaches in Marin
- Art Galleries in Marin
- Farmers Markets in Marin
- Golf in Marin
- Hiking/Biking in Marin
- Marin Annual Events
- Marin Spawning Salmon
- Marin Wine & Farms
- Museums - historical & Learning in Marin
- Sonoma & Napa Valley
- Tourist Attractions in Marin
- Party and Wedding sites in Marin
The Napa Valley is one the most known and popular Wine Region in the world. Home to top vintners, the Napa Valley offers much to the local and tourist traveler that is looking for good wine and fine food. It takes just 30 minutes from the Marin Vacation Home to Napa Valley Wineries.
Wine Tasting: World known for it’s great wines and majestic vineyard scenery. Big labels are rooted here such as Mondavi, Beringer, Sterling, Fetzer, Clos du Val, Sutter Homes, the list goes on!
Nascar racing:
http://www.nascar.com/
Lake Berryessa: Great Lake in the Napa Valley Mountains. When the rest of San Francisco Bay Area sits in fog you can bet on the sun here in the summer! Rent a water craft and have a blast. The water is warm!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Berryessa
Hot Springs: sooo soothing!
http://www.napavalley.com/thingstodo/spas/featured.html
Calistoga- Natural Geysers: When in the wine country, take a break, picnic and watch the geyser explode!
http://www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/
Old Faithful Geyser, Calistoga, Ca.
Wine Tasting: Not as well known as Napa Valley, but certainly just as good! Numerous wineries and Napa vineyards grow grapes here.
http://www.sonoma.com/wineries/alphalistings.html
Petrified Forests: A short trail of petrified redwood trees from a volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helena three million years ago. Most of the trees were over 2,000 years old when covered by the ash, and are now petrified. Worth a stopping by if on a road trip. California Landmark #915.
Address: 4100 Petrified Forest Road, Calistoga, CA
http://www.petrifiedforest.org/directions.html
Coastline: Beautiful Northern California scenery.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=451
Train Town: Fantastic for young kids and train enthusiasts. Nice scenery as well.
See Train town youtube video "Here". or Visit Website: http://www.traintown.com/
Lake Sonoma:
Located in the beautiful coastal foothills of Northern California is Lake Sonoma which is surrounded by Sonoma County vineyards and land rich in history. Provides a wealth of recreation activities. Camping boating, hiking, horseback riding, & mountain biking.
See website(s):
http://www.parks.sonoma.net/laktrls.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warm_Springs_Dam
Also:
***Berkley is noted as one of the most politically liberal in the nation, with one study placing it as the third most liberal city in the United States.
UC Berkley of California: University of California, Berkeley, the oldest of the University of California system, is located here.
Telegraph Avenue: Telegraph refers mainly to a four-block section just south of the university, from Bancroft Way (which borders the campus) to Dwight Way. As a center of campus and community life, this section of Telegraph Avenue is home to many restaurants, bookstores, and clothing shops, along with street vendors occupying its wide sidewalks. Telegraph attracts a diverse audience of visitors, including college students, tourists, artists, street punks, eccentrics, and the homeless. A very unique experience and street- great boutique shopping!
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Vallejo.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Vallejo. (20minutes from home!) Ride Rollercoasters, see animals. Good Family Fun!
Jack London Square:
A popular tourist attraction on the waterfront of Oakland, California. Enjoy theatre, shops, dining and a marina. The Alameda / Oakland Ferry operates ferry service from Jack London Square to Alameda, San Francisco, and Angel Island.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk:
Located on a mile of sandy beach and voted the world’s Best Seaside Amusement Park in 2007, the 101-year old Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk features both modern and classic thrill rides, restaurants, miniature golf, video game arcades, and family bowling.
The admission-free Boardwalk offers affordable ticket options and free summer entertainment. A truly unique California experience!
Website: http://www.beachboardwalk.com
Monterey Bay Aquarium:
One of the most unique and largest aquariums in the world! Unbelievably large tanks exhibit the special Monterey sealife! Sealife on exhibit includes stingrays, jellyfish, sea otters, and numerous other native marine species, which can be viewed above and below the waterline. The Great White Shark has even been on exhibit here for 138 days! Some of the tanks take water direct from Monterey's Pacific Ocean. In addition, three institutions function from here: Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, the Support Services, which manages the property, and the Research Institute, which operates three ocean-going research vessels.
Website: http://www.mbayaq.org/vi/
Pebble Beach is a small coastal town in Monterey County, California, best known for its high end, professional, Golf Course. Also well known is Pebble Beachs beautiful scenery and incredible coastline, as well as the "Lone Cypress Tree", pictured above.
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_Beach,_Californi
