Large Marin Vacation Home has central location & easy San Francisco, Wine Country, and Bay Area Access!

In the San Francisco Bay Area is a retreat home, the Marin Vacation Retreat Home - located between the Golden Gate Bridge, West Marin, and the Napa Valley Wine Country.

 Located between San Francisco and Napa Valley, in central San Rafael, Marin County, the Marin Retreat Home offers views, location and beauty.  In 15 minutes be at the Golden Gate Bridge. In 20 minutes, be touring and tasting Napa's great wines.  Centralized in prestigious Marin, experience a rich variety of things to do and see.  Settled up on a mountain, on a private 1+acres, enjoy serene Mtn and Bay Views throughout the Retreat Home.  Convenient yet serene, access to the all important Hwy101 is just 2 minutes.

Marin Vacation Retreat Home Distances:

 "Click" on link below for distance info from home or just scroll down 

  * Grocery/Amenities within 5 minutes from home   * Marin County  

  * San Francisco   * Wine Country    * East Bay    * Colleges & Universities

* Map of Marin County   * San Francisco Bay Area Map

Public Transportation Info (also link at left or click "here")

Experience outstanding proximity to top Bay Area destinations!

Staying in San Francisco, West Marin, or solely the Wine Country, though beautiful, lacks flexibility.  Choose to stay at the Marin Vacation Home and be "in" it all, do it all, with the luxury of a natural, northern california setting with gorgeous views.  Want to experience quaint downtowns such as San Rafael, or Tiburon, it's at your fingertips.  Touring Muir Woods (not to be missed) or picnicking Mt. Tam is a breeze.  Perhaps tour San Francisco,  only 15 minutes by car, or  catch the Marin Ferry directly to SF downtown.  Want to be in nature, your in it!   Stay in this gorgeous, safe, central Marin location & have access to all the bay area offers, easily.

The Golden Gate Bridge taking you to Marin Headlands, Marin County, from San Francisco.

Proximity to top attractions from Marin Retreat Vacation Home:  *** This is just a minute/proximity page to main Bay Area places (from the Marin Retreat Home):  For detailed descriptions on things to do/see, see appropriate links at left: Such as San Francisco Touring, and Marin attraction's.   

Grocery/Shopping Amenities within 5 minutes from home:

• Safeway: 4 minutes (@Northgate Mall I) 
• Whole Foods:  5 minutes (downtown San Rafael)
• Trader Joes:  5 minutes (downtown San Rafael -Montecito Plaza)
• Northgate Mall, I (large indoor Mall), II, III: 4 minutes drive.
  • Rite Aid (pharmacy), Kohls, Starbucks, Macy's, Sears, H&M, etc...
  • Restaurants: Applebee's, Chili's, etc...
  • Movie theatre offering newest movies: Century Northgate 15.  (click "Here" for Marin theatre's)

   

• Downtown 4th street, San Rafael:  4-5 minutes.

  • downtown scene to the popular movie "American Graffiti" was filmed here! :)
  • Movie Theatre (beautiful, old style- great award winning movies, year round!)
  • Restaurants of all cuisines - "Sol Food" (Puerto Rican),  "Yet Wah" (chinese), "Lotus of India" (Indian), Sushi to Dai for (Japanese), to classica american, such as "Broken Drum", etc...
    
  • Boutiques: clothing, furniture... antiques.
  • Music:  George's (happening, fun, live entertainment: band/ comedy, etc.. daily/year round.), Marin History Museum, etc ...

   

• Marin Civic Center, San Rafael:  3 minutes. (A frank Lloyd Wright architectural masterpiece - also, according to Spielberg - a serious influence for "Star Wars" ships and space scenes.)

  • Events:  Music, Theatre, Opera, Art, Yearly Fair, etc..
    
  • Large lake/pond.  Friendly ducks! Play area for children.
  • Library (beautiful!!!)
  • Home to the yearly Bioneers Conference.
    

• China Camp State Park:  5 minute drive (mtns & bay are part of the home view).

  • Great hiking and walking trails.  Serene mountains and bay tidal marshlands.

   

• Osher Marin JCC, 4 minutes.

  • Events: Speakers, Weddings, Art, Theatre, etc...
    
  • website: http://www.marinjcc.org

• McInnis Park, 6 minutes. 

  • Golf range
  • Restaurant
  • Batting cages
  • Mini Golf/ & Cafe
  • Driving Range
  • Skate park - Open to everyone & free.  Offering 25,000-square-foot skate park with up to 10-foot-deep bowls of concrete for twists, turns and jumps, it is perfect for the  skateboarders and or in-liner in your group! Also, beautiful location, tucked away on a hill with serene views of the valley below.
    
  • Tennis  - 2 large public courts
    
  • Wildlife ponds - Great for bird watching, walking, hiking.  Meander along the San Francisco Bay and see the wildlife.  Dogs okay on leash.
    

• Downtown San Anselmo or Ross:  8 minutes

  • Art and Garden Center
  • Main Streets
  • Great antique shopping!
  • Fun boutiques.

   

• Downtown Sausalito/Mill Valley/Tiburon/Novato/Golden Gate Bridge:  10-15 minutes! 

  • Downtown Mill Valley - great cafe and bookstore in the square - fun - stop here before heading up the mountain!
    
  • Downtown Sausalito - beautiful bay views and scenery to the city- tourist stores and great waterfront dining.
  • Downtown Tiburon - take the ferry to Angel Island for the day or dine waterfront.
  • Novato - cute main street.
  • scroll down for info on places that are more than 5+ minutes from home...
    

San Francisco:

• Downtown San Francisco in just 24 minutes (via the Golden Gate Bridge) !
  
  •  **This is perhaps the most spectacular 24 minute scenic drive you'll ever see!!
  • In San Francisco, Visit Coit Tower,  Fort Baker, ride the Cable Car or just shop your heart out on Union Square!  (See the San Francisco Touring link at right for list of places and ideas.  Weather is also something to check out, see the weather link as well.) 

• 15 minute drive to the picturesque Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands.
  
• 20 minute drive to Pier 39, Embarcadero district.
• 18 minute drive to Union Street (action!)
• 24 minute drive to downtown Union Square.
• See San Francisco link on left, or click "Here" for more SF touring info.
  

Wine Country: Napa Valley, Sonoma & Marin.

• 20 minutes to Wine Tasting! Famous Napa Valley Wine Region, known for it's 1st class wines and scenic countryside.

• Sonoma Wine Country -  25/minute drive.

Marin County (Southern, Central, North, & West):

*  Central Marin: (Your Marin Retreat Home Base, San Rafael):

• Freeway access from the quiet, central Marin home, just 2 minutes to Hwy 101!

• Northgate Mall- I, II & III, down the street, separate valley, 3 minutes! Very convenient!

• China Camp State Park (great hiking, biking, nature exploring, Views!) is a quick 9 minute bike ride- 4 minutes by car!
  

• Downtown San Rafael, great dining and shopping, 4-5 minute drive!

• Hwy 1 - 11 minute drive -significant California's Pacific Coastline drive.  (If you came to  California to see some rugged pacific coastline cliffs and scenery - this is the Hwy to do it on.)

*  West Marin:

Separated from Main Marin by Mt. Tam & it’s watershed.   Home to Pt Reyes National Seashore. West Marin  is known for it’s organic pioneering.  Enjoy Pinot Noir wines, yummy organic cheese from Marin's Cowgirl Creamery.  In the small town of Tomales, sit bayside and enjoy fresh oysters at Tomales Bay Oyster Company Bar.  Also a rarity, this area produces grass fed beef.

• Samuel P. Taylor Park - 22 minute drive - see the Spawning Salmon run!

• Stinson Beach,

• Town of Bolinas

• Town of Tomales & home to Tomales Bay

• Nicasio

• Pt Reyes National Seashore-  25 minute drive.  

*  Southern Marin:

• Muir Woods National Monument - 25 minute drive, over Mt. Tam and into valley.

• Rodeo Beach/(Aka: Cronkite Beach) - 24 minute drive.

• Marin Headlands / Golden Gate Bridge - 15 minute drive.

• Tiburon, Sausalito, Mill Valley - 12 minute drive.

*  Northern Marin:

• Golf
• Stafford Lake
• Olompali State Park
  
• Horse back riding
  

East Bay:

• Berkley: - 16 minute drive
  • Home to UCBerkley

• Vallejo:  15 minute drive.
  • Discovery Kingdom Six Flags, Vallejo (20 mins from Marin Vacation home).  http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/index.aspx

• Oakland:  25 minute drive
  • Oakland Zoo, Oakland International Airport (35min's)... 
    
  • Samuel Merritt  & Oakland Children's Hospital
    

Prominant Colleges & Universities in Marin / Bay Area:

• In Marin: Dominican University  4 minutes,  Marin Academy 5 minutes  

• Bay Area: UCBerkley,  UCSF & SF State - 25 minutes, Stanford University in 45 minutes.

Public Transportation Info from the house:

The house is situated on a top of a hill overlooking the rest of the 1+ acreage.   Public Transportation is available at the bottom of the hill off of Circle/Los Ranchitos Rd.

• Public Transportation Info (also link at left or click "here")

Map of Marin County:

San Francisco Bay Area Map:

Map of Marin County, California.

YouTube Video's:

For Video Info of or Marin:

Marin County u-tube  video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRwM0jNtr-k&feature=channel_page

 * Airport, Ferry,  Shuttle, Limo or Taxi info for Marin Retreat see "Transportation" link or click "Here"

Reservations / Contact Information:

email: info@marinvacation.com
phone: +1 (415) 233-6964

Stinson Beach, Marin County, California.

Spend time in Marin County, at the Marin Vacation Retreat Rental Home to experience San Francisco's Best.  This 6+bedroom/3bath estate home is centrally located so that easy access to Bay Area activities is a breeze. Bordering West Marin parks and organic farms, the world renowned Napa Valley Wine Country, scenic San Francisco, and even the East Bay, home to liberal UC Berkley, it makes sense to base one’s stay here, in beautiful and magestic Marin County, when visiting the bay area.