San Rafael and Marin County are ideal for outdoor activities. The wide open space between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean invite to hiking, mountain biking (which was invented in San Rafael!), jogging, picnicking, and even paragliding; there are several good spots for surfing or wind-surfing. Or you may just want to enjoy the beauty of the many mountain lakes or the rugged Pacific coastline; or you may just want to relax at the beach.

Golf There are several golf courses in and around San Rafael. We recommend McInnis Park in San Rafael: it’s beautiful and inexpensive. Directions from Student Home: CLICK HERE More Golf Courses: ▪  Indian Valley Golf Club: 3055 Novato Blvd., Novato ▪  Marin Country Club (private): 500 Country Club Dr., Novato ▪  Meadow Club (private): 1001 Bolinas Road, Fairfax ▪  Mill Valley Golf Course: 280 Buena Vista Ave., Mill Valley ▪  Peacock Gap Golf & County Club: 333 Biscayne Dr., San Rafael ▪  San Geronimo Golf Course: 5800 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Geronimo Beaches The most famous beach is Stinson Beach, which offers many activities including surfing. We like to take the bus to Pan Toll, then hike the Matt Davis Trail (or the shady Steep Ravine Trail) to Stinson Beach, spend the afternoon at the beach, and then take the bus back. Click HERE for more information. The closest beach is McNear’s Beach on the San Francisco Bay; it offers a mile of sandy beach, a pier, an outdoor swimming pool, two tennis courts and picnic tables. Directions from Student Home: CLICK HERE   Hiking For those of you who like to hike, Marin County is perfect. And for those of you who haven’t not hiked before, you might find a new passion here. There are hundreds of hiking trails in the area, a few of which start right behind the ELS Language Center. Check the Sunrise Shop for a great guide book. Visit Marin Trails for more information.   Mountain Biking Mountain biking was invented in Marin County! Not surprisingly you’ll find hundreds of kilometers of great mountain biking trails around San Rafael; a few trails start right behind the ELS Language Center. Visit Marin Trails - Biking for more information.   Inline Skating There are some excellent trails for inline skating (or “rollerblading”) in and around San Rafael. Our favorites are by the Civic Center and in Tiburon along the Bay (start at Blackie’s Pasture about 3 km from Tiburon and enjoy scenic views of San Francisco). Or take the ferry to San Francisco and skate along the Embarcadero. Visit KTVU's Guide to Inline Skating for more information. Biking Much of Marin can be explored by bicycle. There are numerous bike trails. Try the “China Camp Loop” following San Pedro Road from the Civic Center to China Camp and continue back to San Rafael. Tennis Marin has plenty of free tennis courts. ELS students, of course, use the tennis courts at Dominican University for free (only a few minutes from the Student Home). Surfing There are several good surf spots: for beginners it’s probably Pacifica or Linda Mar but for experienced surfers it’s Ocean Beach or Rodeo Beach and sometimes Fort Point in the Winter time. There is also Stinson Beach and Bolinas but the waves are not as consistent but for soaking up the sun they are probably the best; surfboards are available for rent at Stinson Beach. Visit Surf Pulse for more information.   Windsurfing The most popular local spot for windsurfing is off Point San Quentin near the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. Locations: Point San Quentin (near the Larkspur Ferry Terminal), Stinson Beach   Kayaking Sausalito and Richardson Bay are favorite locations for kayaking. Location: Sausalito (about 15 kilometers south of San Rafael). Visit SeaTrek Kayak for more information.   Canoeing Enjoy a relaxing day cruising down the Russian River between majestic redwood trees and sunny beaches. Location: About 80 kilometers north of San Rafael. Visit Burke's Canoe Trips for more information and directions.  Whale Watching Peak months are January through March, when it is not uncommon to see up to 100 whales each day. The California gray whale migration is best viewed from the Point Reyes Lighthouse, or from a boat trip to the Farallone Islands. Visit The Farallones for more information and directions. White Water Rafting California has a variety of rivers that offer excellent white water rafting for beginners to advanced. The best time is between April and July but there are rivers that offer rafting throughout the summer and into fall. Visit White Water Tours for more information and directions. Skydiving For those of you who seek extreme excitement, skydiving might give you a good adrenaline rush. First-timers can try a tandem jump with an experienced instructor. Visit SkyDive SF for more information.

 

[Back to Top]
[Back to Things to Do in San Rafael]