Mount Tam East Peak

     You see it everyday, it’s the backdrop of Marin and, along with the Golden Gate Bridge, it is a symbol for the Bay Area.  It is a popular place for hiking and sightseeing, although many people have never actually been to the top of Mount Tam. 

San Francisco in the distance

       There are a few ways to get to the mountain.  The easiest way involves going through downtown Mill Valley and then along a ridge road on Mt. Tam itself.  You’ll have to go past Tam High School then turn at a bar called the 2am Club to La Goma Street, then right onto Molina Street.  This eventually turns into Edgewood Avenue.  You’ll be on this road for about two miles then turn left onto Sequoia Road, and you’ll end up on Panoramic Highway.  This is a beautiful road, with the hills on either side of you with great views.  You can even take this road to Stinson Beach, if you wanted to.  After you’re on Panoramic for a few miles you will need to turn off onto Pan-toll Road, this is when you’ll begin climbing to the ridge.   The side roads that go up to the mountain though are very narrow.  Huge houses line each side and cars are parked all along the street.  You need  to be careful and not drive fast or else risk hitting something or someone.

The fire lookout

     The drive is one of the best parts of the trip.  The twisty road runs through the hills of Mill Valley, and then you're driving on the side of the mountain itself.  As you wind your way up to the top you’ll see stunning views of San Francisco and the bay.  The road then begins to climb to the top of the mountain and you start cutting through the trees as you get closer to the east ridge.  A word of warning though, bicyclists will be zooming up and down the hill and will not hesitate to yell and cuss at you if you get too close to them.

A view of the bay

      Once you reach the top, there is a parking lot where you have to pay.  But if you park just a before you get to the lot (there are faded lines to indicate where the spaces are) you don’t have to pay.  There is a  visitor and ranger’s station there, where you can buy souvenirs and drinks or talk to the ranger about where you should go or what you should do.  A cool thing to do is to hike up to the fire lookout.   A person will be stationed at the lookout year round to keep watch and call in any fires he or she sees.  Although you can’t go into the lookout, you can relax and sit around the base of it, and admire the amazing views.  You can practically see all of Marin from this one spot.  Mt. Tam offers many great things to do and is definitely worth the trip. 

Point Reyes Lighthouse

  

     We sometimes forget that we live in one of the best places in America.  Marin, and in general California, has a wide variety of things to see and do.  In Marin, we’re a stones throw from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, and the Pacific Ocean.  It’s easy to forget that we’re on the edge of the United States;  our western shores are the end of the North American continent, and, as you might expect, the landscape of our shores is stunning.  But what you may not realize is just how close we are to those gorgeous shores.

    One of the closer and best places to go is the Point Reyes Lighthouse.  The lighthouse itself is a sight to see, but the landscape is one of the highlights.  There are also numerous towns and beaches to stop at along the way.  The first town to stop at is Rancho Nicasio.  It’s about a ten to fifteen minute drive down Lucas Valley Road from Terra Linda or Marinwood.  The town itself isn’t too exciting but it’s a good rest stop during the drive.  The small, but well stocked, general store is great.  The cashier is always pleasant and will give you various suggestions on places and stores to stop at during your trip.

    The next place you can stop at along the way is Point Reyes Station.  It’s a much bigger town than Rancho Nicasio, and therefore offers more things to do.  There are a ton of cool shops to stop at.  There are also a few markets and restaurants if you're in need of a bite to eat or want to get some food to bring down to the beach.  Whale of a Deli & Market is a great place to stop.  It offers a wide variety of food, ranging from pizzas and sandwiches to Mexican food, such as burritos and quesadillas.  The Palace Market is also great to stop at to buy drinks and other snack foods for the drive.

The drive itself to get to the lighthouse is, I consider, one of the best parts of the trip.  You drive through some of the best scenery in the area.  Starting at the ranches and grass land of Lucas Valley then along the rugged coastline.  It’s not an easy drive though; after a while it’s easy to become fatigued.  It’s a good idea to bring somebody else with you in case you don't want to drive, or take a few stops along the way to rest.  You should also take notice of a treacherous stretch of Lucas Valley road that many cars have ended up crashing on.  It’s before you reach Rancho Nicasio, and is essentially a small forest.  Redwood trees cover the area, causing it to be pretty dark, and when a sliver of sunlight makes it’s ways through the trees it can be very hard to see.  There are also ditches on the side of the road that will easily take your car tire and flip your car if you stray of the road.  I’ve seen a few crashed myself there, it’s definitely a place to exercise caution.  Slow down, and don’t take the corners too fast or you'll regret it.

As you leave Rancho Nicasio the roads open up, the speed limit goes up to 55 miles per hour and the curves and turns straighten out.  You drive by the beautiful Nicasio Reservoir, and the road will eventually split.  You can either continue on going straight, or turn right and go over a small bridge to go to Point Reyes Station.  Once in the town there are many places to park, and shops and markets line both sides of the road.   Once you’re ready to leave, it’s a straight shot to the coast.  The road’s open back up again and it’ll be another half hour to forty-five minutes to the lighthouse.  Another few small towns will pop up along the way, and there are also numerous beaches along the way which are great to stop at.

It isn’t all smooth sailing though.  Once you get closer to the lighthouse, the roads become increasingly rough.  This means that you cannot go more than 30 miles an hour without risking damaging your car.  There are also a few ranches along the way.  So you may get a rogue cow or horse walking on the road.  This guarantees traffic will stop.  Once you arrive at the lighthouse parking can sometimes be hard to find.  The parking lot quickly fills up, and, if you're not quick the spots on the side of the road will be taken as well.  It’s best to go on a weekday so as not to risk the chance of not being able to park.  After you park it’s a short walk to get to the visitor center.  Then you need to walk down the steps, all 308 of them (There are a few benches along the stairs if you need to rest).  Once there it will all become worthwhile.

The Pacific Ocean stretches out in front of you, and if it’s not too foggy, a rarity there, you can literally see for miles.  The rough, jagged cliffs are to the side of you.  And once you step to the side of the lighthouse you can see the miles of beach to the right.  There are exhibits throughout the lighthouse, offering a look into what it was like to live there in the early days, pictures of shipwrecks throughout the years, and the old school generators and other methods that were used to power the light.  It’s easy to forget that we live so close to some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, but once you get to the lighthouse, it’s easy to see why so many people will travel from all over the world to see it.   

The Lava House

     Tucked away among the extravagant mansions that line Tiburon and Belvedere lies a peculiar home.  Built in the 1970s using imported lava rocks from Hawaii, the Lava House has been attracting teens from all over Marin for years.  The actual house was never completed; the only part that was finished was the garage, and this was partially burned in a fire in 1997.  But that’s not what attracts people to it.  What attracts them is the property itself.  With pillars, fountains built from lava rock, and a raised stone pathway cutting through the property, it’s easy to see why so many people go there.  Stones line the ground, creating a walkway with balconies jutting out  and offering absolutely stunning views of the bay.
 

     Jerry Ganz, a seat belt magnate who made his fortune selling them to General Motors, commissioned the house in the mid 1970s.  The build stopped, and was never completed.  Ganz blamed this on the design of the house, claiming it would never be livable.  So there it sat, for over three decades, abandoned.  For the past decade Jerry Ganz has tried to sell the house, to no avail.  The lot is currently listed for $4.7 million.  Ever since it was put on the market, “No Trespassing” signs have been hung on the fence, blocking the lot from the street. 

Some of the lava rock.

     There are a few things to be wary of when visiting the house. The roads to it are very narrow.  If another car is coming the other way it will be a tight squeeze to get by.  Also, parking is restricted.  If you do not park in approved spaces, you risk having your car towed or fined.  And then there’s the actual trespassing.  You don’t need to worry too much if you're just stopping by to take a look, but if you're with a big group, be cautious.  Most of the time you’ll see people peeking over the fence, trying to see the house.  But the golden rule of going to the house is be courteous of the neighbors.  They’re not very enthusiastic about people coming from all areas of Marin to their backyard, with some people making a lot of noise and causing problems.  If you do go, don’t stay for too long.  Take a quick look around and leave.  And never park in front of other homes or block people in.  The owners of nearby homes around can easily call the police if they become annoyed.

The structure of the house.

  If your in Tiburon or Mill Valley, it's a very cool place to go and see.  I've been about a dozen times and it never gets old.