Craving a cheese-tasting adventure with a side of rolling hills and local flavor?
Marin County has the ultimate artisan cheese trail, where every stop offers a slice of creamy perfection and a story worth savoring.
Marin French Cheese Company(Courtesy of Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau)
Begin at the historic Marin French Cheese Company, which has been crafting cheeses since 1865. Sample award-winning bries like Petite Breakfast and Triple Crème at a pondside picnic under the oaks. Their charming deli and shop are packed with everything you need to build the cheeseboard of your dreams (plus Straus soft serve!) and their online cheese pairing tool will help guide your beverage choices.
Next, head to Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, a creamery rooted in Swiss traditions and Marin soil. Founded by the Lafranchi family, Nicasio Valley blends farmstead heritage with fresh, organic milk to create cheeses like the signature Foggy Morning. Their shop—which sells three flavors of Foggy Morning, plus a number of other styles of cheese—is open daily and brimming with country charm (and samples!).
Nicasio Valley Cheese Company(Courtesy of Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau)
Keep heading north on Highway One to Tomales Bay to reach the pastures of the Giacomini Dairy, home to The Fork at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company. Stop by Monday through Saturday to grab artisan cheese and snacks from their marketplace, as well as unique gifts from local purveyors. They also offer cheese tastings and farm brunches by appointment.
Tie the whole trip together with the California Cheese Trail, an interactive map founded by Vivien Straus that will guide you to hidden creameries, cheese-centric events, and tasting rooms. Pick up a hard copy at any creamery or chart your cheesy course online.
(Courtesy of Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau)
For a full VIP experience, take an exclusive cheese adventure with Food & Farm Tours that includes farm visits, gourmet picnics, and one-on-one time with the animals (think goat selfies). Their five-hour “Cheese Lover’s Tour” is a sensory journey into Marin’s dairy-rich culture. Afterwards, complete your farm-to-fork escape with an overnight stay in beautiful, coastal West Marin.
// Get more info on Marin cheese and the Cheese Trail at www.visitmarin.org
