Enjoy your Independence Day weekend by packing up the car and heading north. Here are three fantastic reasons to leave the city behind and head over the Golden Gate Bridge this weekend.
Get biking!
Marin County has 100s of miles of beautiful bike trails. It can be a little intimidating knowing exactly where to start. That’s why for the duration of the summer local rangers will be taking participants on an assortment of rides covering different locations, times, and skill level. This weekend’s ride is an easy kid’s ride on the flat, shaded Southern Marin Line Fire Road. The ranger will discuss the ecology and history of the area during this 4 mile ride. Riders under 18 will need to be accompanied by parent/guardian. The ride goes from 10am to noon and you need to bring your own bike as well as sufficient water, snacks, and other bike equipment. If you would rather something a little more racy, The San Rafael Twilight Criterium takes place from 2-8pm in downtown San Rafael. With a beer garden, a DJ providing fist-pumping music, and hundreds of incredible athletes battling it out for glory it promises to be an action filled afternoon. Expect spills, tears and plenty of emotion. If you would like to register to race, you can do so here, otherwise come along to watch one of the wildest events in the Bay Area! For the bike ride meet at the Crown Rd gate in Kent Woodlands (150 feet past the Crown Rd and Evergreen Dr intersection), Kentfield.
Listen to Bluegrass in the Park
Bring your picnic rug and a blanket and settle in for the first of five multi-cultural outdoor concerts, bringing together a mixture of traditional Bluegrass with the modern influences of rock-n-roll, reggae and acoustic. Internationally known five-string banjo stalwart, Bill Evans opens the evening sharing his passion for all things banjo. You can bring your own food or grab some delicious dinner from Roadside BBQ. Whether you choose to throw a blanket on the turf, secure a table, sit in chairs or dance all night, just come along and enjoy the finest bluegrass the Bay Area can offer. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for kids and can be bought here. Doors open at 6pm and the concert starts at 7. The Osher Marin JCC, 200 N San Pedro road. San Rafael
Explore the Point Reyes Lighthouse
Point Reyes is the windiest place on the Pacific Coast and the second foggiest place on the North American continent. Weeks of fog, especially during the summer months, frequently reduce visibility to hundreds of feet. Hence why a lighthouse was needed to warn ships about the Pt. Reyes Headland. Since being retired from service in 1975 the lighthouse is now a museum, where the era of the lightkeepers' lives, the craftsmanship and the beauty of the lighthouse are actively preserved. Come along from 10am-4pm on Sunday and explore the inside of the lighthouse with a ranger. You will be able to y see historic photographs of shipwrecks and lighthouse-keepers, handle items on the touch table, including whale baleen and learn about the fascinating history of the area. Apart from learning about local birds, you may even sight a whale if you are lucky. Just a word of warning, you have to walk 308 steps to get to the lighthouse! 27000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Inverness
