San Rafael

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San Rafael [1] is a city in Marin County, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Historically one of the original Spanish mission settlements, San Rafael is now a mid-sized commuter town.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

San Rafael is on the 101 Freeway, north of San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge. 101 crosses Highway 580 in San Rafael, making the city a major influx point for drivers from the East Bay.

[edit] Get around

Downtown San Rafael is based on a grid network, with numbered streets running east-west and lettered streets running north-south.

[edit][add listing] See

  • Mission San Rafael Arcangel, 1104 Fifth Avenue (at A Street), 415-456-3016, [2]. M-F 6:30AM-5PM, Sa 8:30AM-5PM, Su 9AM-5PM. The northernmost of California's 21 missions, San Rafael was founded in 1817 as an asistencia or adjunct to Mission Dolores in San Francisco. San Rafael was a hospital mission, tending the sick from Spanish settlements and natives. The mission chapel has been restored in 1949, and tours of the site as well as a museum are open to the public. Free.
  • Marin County Civic Center The Civic Center is the only example of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed government building in the world, and was considered to be well ahead of its time, making it a creative choice as the backdrop of the film Gattica.

[edit][add listing] Do

The Farmers Market every Sunday at the Civic Center is a great place to stock up on farm fresh vegetables & fruit, bread from many local bakeries, and gourmet cheeses and fresh seafood. Grab a cup of coffee, sample a fresh crepe or waffle, and get to know some of the most dedicated farmers in Marin.

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

Like most Bay Area towns, San Rafael has a number of pubs and taco joints as well as cafes and bars. Many restaurants are located on Fourth Street

  • Mayflower Inn, 1533 Fourth Street, [3]. Phone: +1 415 456-1011 British Pub serving lunch & dinner. Great salads, burgers, fish & chips, bangers & mash, sausage rolls, and other standards.
  • Broken Drum Brewery & Wood Grill, 1132 Fourth Street. California pub / dinner food with burgers, fish tacos, and other standards.
  • Sushi To Dai For, 869 4th St, Phone: +1 415 721-0392
  • Taqueria San Jose, 615 4th St, Phone: +1 415 455-0999 Just under highway 101.
  • Panama Hotel Restaurant and Inn, 4 Bayview St, Phone: +1 415 457-3993, 800-899-3993. Cozy Marin County Bed and Breakfast and Restaurant. Check out the Jazz Thursday nights. Mexican-Italian-Californian Cuisine in an artsy Interior. Great outdoor dining in spring and summer.
  • Lotus Indian Cuisine, 4704 4th St., Phone: +1 415 456-5808 Simply the best Indian food in Marin, relaxed and quiet atmosphere, excellent service, and a retractable ceiling to let in the sun on a warm day.
  • Sol Food, 732 Fourth Street, [4]. Phone: +1 415 451-4765. Puerto Rican cuisine and tropical ambiance make this restaurant very popular with the locals.

[edit][add listing] Drink

  • Fourth St. Tavern
  • Mayflower Inn -- Authentic British Pub & Grill, same location since 1971 -- 1533 Fourth Street
  • Trevor's Tavern -- A home away from home.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

  • Embassy Suites San Rafael / Marin County Hotel and Conference Center 101 McInnis Parkway. (415) 499-9222, [5]. An all suite hotel, which offers 235 suites with the comfort and elegance that merge cool sophistication of an urbanized environment with the memories of a rich past. Located towards the north of the renowned Golden Gate Bridge.
  • Days Inn, 737 E. Francisco Blvd., +1 415-453-3450, [6].
  • Panama Hotel Restaurant and Inn, 4 Bayview St, 415-457-3993, 800-899-3993, [7]. A cute Bed and Breakfast and Restaurant which captures the laid back, relaxed atmosphere of the county. Wireless Internet, Restaurant and friendly staff. Centrally located near downtown. Nearby attractions include SF, Golden Gate, County of Marin and California wine country.
  • Extended Stay Deluxe, 1775 Francisco Blvd. E., 415-451-1887, [8]. Accommodations geared towards the Extended Stay Traveler. 112 guest rooms complete with fully equipped kitchens, on-site laundry facility, Indoor Pool, Outdoor Hot Tub, Meeting Room, Breakfast in the morning, Business Center, Wireless Internet throughout the property, Flat Screen Televisions in all rooms, and Fitness Center on-site. Hotel is located with easy access to Napa Valley, and San Francisco.

[edit] Stay Safe

San Rafael enjoys the low crime rate that is commensurate with most parts of Marin county. Downtown is generally safe, although you should travel in a group at night to stave off the occasional petty thefts.

If you decide to venture into the Canal District, stay alert, even in the daytime. The District is home to many first-generation immigrants who densely populate apartment buildings to offset the relatively high cost of living, and street gangs are relatively common. Try not to wear too much red- or blue-colored clothing--you may be treated as a rival to another gang and given due treatment.

[edit] Get out

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