Guidebook for San Rafael
Food Scene
Ponsford's Place
117 Shaver Stsmall, locally owned, handmade and yummy
Crepevine Restaurant
1133 4th StGood food, decent prices.
Il Davide
901 A StGood food, medium priced (not cheap but not outrageous either).
Good food, medium prices, brewery on the premises, good beer, full bar too.
25 locals recommend
The State Room
1132 4th StGood food, medium prices, brewery on the premises, good beer, full bar too.
Quality french restaurant. Gorgeous and simple inside. Great food. Medium priced (not cheap but not expensive either).
15 locals recommend
Le Comptoir
1301 4th StQuality french restaurant. Gorgeous and simple inside. Great food. Medium priced (not cheap but not expensive either).
This is a pub with a british and irish menu, as well as on tap. Plenty of big screens to watch sports. If you're a football (soccer) fan, this is one of the best places in the area to watch games.
14 locals recommend
The Mayflower Pub
1533 4th StThis is a pub with a british and irish menu, as well as on tap. Plenty of big screens to watch sports. If you're a football (soccer) fan, this is one of the best places in the area to watch games.
Drinks & Nightlife
it's Marin's longest running microbrewery, they are pioneers, and it's good beer and good food.
17 locals recommend
Marin Brewing Company
1809 Larkspur Landing Cirit's Marin's longest running microbrewery, they are pioneers, and it's good beer and good food.
Parks & Nature
Mount Tamalpais
stunning, and Mt Tam is iconic for Marin and the whole SF Bay
gorgeous, out of the way, fewer people than some of the other more popular beaches, stunning drive
47 locals recommend
Limantour Beach
gorgeous, out of the way, fewer people than some of the other more popular beaches, stunning drive
gorgeous trip out on the ferry and back, bring a bike and ride around the island, bring a picnic too or buy food there
107 locals recommend
Angel Island Café
Main Streetgorgeous trip out on the ferry and back, bring a bike and ride around the island, bring a picnic too or buy food there
Sightseeing
The next to last mission in the chain of missions running from San Diego in the south to Sonoma in the north, it's a gorgeous church with the original mission and is iconic in San Rafael.
12 locals recommend
Church of Saint Raphael
1104 Fifth AveThe next to last mission in the chain of missions running from San Diego in the south to Sonoma in the north, it's a gorgeous church with the original mission and is iconic in San Rafael.
Arts & Culture
Beautiful old victorian with lots of history about the area.
8 locals recommend
Falkirk Cultural Center
1408 Mission AveBeautiful old victorian with lots of history about the area.
Essentials
Best prices for decent food, nice selection of stuff you can't necessarily find in other places. Great wine selection at reasonable prices. You can find most of what you need here, but maybe not everything.
53 locals recommend
Trader Joe's
337 3rd StBest prices for decent food, nice selection of stuff you can't necessarily find in other places. Great wine selection at reasonable prices. You can find most of what you need here, but maybe not everything.
We like United for things like produce, milk and meat. We usually buy our heirloom tomatoes from them, they almost always have the best prices, organic too.
31 locals recommend
United Markets
515 3rd StWe like United for things like produce, milk and meat. We usually buy our heirloom tomatoes from them, they almost always have the best prices, organic too.
Getting Around
San Rafael Transit Center station
The only local bus depot.
There are 2 Enterprise rental agencies in the area, this is the one we usually go to.
6 locals recommend
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
65 Medway RdThere are 2 Enterprise rental agencies in the area, this is the one we usually go to.