| As if the sights and sounds of San
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| | the San Francisco skyline across the bay,
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| Francisco weren't enough to keep visitors
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| | this is the place. Tiburon is a
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| completely enthralled, Mother Nature
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| | four-mile-long peninsula that is
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| invites you to drive just a few minutes
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| | positioned just across the bay from the
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| north of the city, across the Golden Gate
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| | city and, because of that, offers some of
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| Bridge and into a suburban area that
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| | the most sought-after real estate in the
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| seems like the other side of the planet
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| | area. The views of San Francisco Bay, the
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| from downtown.
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| | city and the Golden Gate Bridge are
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| That's why Marin County is an attractive
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| | breathtaking.
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| place to live -- as much as half the
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| | Be prepared for slow traffic that last
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| acreage is in open space, so residents
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| | four miles going into Tiburon � the
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| enjoy an endless selection of trails and
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| | two-lane highway gets busy in both
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| visitas, all quite clost to home. It's
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| | directions, especially in summer when
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| expensive to live here, all right, but
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| | there is apt to be some type of road
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| then how many places offer you a
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| | construction activity. As you drive along
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| multi-cultural city of sophistication on
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| | the peninsula, be sure to look to the
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| one side of the bridge, and quiet trails
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| | south, where what must be the World's
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| and solitude on the other? If you crave
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| | Most Expensive Soccer Field is located on
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| recreation in the Great Outdoors but
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| | a long swath of view property (all in the
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| drive a Mercedes, you just might be a
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| | spirit, of course, of Marin County's love
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| Marin County resident.
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| | affair with open space).
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| What's nice is that any of us can stop by
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| | The town of Tiburon looks almost like any
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| and experience -- for a weekend, anyway
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| | modern suburban town until you get to the
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| -- this lifestyle for ourselves. We took
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| | edge of downtown where a couple of blocks
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| a little time to visit the southern part
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| | of historic buildings and nearby marina
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| of the county, setting up our base of
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| | give the feeling of a New England fishing
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| operations at the San Anselmo Inn, a
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| | village. It's apparent this is the place
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| charming European-style lodging in
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| | locals go to soak up the views, walk or
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| Northern California's antiquing capital,
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| | run the shoreline trail or, for the less
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| San Anselmo. It was easy to drive short
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| | ambitious, just hunker down at one of the
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| distances from there to explore many
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| | dockside outdoor restaurants for drinks
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| nearby attractions and communities;
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| | and maybe a seafood lunch. Numerous
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| The San Anselmo Inn is on San Anselmo
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| | fishing and tour boats are tied up at the
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| Avenue, an especially enchanting downtown
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| | pier, and a popular day trip is to take
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| street that gently winds its way through
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| | the regular ferry service six miles over
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| the town's historic buildings. The
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| | to Angel Island State Park for an
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| streets in this area are narrow and
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| | afternoon of hiking and exploration.
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| buildings close together, so the European
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| | Tiburon's historic Main Street is known
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| feeling extends well beyond the inn
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| | as "Ark Row" because of the 1890s
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| itself. On a bright fall weekday, a wide
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| | houseboat lifestyle enjoyed by the town's
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| variety of shops and stores � including
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| | earliest residents. Today, the arks are
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| 130 antique dealers -- welcomed locals
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| | gone and the bay shopping district
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| and visitors alike. It wasn't a busy
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| | includes a number of upscale boutiques as
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| atmosphere, but more a casual, relaxed
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| | well as the occasional tourist shop. The
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| feel that seemed ideal for the many young
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| | nearby walking path, with its views of
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| mothers and babies we noticed enjoying a
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| | the city, is considered one of the most
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| stroll on this colorful street.
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| | romantic spots in Bay area.
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| Everything in this small town is within
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| | Another nearby city that's just minutes
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| walking distance of the inn. We would
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| | away from San Anselmo is Larkspur, whose
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| explore the town's shops, or hike nearby
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| | downtown area is officially listed on the
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| trails and then return to our comfortable
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| | National Register of Historic Places. If
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| room at the inn. The innkeepers, Julie
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| | you want to see what San Francisco's
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| and Peter McNair, have taken care to give
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| | suburbs looked like at the turn of the
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| each room a historical feel befitting
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| | century, check out the town's historical
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| their building, which was one of the
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| | buildings, many of them Queen Anne
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| first built in the area as the new
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| | Victorians. The historic downtown area is
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| railroad line facilitated the development
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| | west of Highway 101.
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| of San Anselmo and nearby towns. Our room
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| | It's also in this area that you can hop a
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| was spacious for a bed-and-breakfast inn
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| | ferry to San Francisco. A foot bridge
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| and featured a four-poster bed,
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| | over the highway will take you to Golden
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| marble-top vanity, antique desk,
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| | Gate Ferry terminal where you can get on
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| nightstands and cabinets and, in the
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| | a ferry departing for the San Francisco
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| private bathroom, a Jacuzzi style tub.
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| | Ferry Building. The ferry ride is a great
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| Breakfast was a special treat at the inn
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| | place to get photos of such attractions
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| � a delightful Spanish quiche, lots of
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| | as Mt. Tamalpais, the Golden Gate Bridge
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| fresh muffins and pastries, waffles,
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| | and picturesque Angel Island.
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| fruit, juices, cereals and all served in
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| | Nearby San Rafael is a bit larger city
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| a pleasant and spacious dining area.
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| | � in fact the largest in Marin County.
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| After breakfast, it was off to experience
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| | The downtown shopping area offers the
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| some local recreation, and one nearby
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| | stores, ethnic restaurants, large banks
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| hike recommended to us was the Phoenix
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| | and other services that aren't found in
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| Lake Trail, a 2.8-mile that takes
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| | the smaller towns of Marin. It's the only
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| visitors around the lake through a
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| | place in these parts where you see
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| mixture of oak, bay and redwood trees.
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| | high-rise buildings � yet there still
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| This trail was easy to find, but you
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| | is a lot of rich, Victorian architecture
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| might have to wait for a parking spot.
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| | that gives San Rafael a feel all of its
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| Local joggers and walkers love the
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| | own.
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| combination of lush redwood forests, lake
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| | One particular point of interest is the
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| views and wide trails, so the 20-plus
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| | authentic re-creation of Mission San
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| parking stalls were full-up when we
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| | Rafael Arcangel. This was founded in 1817
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| visited about 9 a.m. on a Wednesday. No
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| | and today you can visit a replica of the
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| matter, though � we only had to wait
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| | original mission and tour a museum. Also
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| about 10 minutes.
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| | check out the Marin County Historical
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| Another local point of interest is the
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| | Society Museum and the Falkirk Cultural
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| San Francisco Theological Seminary, which
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| | Center.
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| relocated its school here from San
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| | AT A GLANCE
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| Francisco in 1892. You can't miss the
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| | WHERE: San Anselmo and other nearby Marin
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| seminary with its castle-like grand stone
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| | County cities are located just a few
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| buildings standing above Ross Valley.
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| | miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. .
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| You'll also find history in the many
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| | WHAT: These southern Marin County
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| old-time buildings downtown, which are
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| | communities are a little bit off the
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| part of a self-guided walking tour
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| | beaten path for tourists, but each of the
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| prepared by local historians. At the inn,
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| | cities and towns offers a distinct
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| you can pick up a copy of a very detailed
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| | character and charm, and are fun to
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| magazine produced by the San Anselmo
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| | explore.
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| Historical Commission, which provides an
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| | WHEN: Year-round. Bring warm clothing
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| excellent description, history and photo
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| | because it can get cold in the Bay area,
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| of each of the town's major historical
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| | which often is compared with SEattle for
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| points of interest. Be sure to check out
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| | its sometimes damp climate. Even in the
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| the Robson-Harrington House and Park, the
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| | warmest summer months, the occasional
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| Carnegie Library and the American Legion
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| | cold weather can settle in. But often
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| Log Cabin.
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| | you'll find bright sunshine.
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| About a 15-minute drive south from San
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| | WHY: This area north of San Francisco is
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| Anselmo took us to one of the other
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| | rich with history and offers an unusual
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| scenic bedroom communities of Marin
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| | combination of upscale shopping and
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| County � Tiburon.
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| | dining, along with numerous opportunities
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| If you're looking for scenic vistas of
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| | for outdoor recreation.
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