Marin County Has a Wealth of Parks and Open Spaces for Kids to Enjoy
Because of the influence of John Muir, an early conservationist who was the first president of the Sierra Club, Marin County had many early environmentalists who ensured that the County would have many Parks and Open Spaces. Almost all of them are ideal for all kinds of kids’ activities.
The County Parks
If you’re into skateboarding, or softball, soccer, golf or tennis, the John F. McInnis Park on Smith Ranch Road in San Rafael is for you. This is the site of the largest skateboarding park in Marin County, and naturally, skateboarders must wear helmets and pads.
According to a video on YouTube, McInnis is 25,000 sq. ft. of carveable concrete that welcomes skaters of all abilities, that is old schoolers and young rats, with a 2 to 5 ft. washboard, a 3 to 5 ft. cloverbowl, keyhole bowl, and the incredible 7 to 11 ft. pool.
Only three miles west of Novato is a 139-acre park that offers lake fishing, a nature trail, and picnic areas with barbecue facilities. At Stafford Lake County Park, kids can enjoy a popular play structure, a softball field, volleyball courts, a disc golf course and horseshoe courts.
A great place for family barbecues that also features Bay and Pool swimming and nice lawns is McNear’s Beach and Park, located on San Pablo Bay in San Rafael. Fees are $8 to park and $4 for the pool. Note: McNear’s Beach County Park’s fishing pier is closed for repairs until further notice.
Located along the east shore of the Tiburon Peninsula, on Paradise Drive, Paradise Beach Park is a 19-acre park with family and group picnic sites, lawn areas, a horseshoe court, sandy beach and a fishing pier. A 24-acre wooded upland preserve is also located on Paradise Drive, south of Paradise Beach Park. A loop trail that provides a variety of native plants and animals and excellent bay views are the Park’s main features.
Marin County Parks Department maintains paved pathways throughout the County for use by bicyclists and pedestrians. Among the most popular are the Mill Valley-Sausalito Path, the Novato-Stafford Lake Path, and the Corte Madera Creek Path.
State and Federal Parks
Both the John Muir State Park and the National Golden Gate National Park have Junior Ranger programs and the Muir Park has Questing, a great kids’ program that provides Word search for clues to discover the hidden secrets during your visit.
County Open Spaces
Throughout Marin County, there are 34 named Open Spaces and each of them has its own special features. A few of these include the Bolinas Lagoon, located just north of the town of Stinson Beach. The lagoon is a protected estuary and a haven for birds, seals and other wildlife. The wild and rugged Gary Giacomini is a windswept ridge that feels very high in altitude. That feel is accentuated by the presence of a forest of dwarf Sargent Cypress trees.
Ring Mountain, a wind-swept ridge high atop the Tiburon Peninsula is one of the most valuable pieces of real estate on this planet. The unique geology and microclimate of this location provide a home for a number of rare plants. Santa Margarita Island and Santa Venetia Marsh are popular for walkers and joggers seeking a clear, level path. Birders also enjoy this area because of waterfowl that cruise the channels at high tide and shorebirds and rails at low tide.
