Tiburon The many sides of Marin’s near-perfect peninsula
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ith its roots imCi bedded in the bri a n Dr P railroad indis e Dr Romberg dustry, ferryboat making Tiburon Center (S.F.S.U.) rR and dairy and cattle ranching, Paradise Beach Pk it’s no surprise the waterfront dise D r P ar a town of Tiburon with its worldPara d i Tiburon Uplands class views of San Francisco has r Nature Preserve a rich and varied personality. ck ci e nd Ro C a These days Tiburon is Dr known for Sam’s Anchor Re ed R Café and cycling. Riding n c h Rd nd H across the bay to enjoy a i ll R d sunny afternoon at the B Mar ever-popular watering t St hole, which during Fire Stn V i a L o s A l to s Blackie’s Pasture Prohibition had a trap Library Library 131 Maiin Main door to load booze in Post Office from small boats stationed outside the Golden Gate, preserved at the Railroad-Ferry Depot Museum in the Donahue is a popular weekend excursion for city Building on Paradise Drive. The museum features a working dwellers. Sam Vella, an immigrant from Malta—described as model of the Point Tiburon yard circa 1910. Thanks to the nona “restaurateur, barkeep, bootlegger and a scoundrel”—opened profit Landmarks Society, several cherished landmarks have been his eponymous restaurant/saloon near the end of World War I. preserved and are open to the public. Old St. Hilary’s is among Whether it’s one too many of the café’s famous Ramos Fizzes, the few remaining Carpenter Gothic churches to survive in its or an overdose of briny sea breezes, cycling visitors often forgo original setting. It overlooks downtown Tiburon and the San their ride home and hop aboard the Blue and Gold Fleet ferry for Francisco Bay. Landmarks Art & Garden Center is the oldest the six-mile trip back to San Francisco. The terminal is a stone’s structure on the Tiburon Peninsula. The restored cottage, built throw from Sam’s. around 1870, is representative of Tiburon’s housing during the For those who complete their ride, the route home includes a farming-railroad era. scenic three-mile stretch (the Tiburon Historical Trail) that was Although the fi rst settlers came in the early 1830s and the once an easement for the railroad and now borders a 900-acre post office opened in 1884, Tiburon remained unincorporated wildlife preserve and Audubon sanctuary. And not to be forgotuntil 1964. ten is the “jewel of San Francisco Bay,” Angel Island State Park, Perhaps because Tiburon depends on tourism for much of its which is a 10-minute ferry ride from downtown. revenue, there is a refreshing friendliness not commonly encounTiburon offers much more than its “Ark Row” of upscale tered in most Marin towns. Tiburon has its own International boutiques and art galleries. The early railroad and ship-building Film Festival in the spring and the town hosts its annual Wine heritage is well Festival in May. Friday Nights on Main also begin in May and include plenty of eating, family gatherings and music on the downtown streets. Maybe it’s time for us Marinites to take a little excursion ourselves, just to see what Tiburon has to offer—and what our San Francisco neighbors seem to come back for almost every weekend. —TANYA HENRY se D
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photo by Ken Piek ny
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FIRE STATION - Tiburon Fire Protection District, 1679 Tiburon Blvd. FI LIBRARY - Belvedere-Tiburon Library, 1501 Tiburon Blvd. LI PA PARKS - Tiburon Uplands Nature Preserve, Paradise Dr.; Blackie's Pasture, Tiburon Blvd.; Paradise Beach Park, Paradise Dr. P P POST OFFICE - Belvedere-Tiburon Post Office, 6 Beach Rd.
community. known for its celebrated arts The Sausalito waterfront is
10 Pacific Sun
P PUBLIC SCHOOLS - Bel Aire Elementary School, 277 Karen Way; R Reed Elementary School, 1199 Tiburon Blvd.; Del Mar Middle S School, 105 Avenida Miraflores Ave.