Marin County Visitors Bureau

Marin County Visitors Bureau

Photo by Barbara Stenson

Larkspur

Early Queen Anne Victorians, false-front store facades, a Mission Revival-style church and City Hall, all evoke the flavor of Larkspur’s past.

Downtown Larkspur is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a typical turn-of-the-century town. Fashionable stores and restaurants line downtown’s Magnolia Avenue along with dozens of historical buildings, including the Blue Rock Inn and the newly-restored Lark Theatre, a 1930’s art deco movie house. Just past downtown, the world-famous California restaurant, the Lark Creek Inn, sits nestled in a redwood grove beside a creek.

Larkspur is divided into two distinct areas adjoining Highway 101. Its historic downtown is west of Highway 101, and an old quarry area, now known as Larkspur Landing is to the east of the highway along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. The Landing is a rambling outdoor shopping area with outdoor tables, a fountain and spectacular bay views.

The Landing hosts live music on Friday evenings and a Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings during the summer months. A foot bridge over the highway allows visitors to access the futuristic Golden Gate Ferry terminal, a departure point for travelers going from Marin to the San Francisco Ferry Building. The ride offers spectacular views of Mt. Tamalpais, Angel Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Just east of the landing is Remillard’s Brickyard Kiln, the last remaining building of the brickyard built in 1889. It has been declared a state historical landmark and is now home to a romantic restaurant and a small office complex. The waterway adjacent to the kiln has become a major attraction for windsurfers. Larkspur has 10 parks accommodating every sport from horseshoes to kayaking.