Best Marin County Date Ideas: Love is in the Air!
We know you lovebirds out there are always thinking about planning a romantic weekend! We’re here to help! First off, get settled in at one of our Marin Hotels. Done? Okay, read on for many date night (date weekend!) ideas in Marin County.
Dinner & Dancing
Combine good food and good vibes for a romantic night with lots of energy and fun.
In Mill Valley, we suggest dinner at Piazza D’Angelo where Northern California freshness meets Southern Italian cuisine in a trattoria atmosphere. After dinner, go for a booty shake at local favorite of international renown Sweetwater Music Hall. If you’re staying at Mill Valley Inn, romance bonus: you can stroll hand-in-hand to both locations.
We also love Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, where you can dine and dance in one location. Terrapin offers live music in one of their three intimate venues every night of the week. In fact, there are two shows scheduled for February 14. And the food? You can’t go wrong ordering anything on the menu, always served by really lovely and fun staff in a casual atmosphere. In nice weather, outdoors is the place to be, with canal-side seating and fireside sing-alongs.
Hike + Spa Treatments
Tune in to each other and tune out everything else during your hike-n-spa date.
In the Marin Headlands you have your pick of trails at all levels. We like Hill 88 for the stunning views and Point Bonita Lighhouse (Sunday and Monday only) for the dramatic position on the edge of the continent. Follow either of those awe-inspiring locations with a treatment at the small and lush Evo Spa and you have nailed romance.
An easy hike, the Tennessee Valley Trail leads to a secluded beach nature-made for a little make-out session. After your hike, head over to Marin Country Mart where you’ve made appointments at International Orange for a couples massage. Follow that with dinner at Farmshop (also located in Marin Country Mart) for a relaxed and cozy part three of your date.
Hike the trail in Baltimore Canyon — a county park with a trailhead tucked into a neighborhood in Larkspur — to Dawn Falls, because waterfalls are nature’s romantic touch. Pair your waterfall with foot massages at no-frills Marin Family Spa in San Rafael.
*Pro Tip: the parking at the trailhead is limited. Go early or find a spot in the neighborhood and walk to the trailhead. Worth it! You will see homes of all types built around the Redwoods — literally. An only-in-Marin experience!and International Orange.
Outdoors & Oysters
Get all of your senses turned on with a morning hike followed by oysters.
There’s an atmosphere of wildness on Tomales Point Trail, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and Tomales Bay on the other, and the possibility of a herd of Tule Elk heard in the foreground. You’ll smell and feel the ocean all around you; there’s an aura of freedom on this finger of land. Optimism and romance are in the air! After your hike, enjoy lunch at the intimate Saltwater Oyster Depot where you’ll keep the ocean sensation going over a plate of oysters.
A hike at Abbott’s Lagoon and lunch Hog Island Oyster Company requires some advance planning because Hog Island Oyster Co. is super popular. For a good reason! At Abbott’s Lagoon, you can follow the flat path to the ocean, where you’ll stand on dramatic Great Beach and feel like you’re the only two people in the world. For oysters at Hog Island, we suggest making a reservation in the Boat Oyster Bar where you’ll spend 90 minutes sampling your way through the menu together. Time your hike: from Abbott’s Lagoon parking lot to Hog Island Oyster Co. it’s about a (beautiful) 40 minute drive around Tomales Bay. If you can’t get in at Hog Island, the Marshall Store is top notch too.
Bear Valley is a classic Marin County hike, perfect for strolling hand-in-hand: fragrant woods, lush fern canyons, and ocean views. Follow that with another Marin classic — oysters at Tony’s. Like Hog Island Oyster Co., Tony’s is on the other side of Tomales Bay, about a 20 minute drive. Tony’s has undergone a renovation, and is set to re-open this month. We’re expecting bayside seating, and a cozy, casual environment.
p.s. Go exxxtrraa and plan a spa treatment after your lunch.
Extra Credit
A few more ideas, you romantic, you!
Waters Edge Hotel in Tiburon: the Grand View Deck is a romance central.
Looking for ideas for the classic dinner and a movie in Marin? You’ll find 5 itineraries in that post. A romantic getaway in Mill Valley? There’s a 2-night, 3-day itinerary in that post. And Tiburon, the perfect romance destination? Another 2-night, 3-day itinerary.
See you out there!
(But you’re being romantic, so we won’t bother you!)
