May 5

May 5 It's Time for a Wildflower Hike in Marin County!

Bay Area Staycation, Flat Hikes, Hikes with a View, Hiking in Marin, Marin Beauty, Marin Headlands

Hello Spring! Just when you think the landscape of Marin County couldn’t get any more beautiful, here come the wildflowers. If you’re staying at one of our Marin Hotels, you are perfectly positioned to explore Marin’s flowery hills and valleys over the next several weeks. Let’s go!

Old St. Hilarys Open Space Preserve

One of our favorite spots is Old St Hillarys Open Space Preserve, located a few blocks from Waters Edge Hotel. Expansive views from this 122 acre preserve include San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, Alcatraz, and the Marin Headlands. During this time of the year a nice add-on to the scenery are the wildflowers around the church and the rare Tiburon Jewelflower along Vistazo Fire Road.

Note: Park at Old St Hilarys Church, or if you’re staying at Waters Edge Hotel and feel like a walk, the front desk staff will happily show you the way.

BONUS! As long as you’re in Tiburon, stay an extra hour for a stroll along Old Rail Trail. Lots of spectacular wildflowers are in bloom along this paved, scenic, flat trail at this time of year.

Note: Park in Blackie’s Pasture lot, about an 8 minute drive from either Mill Vallely Inn or Acqua Hotel.

Tomales Point Trail

A bit further afield — a little over an hour from any of our Marin Hotels — and totally worth the drive, is Tomales Point Trail in West Marin. Tomales Bay on one side, the Pacific Ocean on the other. You: on a finger of land between the two. And wildflowers all around. Plan to pack a picnic for this hike and have it way out there on the tip for a truly spectacular experience.

Note: you’ll park at Pierce Point Ranch, where the trailhead is. You may want to download the directions/map before you head out as cell service can be spotty out in West Marin.

Marin Headlands

Next up: Marin Headlands. Breathe in. Deeply. Now let it go. That's how it feels to be in the Marin Headlands. The area is vast, so we’ll narrow it down: we like the Coastal Trail Loop for a smattering of really lovely flowers all around the hills. Park at the Rodeo Beach lot and head towards the Coastal Trail to Tennessee Point for an easy 1.5 mile loop with stunning views of the ocean and dramatic rocky flower-rimmed coastline.

Oh, and here’s a handy Marin County Wildflower Field Guide to help you identify all the beauties you see out there.

Happy Hiking!

Visit Our Marin Hotels

Marin Hotels is a boutique hotel collection with three properties in Marin County California. When you stay at one of our hotels, you'll experience a true sense of place since each is immersed in Marin's natural abundance.

Our hotels are small, intimate, quiet, and offer thoughtful service. Add in easy access to San Francisco, wine country, and the jewels of the National Park system right here in Marin and you'll see for yourself why at stay at one of our hotels is not just a hotel room, but an unforgettable Northern California experience.