DESTINATION TIBURON

“Paradise by the Bay”

By Terry F. Koenig

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  Set against the sparkling backdrop of San Francisco Bay, Tiburon is a picturesque, historic town in Marin County, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Boasting a village-like atmosphere, Tiburon joins Belvedere, a small, exclusive residential city, on the tip of Tiburon Peninsula, named from the Spanish Punta de Tiburon (shark point). Together they total 4.9 square miles.

(see map: google | yahoo)

Peninsula Memoirs

The peninsula’s two cities have diametrically opposite origins. The smaller Belvedere (Italian for “beautiful view”) was developed more than 100 years ago by the Belvedere Land Company, which sold its lots to wealthy San Franciscans to build summer homes. Connected to Tiburon by a causeway that bridges the Belvedere Lagoon, the one-mile-long island is now Marin’s smallest enclave of multimillion-dollar homes.

Tiburon, however, got its start as a bustling, rowdy railroad town—the proverbial “other side of the tracks” from its then more upscale neighbor. Created in 1884 as a waterfront terminus for the San Francisco and Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Tiburon was a settlement whose railyard included 50 buildings, among them train sheds, a round house, machine shops, offices, and a wharf whose double piers fed the ferries to San Francisco. By 1909, the passenger railroad lines and ferries had moved to Sausalito, leaving only the machine shops and freight terminal in their wake. The last train left Tiburon in 1967, and since then, the town has evolved into a casually sophisticated community that ranks, like Belvedere, among Forbes’ top 25 residential cities in the United States—and as a favorite destination of Bay Area visitors.

Getting Around

After exiting Highway 101, take Tiburon Boulevard (Highway 131) east until you reach the tip of the peninsula. As you approach Main Street, downtown’s hub, you’ll find the Boardwalk Shopping Center on the right and Point Tiburon Plaza to the left.

Park your car at one of several lots—then leave it. Tiburon is a pleasantly walkable destination. For a helpful map, pick up a self-guided historical walking tour brochure (free) from the Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society in the Donohue Building on Paradise Drive (also available in racks throughout town). Or visit the Tiburon Peninsula Chamber of Commerce office in Ark Row, upper Main Street.

Where to Stay

              There’s so much to do in Tiburon—why not stay over? Tiburon’s two hotels provide a range of accommodations. The aptly named Waters Edge is a boutique hotel above tide on Main Street with 21 guestrooms and two suites. On Tiburon Boulevard, The Lodge at Tiburon offers 101 guestrooms and suites.

Tantalizing Dining

              Tiburon’s 15 restaurants cater to a wide variety of culinary tastes—enough to satisfy any palate. You’ll find restaurants serving up classic Italian trattoria-style meals (Servino’s), seasonal California cuisine (The Caprice), gourmet Mexican (Guaymas), fresh seafood (Sam’s Anchor Cafe), and more. Many are located on the water, with views of San Francisco and the Bay. Some popular restaurants, such as Servino’s, Sam’s, and Guaymas, offer outdoor dining.

              Numerous specialty markets and deli’s prepare delectable picnic baskets made to order. Waypoint Pizza is a great place to take the whole family.

What to Do

              Tiburon’s fascinating history and natural beauty also provide a variety of unique attractions. In Tiburon, the 1884 Tiburon Railroad-Ferry Depot Museum—the only dual-use railroad terminal to survive west of the Hudson River—is on the National Register of Historic Places. Old St. Hilary’s, a Carpenter Gothic church set in the midst of a wildflower preserve, was built in 1888 and offers stunning views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.  Ark Row, former houseboats on Tiburon Lagoon before it was filled in the 1940s, now houses restaurants and shops along upper Main Street. Tiburon Playhouse, site of the Tiburon International Film Festival, shows first-run domestic and foreign films. Windsor Vineyards, the only tasting room for this award-winning winery, offers wine tasting. And in Belvedere, the China Cabin is the restored Social Saloon of the SS China (1866), a national maritime monument with a gilded Victorian drawing room.

Shop ‘til You Drop

              When we travel, we shop—and Tiburon offers plenty of opportunities to do so. Look for unique boutiques and galleries at Tiburon’s four shopping areas—Main Street, on the waterfront; Ark Row, on upper Main; Point Tiburon Plaza; and the Boardwalk Shopping Center, as you enter downtown. All are within walking distance of the ferry dock.

Explore the Great Outdoors

Tiburon

              Despite its small size, Tiburon offers myriad recreational opportunities. Hop on a bike, jog, or strap on a pair of rollerblades and explore the scenic recreational path that follows the water from downtown to Blackie’s Pasture, where locals play soccer, picnic, and fly kites. Tiburon Uplands Nature Preserve, located just beyond Old St. Hilary’s Church, offers hiking amid wildflowers and dark forests of California bay and fern. Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary is a 900-acre water bird sanctuary on San Francisco Bay; Lyford House, its landmark yellow Victorian, is open to visitors. Of the area’s three parks, Paradise Beach Park may be the most popular, due to its swimming beach and picture-postcard picnicking.

Angel Island State Park

              Just 10 minutes away from downtown Tiburon by ferry is Angel Island State Park (your ferry ticket includes the park entrance fee). The 740-acre island is a microcosm of California history, from its origins as a Miwok hunting ground and a Civil War encampment to a notorious immigration station erroneously dubbed “Ellis Island of the West,” a World War II troop processing station, and a NIKE missile site.

              Recreational opportunities abound on Angel Island, from 13 miles of hiking trails and nearly as many biking trails, to kayaking trips around the island. Bicycle and kayak rentals are available on the island; bring your own picnic or dawdle at the island cafe. Seasonal, narrated tram tours provide a comfortable, convenient way for visitors of all ages to sightsee.

angel island-tiburon ferry

 Special Events

              If you’ve a special interest, look no further than these special events. Each May the Chamber of Commerce hosts the Tiburon Wine Festival at Point Tiburon Plaza, one of Marin’s premier wine festivals. The one-day wine and food event features more than 75 premier wineries, gourmet food, and music.  Friday Nights on Main the newest Chamber offering, features dining and music on Main Street every Friday Night from May through September.  Opening Day on the Bay draws boaters and landlubbers to this festive regional event.

              Two events transform the town. In February, more than 1,000 people tour four spectacular kitchens in Belvedere and Tiburon on the Belvedere - Hawthorne Nursery Schools’ annual Valentine’s Kitchen Tour. In mid-March, the eight-day Tiburon International Film Festival, held at the Tiburon Playhouse, screens 250 foreign and domestic independent films, attracting numerous filmmakers and hundreds of film buffs.