Explore Marin & Sonoma from Novato: Cowgirl Creamery, Heidrun Mead & More

Skip SF hotel prices and base in Novato for quick access to Marin and Sonoma: taste at Cowgirl Creamery and along the Cheese Trail, sip mead at Heidrun, sample Novato wineries, explore Petaluma’s historic core, tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Marin Civic Center, and ferry into San Francisco from Larkspur. 

Think outside the box, even outside San Francisco city limits, when looking for what to do in Northern California. Steer north to the suburb of Novato, where you can find less expensive lodging and have convenient access to premier agritourism, great eats, outstanding wine, California history, outdoor adventures, and, yes, even San Francisco.

Consider this: The average temperature in San Francisco in the summer is in the 60s, while the average temperature in Novato in Marin County is in the 80s. For parking in San Francisco, you’ll pay at least $30-$40 a day, while in most areas of Marin and Sonoma counties, you can park for free (and you can find a place, too). A decent hotel in a convenient area in San Francisco can set you back $300 (or more!) A hotel night in the northern part of the Bay Area will likely cost less than $200.

When looking for things to do in Northern California, consider Novato, about 40-45 minutes north of San Francisco by car, as a getaway option that won't break the bank. Plus, it will give you superior access to a broader scope of what the San Francisco Bay Area has to offer, especially if you prefer to use a car for some part of your adventure. Think hiking on the coast with sweeping cliff views, sipping wine in Sonoma or Marin counties, standing in a redwood forest, tasting cheese, birdwatching, or enjoying California history and museums.

You can also head down into San Francisco, taking a car to the Larkspur Ferry, then arriving in San Francisco worry-free sans automobile.

People often think of Sonoma and Napa wineries for what to do north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Think a little broader (but don’t forget about wine and related fermented beverages and distilled spirits). You can’t do it all – since there is a huge menu to choose from – but consider a few of these options:

Cheesemaking

Both Sonoma and Marin counties have many of the original, craft cheese-making businesses in California. In fact, thanks to the California Cheese Trail organization, you can plot your way from cheese to cheese, nibbling on fresh, soft, hard, aged, blue, white, and you name it.

I took a cheese-tasting and tour at Cowgirl Creamery in quaint Point Reyes Station in Marin County, where a group of both tourists and locals discovered the ins and outs of a variety of cheese types. And, yes, you get to taste the offerings, too, while cheesemakers are busy behind the glass in the creamery putting together a batch of triple cream Red Hawk. One of Cowgirl’s most famous cheeses, it is defined by the flavors created by local Point Reyes Station bacteria. So even when the entire operation moved to a large plant in Petaluma in Sonoma County, Red Hawk production stayed behind. Head cheese monger Hilary Green led a down-to-earth tasting where participants even “made cheese” (surprising how the milk and rennet became cheese so quickly and easily, but it was most certainly not ready for prime time!). Of course, the highlight was tasting eight different cheeses. As the cheeseboard passed down the tables, tasting spoons became weapons as eager participants dove enthusiastically into the cheese samples. Get there in the morning to watch the cheese making in the creamery, and sign up for Friday-only tasting and tours early since they sell out quickly.

Find out more about other Marin County creameries on the Visit Marin blog and about other Sonoma County creameries here.

HUNGRY? Although Point Reyes Station is a small town, it boasts a great variety of restaurants. The Osteria Stellina and Station House Café get high ratings. Still, I chose the more casual Side Street Kitchen that emphasizes slow-cooked meats and chicken, organic foods, and wholesome fare. You can also buy all kinds of goodies to go at Tomales Bay Foods (where Cowgirl Creamery is housed) and have a do-it-yourself gourmet picnic. Insider tip: Inside the Palace Market in the center of town, you can snag some locally made Double 8 soft serve buffalo milk gelato, rich, creamy, delectable, and a great way to top off a meal or hike.

Wine and other fermented beverages and spirits

When discussing what to do in Sonoma County and Marin County, wine, beer, mead, whisky, and other spirits often top the list for many. In 2019, Sonoma County celebrated its two-year anniversary of surviving the huge Tubbs Fire, which at that time was the most destructive wildfire in California history. Nearly two dozen wineries were damaged or destroyed. But most have come back and are celebrating a rebirth. And they want you.

It’s not difficult to find wineries and others along the traditional wine trails in Sonoma (and Napa) counties, so we stayed put in Novato to see what Marin had to say about wine. And boy did it have a lot to say!

Mantra owner and winemaker Mike Kuimelis discusses his different wine labels in his cozy tasting room (Yes, those are old lockers he salvaged and finished as storage).

Mantra Wines opened its tasting room in a small old town in Novato in 2017, following the start of “legitimate” wine production in about 2000, according to owner, winemaker, and all-around-if-it-needs-doing-I’ll-do-it guy Mike Kuimelis. Take our word for it, the website does not do justice to the experience at the Mantra Wines tasting room. It is a tasting room that doubles as a lounge, a bar, and a living room, all rolled into one, with a touch of music club. Comfy, cozy, light-filled, with a small menu of light bites in partnership with popular Finnegan’s bistro and pub next door. You can easily hunker down with some great wine in one of the nooks with a few friends and find the evening is gone in a wink. And the variety of excellent wine, including bubbles, goes on forever.

Also in Novato’s downtown is Trek Winery, which has become a venue for special events, music, and comedy, too, since it opened in 2012. Brooks Note winery has its tasting room (for now!) in Trek’s headquarters and offers “all things pinot,” according to owner/winemaker Garry Brooks. The Pinot Noir Rose was really divine!

Deciding to veer from the wine trail for something different, I wandered into Heidrun Meadery back in Point Reyes Station. Mead is basically an alcoholic beverage fermented from honey and water. But if you have tasted mead before and said something like, "nice but way too sweet for me," you need to reeducate your mead palate with Heidrun. According to founder and mead maker Gordon Hull, it is the only meadery in the United States that relies exclusively on the champagne technique (méthode champenoise) for making mead. With final fermenting in the bottle, the result is a beverage that fills your nose with the smells of its honey’s source (from Macadamia Nut to Orange Blossom to Madras Carrot Blossoms) but goes down fresh, light, and bubbly like the finest sparkling wine. When you are headed out for a hike in Point Reyes National Seashore see below), drop in at Heidrun for a refresher afterwards.

HITT Tip: Wine and beverage tastings these days aren’t inexpensive and can cost $10-$15 for a short flight. Visit local tourist offices or hotels to find free or discounted coupons for tastings at select outlets. 

California History

At some point, you’ll likely end up in the heart of Sonoma at the historic Sonoma Plaza (the largest of its kind in California), shaded by graceful oak trees. There are shops, nationally renowned restaurants, and wine-tasting rooms surrounding the entire plaza. But take a few minutes to take in the history that made this town what it is: Go to the Sonoma State Historic Park and find out more about the northernmost mission in California. Different from other parks, it is a series of attractions near and on the plaza (which is where the California State Bear Flag was born). After wandering through the mission, the barracks, and others, don’t miss the home of General Vallejo about ¾ of a mile down the street (a great picnic venue too).

HITT Tip: Your small admission fee also gets you into Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, about 30 minutes by car southwest of Sonoma in the town of Petaluma and 20 minutes north of Novato.

In downtown Petaluma, the city museum is housed in the former public library, built as a Carnegie Library in 1896.

Petaluma historic downtown. Many towns in the greater San Francisco Bay Area were partly or wholly destroyed in the 1906 earthquake – not Petaluma, because of the bedrock it is on. That means when it comes to a density of beautiful historic homes, downtown business buildings, and other landmarks, Petaluma needs to be on your list of things to do in Northern California and in Sonoma County. The Petaluma Visitors Bureau offers historic walking tours of downtown every Saturday morning from May through October with docents in costumes (check the event calendar for more information). Sure, you can walk around on your own, but taking a walking tour will open your eyes to an additional layer of history, building construction, and other touches you would not notice on your own.

HUNGRY? In the Great Petaluma Mill Center, the Wild Goat Bistro offers a cozy, casual setting with farm-to-table cuisine and many gluten-free options. (The Four Cheese Fig & Pig Pizza is to die for.)

Novato's history and sights. Novato in Marin County offers a lot of parks and preserves, making it a great central spot to stay when you are looking for things to do in Northern California. Its City Hall is a cute building built in 1896 in the Gothic Victorian style, today an event space. There is no lack of festivals and activities in Novato either, from wine and food to history and music. Take time to head to the former Hamilton Army Airfield & Air Force base that hugs the bay. Today, the Hamilton base has been repurposed and includes superior access to a great (and accessible) walking trail along Hamilton Wetlands (Our tip: Get there in the morning or at sunset when the light is amazing and the birdwatching at its best), and there is also a Hamilton Field History Museum for true buffs. A real highlight is the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art (Marin MOCA).

The Marin Civic Center was one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last projects, and it remains a classic of his style, including wonderful curving lines.

Marin Civic Center and Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. I must admit that I have driven past the Marin Civic Center’s beautiful building for, well, decades, but finally stopped. Don’t make the mistake I did if you are interested in architecture and history. Yes, you can walk around on your own as I did (since I was there late in the day), but a docent tour is advised for a real education. You can also head up into the café on your own before 4 p.m. to see the golden spire. Alternatively, you can download a self-guided tour brochure for a walkabout or use the interactive app for a virtual tour.

What to do in Northern California for families

What makes up fun for the family in Northern California will depend on the age of the kids involved. Here are three highlights:

Peanuts’ creator Charles Schulz’s former studio is re-created in the museum in Santa Rosa.

Charles M. Schulz Museum. Yes, the home of all things Peanuts and Snoopy is located in Santa Rosa, about 35-55 minutes by car from Novato and up to two hours from San Francisco. For Peanuts gang fans, the Charles Schulz Museum is a must-stop. Not only can you read Peanuts cartoons forever (exhibits and collections change), but you can also learn more about the timeline and development of Peanuts and Charles Schulz, who died in 2000. Spend some time in the recreation of his art studio with family photos, his art tools, his chair, the back wall (with its worn-out mark from the chair rubbing on it!), and his personal library. In the theater, there is a constant show of cartoons and documentaries, and an education room for kids to try their hand at being a cartoonist. Check out the event program for what’s happening, since there is always something!

HUNGRY? A visit to the Charles Schulz Museum is not complete without a stop at the Warm Puppy Café inside the Redwood Empire Ice Arena. Charles Schulz’s regular table is still reserved for him, and you can watch skaters through the window at the ice rink. Super casual and also built by Schulz.

Walt Disney Family Museum and Presidio. Opened in 2007 on a former army base in San Francisco by Walt Disney’s daughter, the non-profit Walt Disney Family Museum is frankly a treat that will entertain kids, teens, and adults alike. From exhibitions and movies to checking out a pencil to do a little sketching in the galleries, you can spend many hours there.

While you are at the Walt Disney Family Museum, take time to discover the Presidio, a former military post. Since its closing in 1989, the Presidio has been transformed by a partnership between the national park system and the Presidio Trust into housing, parks, museums, monuments, green spaces, walking trails, outdoor art, and a great view of the Bay. It is a true gem in San Francisco, yet just about 30 minutes from Novato in Marin County. There is also a free bus from downtown San Francisco to and around the Presidio (it IS more than 1,100 acres, you know!). Check its schedule and stops here.

Exploratorium Museum of Science, Art, and Human Perception. Celebrating its 50th birthday in 2019, the Exploratorium in San Francisco finally grew out of its original facility at the Palace of Fine Arts and moved to Pier 15 along the Embarcadero. Kids of all ages will enjoy its hands-on exhibits to explore every aspect of science and perception. Since it can be filled with endless school field trips, consider waiting until mid-afternoon when the buses of kids leave, so that you can have a more intimate experience!

HITT Tip: For the best travel experience, consider using public transportation to get into San Francisco from Novato, Marin, and Sonoma. Traffic can be horrible, bridge tolls high, and finding parking a nightmare, not to mention very expensive. Buses are an option, but you can also drive to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, located about 15-20 minutes south of Novato. From there, you can take a pleasant ferry across the water to the convenient San Francisco Ferry Terminal, which is less than a half-mile from the Exploratorium Museum, for example. From there, you can hop on a streetcar along the Embarcadero or all kinds of buses around “The City” (fyi, that’s what locals call it and never “San Fran”… ouch!). Go here for more info about transportation in The City. But don’t forget to explore the transformed SF Ferry Building before leaving, including its array of restaurants and coffee bars, and the regular Saturday morning farmer’s market.

Outdoor adventure of all kinds in Northern California

With the many thousands of acres of state and national parks, preserves, seashores, trails, woods, and wetlands, Northern California offers something for everyone. Pick your park based on a preference of wetlands, rivers, mountain trails, or Bay views. Here is a sampling of a few places you can head:

>> In Marin County: Point Reyes National Seashore offers many miles of trails, but you can also learn a little bit about earthquakes on its shorter Earthquake Trail (1 kilometer) -- great for families and kids and accessible. The Marin Headlands in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area also offers biking, walking, and bay and Golden Gate Bridge Views. And of course, in Muir Woods National Monument, you can walk among towering old-growth Redwoods.

In Sonoma County: The San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, located in part in Sonoma County, offers expansive views of the bay, wetlands, and rivers, as well as opportunities for birdwatching. Sonoma County also has numerous regional parks for hiking, boating, biking, birding, and swimming.

>> From San Francisco to Marin and Sonoma and beyond: If you are looking for a little more adventure – or just a short jaunt – check out the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which circles the ridges around the entire bay (or will someday). Want more? There is also the San Francisco Bay Trail, now celebrating its 30th birthday. It circles the Bay as a whole, closer to the water, covering 500 miles and 47 cities, including Novato. Both circular trails have been works in progress for 20-30 years and are continuing to connect the dots.