Tiburon Top 5
1 Koze Darla Fisher’s boutique in downtown Tiburon (the ideal place for a cozy wrap) has thrived and expanded with Koze Beginnings for children. getkoze.com
2 Christopher Salon New York stylist transforms Ark Row beach cottage into shear success. His prices top the local charts, but that hasn’t deterred his happy new clients. christopher-salon.com
3 Sweet Things Black Tie Layer Cake What started as a special order for weddings has turned into a best-selling birthday cake. Rich chocolate cake is topped with a luscious white buttercream frosting; serve with zinfandel. sweetthings.com
4 Schoenberg Guitars Those in the know know it’s an honor to call this luthier a local. What’s a luthier? A craftsman who makes stringed instruments. Eric Schoenberg plays, too. Check his schedule at om28.com
5 The Ark Newspaper Marilyn Kessler and the late Barbara Gnoss have been compiling compelling community commentary since 1987. Police logs, photo albums and local sports delivered every Wednesday. thearknewspaper.com
A choice day in Tiburon starts with the rising sun. If it doesn’t come streaming into your bedroom window, consider a stay at the Water’s Edge Hotel. Enjoy a complimentary breakfast, or join the legions of regulars at Caffe Acri for a pastry and coffee.
Burn off breakfast with a rigorous walking loop. Ask any local to direct you to Old St. Hilary’s Church. Built in 1888, it’s one of the few remaining Carpenter Gothic churches of the 19th century and is now a popular wedding and music venue.
From there hike up to the Vistazo West Fire Road. Look for the trail at Vistazo Creek and take it to the top of Mount Tiburon for 360-degree views of the bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the city of San Francisco.
Retrace your route down the hill and cool off by browsing the boutiques, jewelry shops and art galleries along Main Street and Ark Row.
After a shower at the Water’s Edge, park yourself at an outdoor table on the deck of Sam’s Anchor Cafe, a watering hole for locals and tourists since 1920. Known for its Ramos fizzes and brunches, Sam’s also serves tasty traditional fare like burgers and fries and fresh seafood.
Just after lunch, step onto a chartered boat reserved through SF Bay Adventures and tour the coastlines of Angel Island, Alcatraz and Belvedere. Note the shelter eye candy along the Belvedere shore, some of the priciest real estate in the country, and the Corinthian Yacht Club—positioned at the tip of Corinthian Island—the oldest yacht club on the West Coast.
Movies at the Tiburon Playhouse usually begin about 4 p.m. Watch a Hollywood blockbuster or indie film and afterwards head to Servino to enjoy a cocktail. From there, take a stroll along Shoreline Park to the Caprice restaurant for dinner, a front-row seat to sailboat races and ferrys crossing the San Francisco Bay.
Quick Picks
Many of the best things in Tiburon and Belvedere are free. Summer Concerts-in-the-Park are from 4 to 6 at Belvedere Park. Speakers, the children’s reading room, museum passes, a tech center and thousands of books are all no-charge at the Belvedere-Tiburon Library. There’s complimentary wine tasting Friday and Saturday evenings at Windsor Vineyards, the actual 1950s home of Rodney Strong. And you’ll find priceless views from the donated benches along the waterfront.
Did You Know?
• Next holiday season, thank the Kashani family for their annual light display at Tiburon Boulevard and Trestle Glen.
• Belveron got its name from a grade school naming contest in the 1950s.
• THE Tiburon Jewelflower, Streptanthus niger, only grows on the south end of the Tiburon Peninsula.
