North Bay Woman

NORTH BAY WOMAN 15 it is where you are. It's zen. It's fun. It's a picnic. Marin is a great place to eat outdoors, with literally scores of public parks that range from cozy neighborhood hide- aways to internationally famous nature preserves honeycombed with hiking trails or renowned for jaw-dropping vistas. Whether you're wanting a popular beach or a secluded one, benches and tables in a shady glade or just a comfy bluff some- where on which to throw a blanket and plop down, this county's got it all. Here are some thumbnail suggestions for a dozen of our favorite picnic spots from Sausalito to Novato. Our criteria? They'd have nearby parking or their own lots, easy-to-reach places to sit, public restrooms and offer a variety of environ- ments to enjoy. We've also added some information on where to pick up perfect fare in the neighborhood of your destina- tion if you don't feel like cooking for your outing. Sausalito Schoonmaker Point Marina, 85 Liberty Ship Way and off the beaten track, offers one of the county's most accessible little beaches. It's also a sweet spot to enjoy the bay yet be out of the wind. Bring a blanket and a basket. The water ripples so gently it's almost a pond, and there are a thousand boats, sea birds and even a seal or two to watch. Purchase some creative Italian-styled layered sandwiches, assorted pastries or coffee drinks at near- by Cibo, one of Sausalito's most interest- ing coffee houses at 1201 Bridgeway, and you're all set. Dunphy Park, Bridgeway at Napa Street in Sausalito, will reopen this summer following extensive renovations. Make a note of that, because this is a classic small town park with a little gazebo, benches, green grassy lawns, bocce courts, sand volleyball and shoreline access — the best of all worlds. Get your picnic at Cibo or stop at Mollie Stone's, 100 Harbor Drive, on your way into town for its huge selection of hot and cold grab-and-go foods and one of the best selections of chocolate bars in Marin. Mill Valley Given that Mill Valley is one of the gateways to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach and a plethora of other well-known sea and countryside adventures, we could write a whole book just on picnicking in this area. For something different, go to Old Mill Park, 352 Throckmorton Ave. in downtown Mill Valley and take a load off in this glorious tangle of huge red- wood trees and deeply shaded, rounded little hills. Picnic tables and benches are scattered throughout; there's a burbling stream providing background music. Nice children's playground and public restrooms as well. For lunch, the Mill Valley Market, 12 Corte Madera Ave., offers both and hot and cold grab-and- go foods, chocolate bars, cookies and a remarkable wine and spirits section. Try a bottle of Navarro single varietal grape juice (non-alcoholic), either the Gewurtzraminer or Pinot Noir. Served over ice, it will make any picnic lunch extra special. Tiburon Blackie's Pasture, Tiburon Boulevard. Here's an extraordinary park that winds for three miles along Richardson Bay, fea- turing everything from lush grassy lawns, picnic tables, bayside gazebos, benches, trees and fl owers, to a hiking/biking path that will give you a 6-mile workout if you stroll all the way to downtown Tiburon (and back). There are even a couple of little rocky beaches to explore. Check out the Cove Shopping Center, 1 Blackfi eld Drive in Tiburon, for three great places to stock up on yummies: Nugget Market, Foodniks, or Sweet Things for cookies, pastries and individual-sized fruit tarts. So much picnic fare in this one shopping center, it's almost dizzying. Larkspur Piper Park, 250 Dougherty Drive, Lark- spur, offers more than two acres of grassy places to lounge and stroll, leafy trees for shade, some picnic tables, a dog park, community garden, accessible bathrooms and Corte Madera Creek ribboning its way around the outskirts. There are plenty of places to stroll and picnic. It's a great park to come with your dog so it can run off leash. For lunch, stop at nearby Woodlands Market, 735 College Ave. in Kentfi eld, for one of the best assortments of deli and prepared foods in the North Bay. Ross The Natalie Coffi n Greene Park, at the end of Lagunitas Road in Ross, is the launching spot for one of Marin's nicest Picnic paradise: Newly renovated Dogbone Meadow in Novato (left), Schooner Point Marin in Sausalito (right) and Marin French Cheese in West Marin.- Photos by Stuart Lirette, Nick Brown

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