Marin County’s most intriguing inns

Thick redwood forests, green and golden hills dappled by fog, long sandy beaches, bustling bayside marinas and picturesque, pedestrian-friendly towns — Marin County is a microcosm of everything beautiful in the Bay Area. No wonder so many other residents of the region flock here for special occasions and easy getaways, finding unique lodgings that range from rustic cabins in West Marin to chic suites in Sausalito. [...] why wait for the weekend, when a serene escape is so close to home? Small-town Marshall is best known for two things: the fresh oysters from Tomales Bay, which hugs the tiny enclave, and Nick’s Cove & Cottages, a lodging and dining establishment known as much for its cult following as its scenic waterside setting. The restaurant is the gathering spot for tourists and locals (Marshall’s sign boasts a population of 50), and overnight guests book one of the 12 cottages — famous for their knotty-pine charm, wood-burning fireplaces and cozy interiors. The current owners of Nick’s Cove have preserved the cottages’ vernacular style while providing modern updates and the amenities. People come here to disconnect — cell phone service is spotty at best, and guests seem to appreciate unplugging. The most coveted seats in town are in the Boat Shack, a rustic structure at the end of a 400-foot pier that has a direct line to the restaurant. Waiters will put logs on the fire and deliver drinks to the Shack, which boasts a communal table, a piano and unobstructed bay views. [...] the surrounding area is a food-lover’s paradise, with some of West Marin County’s top fish, meat and dairy purveyors within a 12-mile radius. Up the hill from the cottages sits the Croft, a 2-acre kitchen farm and chicken coop that takes hyper-local cuisine to the next level. Guests can meet the chickens and roam around the garden, where the restaurant harvests everything from herbs and lettuces to fresh strawberries. Blue Waters Kayaking offers a tour package that takes guests out onto the water in the evening to see the bioluminescent dinoflagellates that light up Tomales Bay. Have the lodging staff at Nick’s Cove arrange for a rental (or bring your own) stand-up paddleboard or kayak and get out into the pristine waters of Tomales Bay. Explore the stingrays and jellyfish, take an up-close peek at Hog Island, and then find your way back to our waterfront lounge for some bubbles and oysters. Sitting at the end of the Boat Shack, next to your loved one with a seasonal cocktail from the Nicks’s Cove Bar. We like to go to Tomales Bay Foods in Point Reyes Station and pick up an assortment of cheeses, all by local dairies, and some salumi, bread and fruit. Inverness claims a spot on the bucket list of most savvy travelers, thanks to Manka’s Inverness Lodge, a retreat where rustic luxury comes alive in unique rooms, cabins and cottages tucked into the hillside and nestled along the waterfront. The accommodations blend seamlessly into the landscape, and the interiors showcase owner Margaret Grade’s uncanny ability to make rustic feel oh-so-chic. To enter one of the cozy cabins, accessorized with hunting and fishing accoutrement — a nod to the area’s roots — is to feel as though you’ve stumbled upon a secret bungalow that’s been perfectly preserved for a century. Over the years, she and her partner, chef Daniel DeLong, have given Manka’s all the necessary improvements to transform it into a world-class destination — without stripping away its character. The appeal: A stay here is a soulful experience — think outdoor showers, deep tubs, roaring fires, starry skies and plush chairs designed for curling up with a book beneath a Pendleton blanket. Though the original (and beloved) hunting lodge and restaurant burned down in 2006, Grade and DeLong opened Sir and Star at the Olema, a short drive from Manka’s. Every morning around 9 a.m. a gentle knock at the door lets guests know that breakfast has arrived. A shallow wooden tray cradles jars of apple cider, freshly cut fruit and homemade granola with yogurt. Rooms come with plenty of dark roast coffee and tea for holing up inside your bungalow or room. The property has an annex, with four less expensive side-by-side rooms, and several historic cottages and cabins tucked around it in the woods. The luxurious Boathouse, down the road, boasts breathtaking views of Tomales Bay, lots of natural light and bright white shiplap walls. Though Manka’s has an off-the-grid feel: there’s Wi-Fi and plenty of music stored on iPods with a top-notch speaker system. Grab tacos al pastor with green sauce to go and you’re all set. Olema’s claim to fame as the epicenter of the Great Quake has been disputed (geologists say it’s farther south), but residents stick with their version of 1906. A handful of 19th century buildings remains, some of them former saloons and cardrooms that gave Olema its rowdy reputation during the logging and railroad days. Grade’s signature aesthetic, is best represented in the Great Room, a nod to the ancient Druids’ reverence for nature. The room’s most dramatic feature is a stuffed black bear, peering out from an alcove nestled into cabinets along one wall. The main building has three sunny guest rooms, including an apartment-size Grand Suite, with a separate bedroom, kitchen and fireplace and, in the garden, a Japanese-style cottage. All have beautifully tiled bathrooms and large showers; most have spa tubs. The decor is a work in progress, says Grade, with an emphasis on darker tones. Blue Waters Kayaking rents open and closed deck kayaks and stand-up paddleboards — perfect for exploring the secret beaches around Tomales Bay. Tidepools, topography, wildflowers and wildlife are waiting to be discovered at Point Reyes National Seashore, which Grade describes as having “really gentle beauty.” Daniel Deitrich, professional photographer and certified California naturalist, leads custom wildlife viewing safaris. If you’ve ever driven Marin County’s Panoramic Highway, you’ll know it’s aptly named, especially for its western prospect across Muir Woods and the chaparral-covered flanks of Mount Tamalpais to the ocean. The ridgeline inn’s dining room and decks offer a sweeping vista across Mill Valley, Richardson Bay and Tiburon to the East Bay hills. [...] imagine waking up to those views — and getting a jump start on even more scenic trails that start just outside your door. The inn’s Alpine vibe goes back to its beginnings in 1912, when a Swiss-German couple opened it as a stop along the mountain railway, now the Old Railroad Grade trail. German-born Dieter Dengler, the daring Navy pilot of “Rescue Dawn” fame, bought it in the 1970s and later sold it to his Air Force buddy Ed Cunningham, owner of Romantic Places, which also operates the Pelican Inn. Cunningham hired architect John Deamer to transform Mountain Home into the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired lodge it is today, with natural redwood columns spanning two floors, high ceilings and broad windows that bring the glorious outside in. Muir Woods, the Mountain Play and numerous hiking and biking trails are close by; in the evenings or on foggy mornings, lounge by a fire and play board games in the common room. More dinner options (including a three-course fixed price for $45) are offered Wednesday to Sunday 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Chef Edgar Gomez’s Friday night special, a three-course fixed price for $35, is inspired by that day’s finds at the Mill Valley Farmers’ Market. Hearty breakfast plates are cooked to order from 8 to 11 a.m. ($5 suggested gratuity); head to the dining area for coffee, too. The inn can arrange for in-room massages in all but the three smallest rooms, the “standard” category, which have a queen bed and petite deck but no TV. Superior rooms also each offer a king bed, wood-burning fireplace (with plenty of oak logs and kindling) and a jetted bathtub, while deluxe rooms have a queen bed and a fireplace or a jetted tub. Depending on how experienced they are, they’ll arrive from 3 to 5 p.m. and we’ll have a sunset mimosa — orange juice and grenadine — for them at the bar before dinner. Hit the road(house): “I love the oysters Bingo starter at Buckeye Roadhouse — they’re baked with cream, and I’m addicted to them.” The classic restaurant serves oysters Bingo ($18.50) daily at lunch and dinner. 15 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley. www.buckeyeroadhouse.com Every year, thousands of day-trippers pop in for a pint, pub grub or hearty dinner, but only a lucky fraction spend the night in one of seven cozy rooms, also designed in the style of a 16th century English inn. Filled with centuries-old antiques and constructed of vintage beams and handmade glass, the Pelican Inn quickly became a convenient gathering place for the community as well as hikers, bikers and other explorers of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Today it’s owned by a San Francisco group that also operates the Mountain Home Inn in Mill Valley along with hotels in Scotland and Jackson Hole, Wyo. Individually decorated, they feature low ceilings, odd-shaped doorways and just enough floor space for a pair of wingback chairs and a canopy bed with a hidden set of fertility stones (another British tradition). There are no TVs or phones; amuse yourself in the guests-only Snug Room, where the staff is happy to light a fire, and guests are welcome to play the piano or bring a drink over from the intimate pub, which also has darts. The nearby Green Gulch Farm Zen Center bakes bread for the restaurant, also under new management and offering British classics such as beef Wellington, curried lamb, and fish and chips, with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. The extras: A bottle of Ty Nant mineral water and TCHO chocolate await in each room, along with a copy of “Pelican History and Legends” — some say the inn is haunted — and Terra Pure wild citrus and olive oil bath amenities. At breakfast, choose from the massive English country option (two eggs, sausage and bacon, grilled tomato, baked beans, fruit and toast) or porridge (a.k.a. oatmeal). The small bathrooms only have showers, except for Room 7, which has a small bathtub with handheld shower. The front desk is staffed only between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., but the bartender can also check guests in until about 10 p.m. For weekend stays, it’s best to make a reservation for dinner at the same time you book your room. The Zen Center on site also offers Sunday morning meditation classes, dharma talk, tea and lunch (suggested donation $10-$15) that are open to the public. 1601 Shoreline Hwy., Muir Beach. www.sfzc.org/green-gulch The large flat-panel TVs and Blu-Ray DVD players at Sausalito’s Inn Above Tide may be au courant, but they hardly compare with the wide-angle views from the hotel’s 31 well-appointed rooms and suites, all of which not only face the water but seemingly hover over it. Watch ferries glide in and out of the dock next door as Angel Island looms nearby, or gaze at the broad swath of San Francisco shimmering across the bay; city lights and the Bay Bridge add sparkle to the night. If you can pull yourself away, Sausalito’s urban attractions are within an easy stroll, and Marin’s natural wonders within a short drive or bike ride. The three-story cedar-shingled hotel began life in the 1960s as a luxury condominium built on the site of a former garage by Bill McDevitt, who later converted most of it into office space. Sensing a sea change on Sausalito’s formerly scruffy waterfront, he closed the building in 1993 for a two-year transformation into the luxurious Inn Above Tide, and continued to make enhancements until his death in 2011. [...] his children have kept the hotel in the family, adding two new suites in 2014. Most guests are Northern Californians celebrating romantic occasions, drawn by gas fireplaces, private decks and soaking tubs in the majority of the rooms (there are 13 different floor plans), as well as those famous views. Head to the intimate Drawing Room or order room service to enjoy the complimentary and lavish continental breakfast: a half dozen kinds of fruit, fresh pastries from San Francisco’s Crepe and Brioche, quiche, hard-boiled eggs, cheeses, yogurt, etc. Kass Green, McDevitt’s daughter and co-owner of the hotel, created detailed maps for exploring Sausalito and the Marin Headlands by foot, bike or car; print and online versions are available for guests. Heath Ceramics, maker of dinnerware and tableware since 1948, has its original factory as well as a showroom in Sausalito — the only location selling overstock items. Flaherty recommends the free tours: 11:15 a.m. Friday, when workers are shaping, glazing and firing clay, and 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, when labor has stopped but the showroom remains open. To get even closer to the bay, “a lot of guests will go kayaking or stand-up paddling at Sea Trek Kayak.” $25 per hour for single kayaks and paddleboards; $40 per hour for double and triple kayaks. Ride or walk to dinner: “Along the Sausalito waterfront it’s fairly flat — you can ride all the way to Mill Valley — and our guests can also easily walk instead of driving to dinner.” Among Sausalito restaurants, Flaherty sends his guests to Fish, focused on sustainable seafood, on the harbor about 1½ miles north; the perennially popular Sushi Ran, “a fantastic option” a half-mile north; and Poggio, offering fresh Northern Italian fare just two blocks away. Breathtaking views of the iconic span and San Francisco are just one of the many attractions of this eco-friendly oasis, spread across vintage and new buildings that include a top-notch spa, well-regarded Murray Circle restaurant, popular Farley Bar and elite cooking school. Passports Resorts, which also owns the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, has worked closely with the National Park Service, which acquired the former military post in 2002, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to restore both structures and sensitive habitat at Cavallo Point — the Mission blue butterfly makes its home here. Environmental-minded folk will appreciate the LEED Gold certification, in part awarded for the thoughtful reuse of the former officers’ quarters that now house 68 rooms and suites, and the sustainable features of the 74 additional accommodations in the contemporary buildings. San Francisco and Sausalito are within easy striking distance, as are numerous hiking and biking trails, but it’s easy to hunker down here, too. All rooms have flat-panel TVs, Nespresso coffeemakers and mini-fridges; contemporary rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass windows, spacious bathrooms and two-sided glass fireplaces. Historic rooms sport early 20th century trimmings, but feel no less posh; because of their layout, they’re also ideal for family reunions and other group getaways. Suites are stocked with a half-bottle of wine, Nana Mae’s organic juices, Camembert from Marin French Cheese Co. and Carr’s Table Water Crackers. There’s a $25 daily resort fee, but it includes a daily shuttle to Sausalito and San Francisco, valet and self parking, Wi-Fi, morning yoga class, and fitness center access. Copita, which is authentic Mexican but upscale; Sushi Ran, one of the more famous restaurants in the whole area; and Barrel House, which has a great menu of contemporary California cuisine and really good drinks.