I was lucky enough to spend a month staying with an amazing friend living in Tiburon this summer - a stunning area only five or six miles from downtown San Francisco, with unbeatable views across the Bay of the iconic city skyline, and the added bonus of a warmer microclimate (which feels like a blessing as you watch the fog roll in over San Francisco)! Living 'as a local' gave me some unique insights into this secluded and often-overlooked part of the Bay Area...
Tiburon is located on a peninsula extending into San Francisco Bay in the exclusive neighbourhood of Marin County. It's only a half hour ferry ride via Blue and Gold Fleet ($12.50 each way) from downtown San Francisco but a world away from the city. I absolutely love the Victorian architecture, funky shops, creativity and intellectual hippy vibe of San Francisco, but Tiburon is the perfect respite if you're looking for a slower pace of life.
You probably won't find a single piece of litter on the ground or see any homeless people. Instead you'll find a compact town centre consisting of perfectly manicured public streets, quaint wooden houses, fashion boutiques, wine-tasting rooms and restaurants. Oh, and the occasional deer just strolling through a carpark or casually crossing the road!
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| San Francisco skyline in the fog |
There's even a tiny bit of nightlife in the form of an excellent bar named Sam's Anchor Cafe which stays open until the last person leaves (believe me, we tested this!). But how is it that Tiburon has gone under the radar to so many for so long for so many people except for those in the know?
Many tourists who want to avoid staying in San Francisco itself opt for the charms of the slightly larger Sausalito, which has a similar Old World atmosphere to Tiburon. Like Tiburon, Sausalito is connected to the city by ferry and cyclists seem to love it because they can do a round trip over the Golden Gate Bridge from there (admittedly with a few scary-looking road sections of the route with no cycle lanes). Being a larger town, it's better equipped for tourists and is closer to the Golden Gate Bridge (although you can see the top of Golden Gate Bridge from the peak of the hill in Tiburon).
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| Even Tiburon Fire Station looks like some kind of adorable toy-town building |
Since Tiburon is smaller it has fewer facilities than Sausalito, and also (deliberately) the town has avoided going down the Airbnb route. There are only a handful of places you can actually stay there, the main ones being an upscale, slightly retro-looking tavern with a large (heated) outdoor dining area, The Lodge at Tiburon (around $224/night) and the Mediterranean-looking Water's Edge Hotel, right in Main Street, (around $299/night). The latter is a popular wedding reception venue.
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| Catching the ferry |
In case you're wondering, the name Tiburon means 'shark' in Spanish. The area was named 'Punta de Tiburon' by Spanish explorers in the 1800s. It later became a major rail hub on the North Pacific Railroad. The line has been pulled up since then and turned into a lovely walking route (see below).
The highlights of Tiburon
Main Street
Every Friday night Main Street is closed to traffic and fills up with live music and al fresco dining from 6pm-9pm. The gorgeous wooden buildings were created between 1870 and 1920. It's a short street but lovely to wander down.
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| Main Street, Tiburon |
Old Saint Hilary's Church at 201 Esperanza Street (on the hillside)
"It looks just like something out of Little House on the Prairie!", exclaimed one of my friends when they saw my photos on Instagram. And it's true - this beautiful, gleaming white gothic church was built in 1888 and looks like it could have been in an old Western, or maybe in WestWorld! It fell out of use and was de-consecrated but the church and surrounding land was preserved by a group of residents.
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| Old Saint Hilary's Church |
Hiking near the church
There are a number of short trails between the centre of Tiburon and Old Saint Hilary's Church, extending up over the hillside behind it. Apparently these beautiful golden hills are under threat because somebody wants to build a housing development here - let's hope that never happens, as it would be a major loss for locals and visitors alike.
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| Beautiful long grass and wildflowers on the hillside |
Ark Row
This is a collection of huge wooden house boats that artists and other bohemian types docked at Tiburon Lagoon in the late 1890s. The inlet and much of the area was reclaimed from the sea, so nowadays these houseboats permanently grounded at the water's edge. Also check out 'the China Cabin', which is an ornate wooden ballroom rescued from a former steamer, the SS China.
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| Ark Row/China Cabin |
Tiburon Linear Park and Blackie's Pasture
This track is much longer and more impressive than the short Shoreline Park, although the tiny Shoreline Park does offer great views of downtown San Francisco and Angel Island. Follow the former railroad tracks right from the town centre along the coastline. There are display boards along the way featuring historic photos and etchings of how the area used to look. It leads to Blackie's Pasture, which is a wide open space with a playground and picnic areas. Blackie's Pasture is named after a horse that was loved by the local community and was always seen standing surveying his kingdom. Despite being swaybacked he lived to the grand old age of 28. A statue of Blackie was erected in the field in his memory, which I thought was rather touching.
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| A much-loved former Tiburon resident |
Tiburon Playhouse
This has to be the cutest cinema I've ever seen. It's a wooden building painted in sky blue with a white trim and has three small screens inside. Although it looks like it should be an arthouse cinema is plays all the mainstream releases.
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| The cutest cinema in the world: Tiburon Playhouse |
Sam's Anchor Cafe
This Tiburon institution was originally opened by Sam Vella, an immigrant from Malta, in the 1920s. Rumour has it that Sam's was full operational even during Prohibition! There's a trapdoor in the floor that they used to sneak whisky through from the boats. It still has an amazing atmosphere and is particularly busy at weekends, when the outdoor terrace is crammed with people enjoying it!
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| The outdoor deck at Sam's fills up at the weekends! |
Ferry to Angel Island
When you're looking at Angel Island from Tiburon it appears as if it's part of the headland but in fact is separated by the sea. Go cycling or hiking here, or maybe check out the museum which explains its history. It used to be where new arrivals to the USA were processed and made me wonder if my great-great-great uncle (is there another 'great in there?) who emigrated to San Francisco during the Gold Rush ever set foot here. I remember my grandmother showing me a letter he wrote from here to relatives back in Lincoln in beautiful hand-writing. There is a regular ferry service between Angel Island and Tiburon.
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| Angel Island is in the background, and to the far right is downtown San Francisco |
There's so much more to say about what makes Tiburon so beautiful but I'm going to leave it here for now. It's definitely worth checking out, perhaps for a day trip from San Francisco, especially if you like a slower, quieter pace of life. Most of the town shuts down by 9pm, which gives you time to admire the lights of San Francisco on a clear night, or watch the fog rapidly rolling in from the sea to completely hide the city from view.
