The peaceful town of San Rafael, California, the government seat of Marin County, is home to a replica of the 1817 Mission San Rafael Archangel, the Falkirk Cultural Center (built in 1888) and the Marin History Museum. The city makes a great base for exploring the rest of Marin County.
Downtown San Rafael has a mix of shops, Victorian buildings and diverse restaurants. A self-guided walking tour of the historic buildings is available from the Chamber of Commerce. Phone 415-454-4163. http://www.srchamber.com.
The movie American Graffiti was filmed in San Rafael by George Lucas, whose LucasFilms studios are just outside the town.
The Marin Civic Center, in the hills to the northeast, was the last project designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
There's no ferry to San Rafael—the ferries from San Francisco go to Larkspur, Tiburon or Sausalito. San Rafael is linked to the East Bay (Berkeley and Oakland) by the Richmond Bridge.
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