Tiburon
Tiburon is a peninsula with Richardson Bay on one side, San Francisco Bay on the other, and Raccoon Strait separating it from Angel Island. This sunny, Bayside town has the look of a quaint fishing village, but it is actually a chic, lively community. From five-star restaurants to unique shopping to community festivals to outdoor recreation, you can have it all in this Marin County hotspot.
Tiburon started as the railroad and ferry terminal, where freight and passengers boarded the ferry to San Francisco. The history of the town's railroad and ship-building days is displayed at the Railroad-Ferry Depot Museum. The museum features a working model of the Point Tiburon yard circa 1910.
The Town of Tiburon was rated by Forbes Magazine as one of the nation's most expensive cities. The median income here is over $100,000, and the median home value is over $2,500,000. Well, who wouldn't want to live in paradise? Development is limited by strict criteria and active, organized residents who want to preserve the open space and rural character of the area. Here you'll find beautifully remodeled cottages and contemporary showplaces with outstanding views of the Bay, San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.
The town is surrounded by water, and marinas and yacht clubs. Sailing and swimming and other maritime pursuits are part of daily life in Tiburon. After all, the name of the town is the Spanish word for shark. The town is home to the 900-acre Audubon Society's Richardson Bay Sanctuary, which supports a variety of ecosystems and provides habitat for migratory water birds and other wildlife. Visitors to the sanctuary can explore a stretch of unspoiled shore and woodlands. Just off Main Street enjoy an immaculately groomed waterfront lawn and path for walking, jogging, biking and bayside picnics. Picnic there while you watch the Mid-winter Yacht Racing, one of the highlights of the year for Tiburon residents and visitors. The old railroad easement has been turned into a bike path that is part of the planned San Francisco Bay Trail, which will eventually circumnavigate the entire SF Bay, nearly 600 miles. The open spaces in Tiburon are also the home of some endangered native plant species, the Tiburon Indian paintbrush and the Tiburon Jewelflower, whose dark maroon flowers can only be seen in Old St. Hilary's Preserve in mid-May. While you're there, check out Old St. Hilary's, the lovely restored Carpenter Gothic Church.
You'll want to be in Tiburon Friday nights during spring and summer, when the Town of Tiburon closes Main Street to vehicle traffic and opens it to a refreshing summertime party, featuring live music and al fresco dining. Main Street, called "Ark Row," after the houseboat (ark) craze of the 1890's, is famous for its restaurants, boutiques and galleries. This is where you come to find fine arts and crafts and one-of-a-kind gifts made by local artisans. From here also you can take a short ferry ride for a day trip to San Francisco or over to scenic Angel Island.
Tiburon residents love to have fun, so it is home to several annual festivals. Mark your calendar for the Tiburon International Film Festival in March, the Tiburon Wine Festival in May, the Tiburon Classic Car Show at Shoreline Park in June, and the Tiburon Art Festival in August.
