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MILL VALLEY |
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From the east peak of Mount Tamalpais, a quick two-mile downhill
hike follows the Temelpa Trail through velvety shrubs of chaparral to
the town of MILL VALLEY , the oldest and most enticing of the inland
towns of Marin County. This was originally a logging center, from where
the destruction of the surrounding redwoods was organized, but for many
years the town has made a healthy living out of tourism and October's
annual Mill Valley Film Festival, which draws area stars and up-and-coming
directors alike.
The restored town centers today around the redwood-shaded square of the
Depot Bookstore and Café (Mon-Fri 7am-8pm, Sat & Sun 8am-9pm; tel
415/383-2665), a popular bookstore, café and meeting place at 87
Throckmorton Ave; there's a small visitor center in the same building (Mon,
Tues, Thurs & Fri 10am-noon and 1-4pm; tel 415/388-9700). Far and away
the best place to stay , if you can afford it, is the Mill Valley Inn ,
165 Throckmorton Ave (tel 415/389-6608 or 1-800/595-2100, ; $160-250+),
a gorgeous European-style inn with elegant rooms and two private
cottages. They've also opened a branch along the waterfront: sumptuous
Acqua Hotel , 555 Redwood Hwy (tel 415/380-0400 or 1-888/662-9555, ;
$160-200/$200-250), on Richardson Bay. Piazza D'Angelo , at 22 Miller
Ave (tel 415/388-2000), has very good pizzas and pastas. Sunnyside Café
, 31 Sunnyside Ave (tel 415/388-5260), claims "the customers are rarely
right" but serves large, affordable breakfasts and lunches nonetheless.
Sweetwater , at 153 Throckmorton Ave (tel 415/388-2820, ), is a
comfortable saloon which doubles as Marin's prime live music venue, with
gigs ranging from jazz and blues all-stars to Jefferson Airplane
survivors.
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from $179.57
USD