San Rafael

Introduction

San Rafael sits in the southern part of Mendoza Province, Argentina, and serves as the seat of San Rafael Department. It is the largest city in its department, making it the main urban base for exploring this part of the province.

Before you go

San Rafael is generally safe, though its crime rate is higher than most of Marin County. If you plan to visit the Canal District, stay alert even during the day, as parts of it are quite dangerous; the area west of Kerner is more dangerous than the east side, which has town homes along the water. Avoid walking around the Canal District at night. Parts of Downtown, Terra Linda, and the area near Woodland Avenue also see some crime, so be aware of your surroundings.

In the Canal District and elsewhere, avoid wearing too much red- or blue-colored clothing, as you may be mistaken for a rival gang member and approached. The Canal District is nonetheless home to some of the best Latin food in the Bay Area, so it is worth a daytime visit with care.

Getting there

By car, San Rafael sits on the 101 Freeway north of San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge, and 101 crosses Highway 580 in the city, making it a main entry point for drivers coming from the East Bay.

Ferries leave from the ferry terminal in the Union Square-Financial District of downtown San Francisco, running hourly and every 30 minutes during rush hours; the Larkspur Ferry Terminal is about two kilometers from downtown San Rafael and is served by buses and the SMART train. The San Rafael Transit Center is the hub for local buses, with Marin Transit covering other parts of Marin and Golden Gate Transit running to Sonoma County, San Francisco and Richmond; the Marin and Oakland airporters, serving San Francisco International and Oakland International airports, and Greyhound buses also stop there. SMART trains have two stations in San Rafael — one downtown at the Transit Center and one between the Civic Center and Northgate Mall — connecting the city with Novato, Larkspur (for the Golden Gate Ferry to San Francisco) and Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Airport. From SFO, the Marin Airporter departs every half hour from early morning to late evening and drops passengers at Anderson Drive and at the Transit Center, with the fare paid in cash when you get off; Groome Transportation, formerly the Airport Express or Oakland Airporter, runs from Oakland Airport every two hours.

Getting around

Downtown San Rafael is laid out on a grid, with numbered streets running east–west and lettered streets running north–south, and the downtown area itself is walkable. To reach places beyond the centre, such as the Civic Center or China Camp, you're better off driving or biking. Marin Transit's bus service is also a feasible way to get between different areas, and the SMART train connects downtown with the Civic Center.

Taxis are available in San Rafael and can also take you to other towns in Marin. You won't usually be able to hail one off the street, so call ahead instead; taxis also line up at the transit center. Uber and Lyft operate here too.

Where to stay

Most of San Rafael's places to stay cluster along the Francisco Boulevard corridor east of downtown, where you'll find dependable chain options including a Motel 6 and an Embassy Suites by Hilton. For a longer stay, the Extended Stay America on Francisco Boulevard E caters to extended-stay travellers with fully equipped kitchens in every room, plus on-site laundry, an indoor pool, an outdoor hot tub, a fitness centre and morning breakfast.

If you'd rather stay somewhere with more character, the Panama Hotel on Bayview Street is a small, quaint and eclectic spot with unusual, uniquely decorated theme rooms, set in a quiet district near the centre of town; its restaurant serves Mexican-Italian-Californian cuisine in an artsy interior with outdoor dining in spring and summer, and rates include a continental breakfast. The North Bay Inn on E Francisco Boulevard runs as a B&B. For something closer to nature, Back Ranch Meadows offers tent camping in the woods of China Camp State Park, with toilets and showers available.

Food & drink

San Rafael eats like a Bay Area town: pubs and taquerias sit alongside cafés and bars, and much of the restaurant life clusters along Fourth Street. Sol Food stands out as the city's signature spot, a Puerto Rican restaurant with a tropical feel that draws locals in numbers. For Indian food, Lotus Indian Cuisine offers a relaxed, quiet room with a retractable ceiling that opens to the sun on a warm day. Puentez Taqueria is a mom-and-pop operation in Montecito Plaza, and Aroma Cafe, next to the Rafael Theater, has a coffee-shop feel but serves wraps and pita as well as coffee.

For something sweet, Double Rainbow Café on Fourth Street is a charmingly retro spot where the ice cream is the real draw — by the scoop or as splits, shakes, floats, freezes and malts, with vegan and dairy-free options. On the drinking side, The Mayflower Pub on Fourth Street has been an authentic British pub and grill in the same location since 1971, serving salads, burgers, fish and chips, bangers and mash and sausage rolls. Red Whale Coffee on Paul Drive takes an unpretentious, distinctive approach to coffee.

What to see and do

Start downtown on Fourth Street, the main drag through central San Rafael, where shops and restaurants give the area a lively feel and the Rafael Film Center—a restored Art Deco theater that appeared in American Graffiti—screens independent and foreign films and documentaries. History buffs can visit Mission San Rafael Arcángel, founded as a hospital mission and the first to be secularized; its restored chapel and a museum with original mission bells are open to the public. The Marin County Civic Center is the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed government building anywhere, later used as a backdrop for Gattaca, and you can see a model of it at the library branch on the fourth floor. Beside the building, the Civic Center Lagoon (the Duck Pond) is a shady spot for a walk.

Outdoors, China Camp State Park east of downtown has hiking trails, a beach, marshes, forests, bay views, and a museum, and you may still spot shards of Chinese pottery. McNears Beach, just south, offers a swimming pool, fishing pier, snack bar, picnic areas, and volleyball and tennis. In summer, Marin Shakespeare performs classic plays at the outdoor Forest Meadows Amphitheater—sit near the front to hear, and bring a jacket or blanket since San Rafael cools down quickly after sunset. The Marin County Fair brings food, rides, art, and nightly fireworks near the Civic Center, and the hills north of town and the Big Rock Trail off Lucas Valley Road offer more hiking.

Three days in San Rafael

Day one: Start in Downtown San Rafael, the walkable heart of the city, and use the San Rafael Transit Center as your base for getting around by Marin Transit or Golden Gate Transit. Wander Woodland Avenue and the surrounding streets to get your bearings, then head toward the Canal District, a Latin neighbourhood with a character all its own. If you have time in the evening, plan your onward connections at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal or along the SMART line.

Day two: Take the freeway south to San Francisco and spend the day between Union Square and the Financial District, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge for the views. Ferries from the East Bay and Marin make the trip easy, and you can return via the Larkspur Ferry Terminal or by Greyhound. Keep an eye on the clock so you don't miss the last connection back to San Rafael.

Day three: Stay closer to base and explore the parts of San Rafael you haven't seen yet, including Terra Linda and the Kerner area. Use Marin Transit to link the neighbourhoods, and if you're flying out, choose between San Francisco International and Oakland International depending on your route. Avoid leaving your return to the airport too late, since Bay Area traffic can slow you down.