Christmas in Marinwood: The Nisja Bear House

There are many communities in Marin that really go above and beyond the call of duty when getting into the holiday spirit, and of all the places in the county I think that Marinwood, the neighborhood sandwiched between Novato and San Rafael, has the most decorated holiday houses per capita!

It's only natural then that one of our favorite Christmas houses happens to be located in Marinwood: the Nisja Bear house, which has been delighting Marin and Bay Area families for over 30 years. Every year there's something new to look at, and plenty of old favorites to visit again.

We make it a point to visit the Bear House a few times every season, since it's always fun to see and there's so much going on there that sometimes you need multiple viewings just to take it all in. The children, natually, can never get enough, and they've been coming here since they were babies. For those of you who haven't yet seen the Bear House, it's definitely worth the trip from anywhere in Marin, or anywhere in the Bay Area for that matter. (We're lucky that's it's relatively close to our house.)

The Bear House is a Christmas fantasy land set up in a front yard, with an emphasis (as its name implies) on teddy bears and model trains. Bears of all sorts play roles in the numerous lighted displays, and several model railway layouts with large-scale trains wind their way around countless lighted Christmas trees, decorations, and, of course, bears.

Our favorite is the bear that blows bubbles from a little lighted house. You'll find him on the lawn near the front door. We've even been there when Santa Claus himself has paid a visit. If you're really, really lucky, you'll be there when Roy Nisja turns on the snow machine over by the garage! Mr. Nisja and his son created this amazing display decades ago, and every year they start putting it back up for the season in September!

The Bear House is located at 383 Quietwood Drive, between Las Gallinas Avenue and Miller Creek Road, in Marinwood. Visiting hours are weekdays from 6 to 9 pm and weekends from 6 to 10 pm. You can make a whole evening of holiday houses in Marinwood with the Bear House, Linda's Snow Village around the corner on Miller Creek Road, and the Mickey Mouse House up the road on Blackstone Drive, all of which are well worth a visit this Christmas season.