Five Fun Family Picnic Spots in Marin and Beyond

The weather is supposed to be beautiful the next few days and I'm ready to take advantage of it. One of our favorite things to do on a beautiful day is to have a picnic and play outside in the sun. Here is our list of favorite places to enjoy a picnic, hiking and some fun with your family. Enjoy!

• Bear Valley in the Point Reyes National Seashore is home to the park's visitor center as well as a large picnic area complete with tables, restrooms, and drinking water. Have a leisurely lunch outdoors, and then take a hike—there are a number of different hikes and walks you can do here that are suitable for everyone in the family, including the Earthquake Trail, the Bear Valley Trail, and the trail leading to the Morgan horse ranch. Read more about Bear Valley in our article here.
• The Marin French Cheese Company, otherwise known as the Cheese Factory, is a wonderful spot for families and a picnic. Located on Point Reyes–Petaluma Road, between Novato and Nicasio, the Cheese Factory is a great spot where the kids can run and play on their expansive lawn and you can relax on your picnic blanket in a nice shady spot. Bring your own picnic or buy food at their cheese store and deli, which stocks sandwiches, ice cream, a multitude of different cheeses (of course), coffee wine, and soft drinks. Read more about the Cheese Factory in our article here.
• McNear's Beach in San Rafael is a 55-acre county park located on the shores of San Pablo Bay. It's the perfect place to go on a warm day to wade in the bay, picnic, fish, take in spectacular views of the Bay Area, and more. There are acres of lush rolling lawn here with plenty of shade, perfect for spreading out picnic blankets and relaxing or playing games. There is a $10 parking fee, so make sure you bring exact change to leave in the parking fee machine. Hours: 8 am-5 pm. Read more about our last visit here.
• The Sonoma Plaza is an expansive park in the heart of Sonoma, with lush green lawns, two playgrounds, fountains, a pond with ducks, and plenty of shade. It’s the perfect place for families to relax and play. We generally bring along our picnic lunch from home, or we stop on the way at Angelo’s Wine Country Deli, our favorite place to grab sandwiches, salads, drinks, and chips. Make sure to bring your picnic blanket and enjoy the town square. Read more about our last visit there.
• Stafford Lake in Novato is a 129-acre county park that has unlimited views of a sparkling blue lake surrounded by hills, trees, plenty of deer, lots of ducks and Canada geese. The park has lots of picnic tables, a huge play structure and a cool bike path. Stafford Lake Park is a perfect destination for families with children from toddlers on up. There's an entry fee for Stafford Lake of $5 per vehicle on weekdays and $10 on weekends and holidays. Hours: 8 am-5 pm.  Read more about our last visit here.