Have a Mother's Day Picnic in Marin

While Mother's Day brunch is always a fun outing for the family, sometimes you want to skip the whole fine dining experience and do something a little more original for mom. How about putting together a picnic and heading out to one of the many great picnic spots in and around Marin County. Here are some of our favorite places to bring out lunch (or brunch) and dine al fresco.

• The Marin French Cheese Company, otherwise known as the Cheese Factory, is a wonderful spot for families, and for a special occasion like Mother’s Day. 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), soft drinks, and an extensive selection of wine. Read more about the Cheese Factory in our article here.
• 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, drinking water, and charcoal grills. 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.
• Drakes Beach is one of Point Reyes' more sheltered beaches and is the perfect place for a picnic. Spread a blanket out on the sand, or eat at one of the picnic tables near the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center. There are charcoal grills near the picnic area, and you can build a driftwood fire on the beach if you want, too (make sure you get a permit at the visitor center first, though). Don't have a picnic lunch? Grab some great locally sourced food at the Drake's Beach Café.
• Have a picnic overlooking San Pablo Bay in San Rafael's China Camp State Park. You'll find great picnic spots located along the winding Point San Pedro Road, most of which have nice lawns, picnic tables, charcoal grills, restrooms, and amazing views. You can also have your picnic down in China Camp Village, which also boasts historic exhibits, a pleasant little beach for wading and swimming, and a funky little snack bar that looks like it hasn't changed since the 1930s.
• How about a picnic on the water? Call of the Sea, a Sausalito-based nonprofit promoting nautical and environmental education, offers Sunday mornning public sailing trips on their 82-foot schooner Seaward. Bring your picnic lunch and dine aboard! You can also help raise the sails and steer the boat, although sitting back and relaxing is an option, too. Cost is $45 for adults, $25 for youth ages 6–12, and free for children under 6.
• Who doesn't like heading up to the Wine Country? Sonoma's historic Plaza is a wonderful picnic spot. There are plenty of picnic tables, as well as children's playgrounds and a pond where you can feed the ducks. Pack your own picnic brunch or pick up some local food from one of the merchants around the Plaza, like the Sonoma Cheese Factory and the Basque Boulangerie. There are plenty of things to keep everyone occupied, including great shopping and numerous historic attractions, like the early-19th-century Mission San Francisco Solano, the Mexican barracks, and the Toscano Hotel.
• Further north in the Sonoma Valley is Jack London State Historic Park. Plenty of picnic spots can be found here, including a large picnic area with tables and charcoal BBQ grills nestled in a eucalyptus grove in the upper ranch. Take a hike and tour the historic buildings on the ranch afterward. Don't miss the Pig Palace! Nearby Glen Ellen Market is a great place to pick up sandwiches and other picnic provisions on the way.