Dominican University hosts student-led tours on a drop-in or reservation basis. The University also provides a self-guided walking tour booklet available at the campus library or the Marin County Visitors Bureau. Both tours highlight the landscaping, trees, history, and architecture of the campus. The liberal arts college was founded in 1890 and is located on 80 wooded acres in San Rafael. The University is home to many architecturally and historically significant buildings such as the Conal Recreation Center, named after Sister Samuel Conlan, fifth president of the University; the sunken amphitheater of Forest Meadows is used as the site of commencement each spring and the Marin Shakespeare Company has used this site every summer since the 1960s;  Angelico Concert Hall, built in 1922 and considered one of the best concert and lecture venues, named after Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century Dominican academic known as the “Angelic Doctor”; the Archbishop Alemany Library, named in honor of the first Archbishop of San Francisco, opened in 1963 and one of seven libraries to be awarded for architectural excellence in the 1964 American Institute of Architects Library Building; and Fanjeaux Residence Hall, built in 1927, is a gray stone hall with a peaked roof and ivy-covered towers named for the French village where St. Dominic established the first convent of Dominican Sisters. Tours are on Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Drop-ins are acceptable, but reservations are preferred. Group tours require advance notice. Tours can be arranged from Dominican’s home page: www.dominican.edu under Discover Dominican or email: myvisit@dominican.edu.

Information: 415.457.4440 or 415.458.3765

Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center is visited by thousands of travelers to Marin County every year to see the beautiful Marin County Civic Center, designed by internationally-recognized architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is a national and state designated historic landmark and one of the most important works designed by Wright. This was Wright’s 770th commission and also his last; in fact, he did not live to see the building’s completion in 1969. His architecture illustrates the kinship to the surrounding landscape. The long buildings gracefully link the crowns of three separate hills and the circular theme is evident throughout. Atriums run along each building, sky-lit malls open up the corridors and the complex abounds with details such as elaborate grillwork, accents and appliqués. The central architectural focus is the 80-foot diameter dome with its gold spire. When planning the buildings, Wright stated: I’ll bridge these hills with graceful arches…” The 1½ hour tour takes visitors through the Administration and Hall of Justice buildings, including the Board of Supervisors Chambers, Marin County’s branch library, the Conservation Garden, café, gift shop and fountain-garden patio. The Gift shop sells many Wright-inspired items as well as books, DVDs, scarves, ties, cards, posters, T-shirts, jewelry, and seasonal items.  Docent-led tours are held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. No reservations are needed, but there is a $5 per person charge. The tour leaves from the Gift Shop, Room 233 on the second floor. Tours for groups of 10 or more are by appointment.

Information: 415.499.7009 or www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CU/main/vs/cctours.cfm

Larkspur’s Historic District Walking Tour captures the spirit of Magnolia Avenue, the city’s main street and for many years, Marin County’s major access road. The thirty-five buildings that comprise the tour are located along Magnolia between the Lark Theater and the Lark Creek Restaurant and are examples of historic commercial architecture of the 1890s, 1920, and 1930s. False front store facades, a Mission Revival style church, a 1920s Classical Revival bank building, early Queen Anne Victorians, and a 1937 Art Deco movie theatre are all part of the downtown’s historic past. Downtown Larkspur is on the National Registry of Historic Places, because it is typical of a small California town at the turn of the century. There is one architecturally significant residence in this district, built in 1869 and inhabited by the James Costello family since 1897. The City Web site proclaims: “People pay to walk down Main Street at Disneyland, but you can walk down Larkspur’s historic Magnolia Avenue for free!” You can download the map and historical information at the City Web site or pick up a copy at City Hall.

Information: 415.927.5110 or www.ci.larkspur.ca.us

The Marin Academy is a co-ed private high school located on 10 acres in central San Rafael. Built in 1870 and known as the Mount Tamalpais Military Academy until 1892 and then became the San Rafael Military Academy in 1925. It was during this next ten year period that most of the buildings appeared: Dormitories on Mare Island were purchased from the U.S. government and floated to San Rafael on barges and rolled up Fifth Street to become student living quarters; the old Tamalpais Hotel building, a known fire trap, was replaced with an austere, Italianate mansion stripped of ornamentation; the administration building was erected in 1926 and a swimming pool was added in 1930, with a gymnasium and football field following in 1932. Finally, it was realized that a military school was no longer a viable institution and the San Rafael Military Academy could no longer continue and the school closed in June, 1971. A new school was immediately formed by a group of parents who wanted a private coed high school in Marin County. Marin Academy opened in the fall of 1972. Against the social unrest of the times, the founders were seeking a balanced approach to education. There was, of course, to be an emphasis on scholarship; but the performing arts, the fine arts, sports and outings, were given importance too. Improvements continue as Marin Academy upgrades the old buildings and has built a new science building and a fine arts center. Tours are by appointment only and cover the history, architecture and natural surroundings of the campus. Famous alumni of the Marin Academy include actress/model Carre Otis and music group Stroke 9. Tours are by appointment only and include the history, architecture and landscaping of the campus.

Information: 415.453.4550 or www.ma.org.

Novato Historic Old Town Tour is a walking tour through old town Novato along the City’s original main street Grant Avenue. The tour includes such historical buildings as the Novato History Museum, built in 1850 and the home of the original postmaster; City Hall, formerly the First Presbyterian Church built in 1896; Our Lady of Loretto church built in 1890; and the Druid Hall (formerly Loustaunau Hall) built in 1899. The tour combines the preservation of historical buildings and the upgrading of newer buildings in the city’s downtown beautification project that added landscaping, paving, new lighting and new businesses to the old downtown area.

Information: 415.897.1164 or www.tourism.novato.org

San Francisco Seaplane Tours provides a bird’s-eye view of the spectacular sights to be had from a seaplane above and around the San Francisco Bay. The company has been around for over 50 years and is located in Sausalito. The tours are ideal for sightseeing and photography, as the pilots cruise at a leisurely pace they will point out landmarks and points of interest. The planes have high wings, large windows and untinted glass, perfect for viewing and taking photos. Passenger capacity varies from two to six passengers, depending on aircraft. Tours are by reservation.

Information: 415332.4843 or www.seaplane.com

San Rafael’s Chamber of Commerce publishes a brochure describing five self-guided walking tours of historic homes and buildings throughout the city. The five tours include: Downtown San Rafael, the Mission and Early Mansions, the West End, the Gerstle Park area, and the Dominican area. Walking tour brochures are available at the Marin County Visitors Bureau or at the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce.

Information: 415.454.4163 or www.sanrafaelchamber.com.

The San Anselmo Seminary Area Walking Tour offers a 1 ½ hour walking tour. The tour was created by The San Anselmo Historical Museum and takes you through one of San Anselmo’s oldest neighborhoods. Historical sites on the tour include the San Francisco Theological Seminary. The 14-acre hilltop was a gift and became the Seminary campus that opened on September 21, 1892. The Seminary tour buildings include Montgomery Chapel, Seminary Hill, and faculty homes designed in the 1920s by well-known architects Julia Morgan, Scott Hall and Montgomery Halls. The Seminary is within walking distance of downtown San Anselmo and the tour consists of numerous historical buildings, chapels, Victorian homes, and includes the “castles on the hill”, one which is patterned after the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi: St. Anselm’s Church and School, St. Nicholas Church, Bouick Oak, and First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo. Wade Thomas Elementary School, built in 1897, still operates as a public school. Most of the buildings were built between the 1880s and the 1920s and are stunning examples of that period’s architecture.

Information: 415.258.4659 or 415.451.2800

www.sananselmohistory.org/walking_tours.html or www.sfts.edu/nc

Scenic Drive through Marin County describes a 34-mile, two-hour driving tour from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Point Reyes National Seashore, including an eight-mile round trip up Mt. Tamalpais, a stop at Muir Woods, the home of the ancient redwood forest, and a visit to the San Andreas earthquake fault. The drive is an often-suggested tour in National Geographic and Sunset magazines and includes beach, hill and open space locations, along with historical and fun locations to visit.  To access the tour go to: www.nationalgeographic.com — Marin County Scenic Drive.

St. Vincent’s is a large Italian Renaissance Mission-style complex in San Rafael and is designated as California Registered Historical Landmark No. 630. In 1853, Timothy Murphy, Irish-born pioneer of Marin County, gave 317 acres of land to Archbishop Alemany for educational purposes. Here the Sisters of Charity in 1855 founded a school now called St. Vincent's School for Boys. It has been maintained and enlarged by successive archbishops of San Francisco. The chapel, with tall stained glass windows and painted ceiling, is still used as a place of worship for the community. The school began as an orphanage during the California Gold Rush and for most of its years St. Vincent’s provided residential care to boys ages seven to seventeen with serious emotional and educational problems. The complex is now the site of a ballet school, day-care center and a school for gifted children. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and are surrounded by open fields used to graze cattle. Every fall a large and popular pumpkin patch appears at the beginning of the long, eucalyptus drive towards the school. Tours by request or self-guided walking tour map.

Information: 415.507.2000 or www.cccyo.org.

Tree Tours by Marin ReLeaf, a non-profit organization dedicated to urban forestry, hosts tours of Marin’s spring blossoming and fall colored trees in various areas of the county. The tours coincide with the peak of bloom and the change of color of deciduous trees. Marin’s fall-colored leaf tree populations have increased over the years. Tour guides are locally practicing arborists, instructors of arboriculture, or specialists in selected species. Guides discuss horticulture requirements, the pros and cons of different species presented at the tour sites and sustainable urban forestry. Past tour locations have included Belvedere, San Anselmo and San Rafael. Tour times and locations are listed on the Web site or you can become a member and receive a newsletter or email for upcoming events. Tour donations are $10 at the door, $5 for members and pre-registration is suggested. No host lunch afterward at a local restaurant. Tree Tour brochures are available at the Marin County Visitors Bureau, the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, or the ReLeaf Web site.

Information: 415.454.4163 or www.marinreleaf.org