6 places to check out in downtown San Rafael
Several Coast Miwok villages once existed on the land that would become this community.
Ella Nichols Park hired Clinton Day to design the 1888 Queen Anne Victorian here for her country estate.
[...] owner Capt. Robert Dollar renamed it Falkirk after his birthplace in Scotland.
[...] a cultural center, it features art exhibitions, poetry events and more.
In addition to stocking a myriad of art supplies, this shop offers classes and workshops including Sketching:
In 1954, Margie and David Belrose founded this performing arts center, where they taught theater and dance classes.
The showroom here displays affordable, handcrafted and hand-painted furniture made at Port & Manor’s factory in Indonesia and available with more than 100 color and finishing options.
[...] feast on flavorful Puerto Rican fare, including a combination featuring baked chicken thighs marinated with garlic and oregano and accompanied by fried plantains, beans, rice and salad.
534 Fourth St.: A local favorite, Thai Smile is a tucked-away spot serving lunch and dinner.
Choices include traditional Thai fare like tom yum soup, chicken satay, pad Thai, curry dishes and petite pots of jasmine tea.
Public parking garage at C and Third streets. www.downtownsanrafael.org/Downtown-Parking.
Public transit:
Take Golden Gate Transit’s Nos. 70 or 101 buses from various stops in S.F. Exit at the San Rafael Transit Center at Third Street.
Located inside the Boyd-Gate House, an 1879 Gothic Revival home where Arctic explorer Louise Boyd once lived, it hosts historical exhibitions, tours and events.
(It also maintains a research facility in Novato containing more than 200,000 photographs and 20,000 artifacts.) 1-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. $10.