One of my favorite parks as a kid, and now one of my favorite parks to bring my own kids to…read more Péri Park in Fairfax has a calm, tucked-away neighborhood feel with giant redwood trees, lots of shade, and a softer energy than bigger playgrounds in Marin. Quick guide below. One thing I really love is that it has separate little kid and big kid play areas. Sometimes parks with toddler sections accidentally make the older-kid area feel boring... but not here. The bigger playground is still genuinely fun and adventurous for older kids too. The toddler playground is designed for ages 1-5, while the larger play structure is designed for kids ages 5-12, which makes this a really good option for siblings with different age ranges. There's also a shallow creek behind the park that families bring their kids to explore. It's only a couple inches deep in some areas, so children can safely splash around and play in the water while parents supervise nearby. That little creek honestly feels like part of the magic of this place. The park also has swings, climbing structures, slides, picnic tables, and enough space for kids to explore without the entire area feeling chaotic or overstimulating. ------ QUICK GUIDE Good for: * Toddlers (ages 1-5) * Bigger kids (ages 5-12) * Siblings with different ages * Slower nature-style park days * Families looking for shade What matters: * Playground: yes -- separate little kid + big kid areas * Shade: YES. Giant redwoods throughout the park * Seating: benches + picnic tables * Bathrooms: available onsite * Creek access: yes -- shallow creek nearby for supervised water play * Parking: neighborhood street parking * Terrain: wood chips/dirt-style playground surface * Dog-friendly: not inside playground area ------ Pro tip: Bring extra clothes if your kids want to play in the creek afterward.

I stumbled across this quaint little park on a trip to Fairfax. I'm glad I did, because it made…read morefor a welcome break after a long drive. There's a well maintained baseball field and batting cage on one side of the creek. On the other, there are tennis courts, a playground, and a nice shady area to unwind. There was a cool breeze blowing, and birds chirping in the trees. I think it's one of the most peaceful, relaxing parks I've visited in a while. I hope you like it too!

In the quaint little town of San Anselmo, CA (which happens to be tucked in between San Rafael and…read moreFairfax) lies "Imagination Park". For those that choose to visit, this is a very tiny park with only a couple of benches for sitting. Do not expect to see a playground nor is there even a water fountain or public restroom. And keep the dogs at home as this is not a pet-friendly park. The space itself is equivalent to that of a backyard of a standard house. Located right off of San Anselmo Ave. and tucked right in between Magnolia Ave. and City Hall Ave. in downtown San Anselmo, this park eventually came to life back in June 2013. This idea was spearheaded by film director George Lucas who directed mega blockbuster films such as the entire Star Wars Saga, the Indiana Jones franchise as well as American Graffiti. It is very easy to find as the location itself is just steps away from the San Anselmo Public Library as well as the Town Hall. I came here on a warmer than normal summer day on 7/15/2023 at around 4:10pm. After parking my SUV just a block away, I was awed with the beautiful collection of pink/lavender flowers with the plaque that reads Imagination Park directly above it. But the real treat here is the life-size statues of one of Star Wars most recognizable and beloved characters, "Yoda", And directly on the other side is a statue of Harrison Ford who played "Indiana Jones" in all 5 of the movies spanning from 1981-2023. While you're here, its nice just to let your imagination run wild (hence the name "Imagination" Park) and just appreciate how influential George Lucas is in all of his movies. He actually used to have a residence in San Anselmo before relocating to the more private and open Lucas Valley. So for all you movie fanatics young and old, do yourself a favor and check this place out if you're in the area. My rating, a unanimous five stars.

Once again, I've warned you my fellow Yelpers and random visitors perusing the Yelp app, don't set…read moreyour expectations too high when it comes to the size of the park. It's situated next to the San Anselmo Library, extremely small and not what you imagined (no pun intended). There are two statues here - Yoda and Indiana Jones, don't expect anything else. Be respectful when visiting this park. It's a lovely hangout spot like one of the Yelpers mentioned, go get some coffee and sit here and reminisce, or do whatever you want to kill time. It's definitely not a park with monkey bars and swings for the kids, so carry on. No hiking and no trails. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood and chillax. 'Til next time ~ cheers and see you on Yelp soon! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/imagination-park-san-anselmo?select=c6MF24JXpCU3GQUUhgfMDQ

3/21/2026 On the way back from Cataract Falls Trail in Fairfax, CA, we decided to stop by the…read moreCascade Falls we visited last year with no water, all dried up. Since the Cataract Falls had water this time, we believed Cascade would too. It wasn't far from Cataract Falls, but if we drove from the East bay it would take more than an hour through 880 north 80 - 580 - Fairfax downtown. The hardest part of the trail is to find the parking space on the road to the trail. All along the street has no parking signs, we had to park almost a mile from the gate of the trail park. The hike is about 1.5 miles and uphill but not too hard. There are 2 trails to get to the Falls, on the way to the fall we used the right trail, on the way back, we used the left trail. The left trail is easier, wider than the right trail, both are on either side of the creek. This time, the water is there, very nice, although not many people there due to parking we guess. Anyhow, it's a quest that's successfully achieved for us. We had lunch at the top of the falls, all by ourselves which was nice. The next one will be Burney Falls. https://youtu.be/eHk-oivo32w

Serenity now! Get ready for a great hike, a wonderful workout with such an incredible nature view…read moreof magnificent trees, rocks, water, ferns, birds, clean air, etc etc Cascade Fall trail is near Mill Valley, California. There are several paths from easily to moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 30 min to complete. This is absolutely my favorite trail for solitude, mindfulness. birding, hiking, and walking, Parking is a bit tough but if you can get there early, you can easily find a spot. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Enjoy!

This park is so fun! I like that you can control the water yourself - I was concerned it would only…read morefunction during certain hours. The playground above is better suited for older kids (3+) but it is a beautiful space to hang. Nice lush grass, too!

Playground is nice enough, but small and probably best suited for elementary school age kids not…read moretoddlers.

Hidden gem sandwiched right between Fairfax and San Anselmo! The trail has a good amount of…read moreclimbing into the hills. You can also reach the cemetery on an off-shoot trail. Great place for bringing your pup on a leash. There's a variety of shady / open parts of the trail. Watch out for the poison oak! Parking is a breeze as there is a small dirt lot, but if it's full, street parking is nearby as well. Right the beginning of the park, there's a very small and short shaded trail along the creek with a couple picnic tables and benches. Lovely place for lunch on a hot day. Watch out for the poison oak! The trail is sometimes wide enough to walk side-by-side someone, but at other times, I'd recommend single file due to the healthy poison oak.

Such a peaceful vibe hiking here. It was a pretty easy hike…read moretoo although I didn't make it all the way up since I locked eyes with the .

We live close by and hike here often. It's beautiful and you can access hundreds of miles of…read moretrails. Some are pretty easy and others are very challenging. Things to consider: there is no water; no rest rooms; regular bikes and off-leash dogs are allowed on fire roads. Some trails allow bikes and some allow dogs. There are signs that alert you to what is allowed. Rangers patrol the area and enforce the rules (warnings and fines). If you have a dog, please pick up after your dog and take the poo bag (tickets for littering are expensive). Also, while not allowed, there are some people on very fast e-bikes who ride in groups, sometimes recklessly, and have hit elderly people. The majority of people are delightful and friendly. It's been my favorite hiking spot for almost 30 years.

What a gorgeous spot for a hike! There were so many options of trails to choose from. Stunning…read moreviews all along the way- Mount Tam in the background & views of the bay. Most trails were wide and I never saw any trash left behind. Looking forward to returning and giving some other trails a try!

I've loved coming to Phoenix Lake since I moved to Marin in the 70's…read more I used to ride my bike from my house in San Rafael hitch up my bike when I got to the lake and then do a run around the lake and then ride my bike home. Trust me, I only hike it now! Today I added in a few new to me trails including the Yolanda Trail, 5 Corners & Shaver Grade. A mix of open exposed trails to a gorgeous canopy of redwoods & terrific views of Mt. Tam

A really lovely hike around a small reservoir that is pretty family friendly. While you can't make…read moreit around with a stroller we did made it around with a 6 year old on foot and a 2 year old on my back. The main issue here is the parking as there are less than 20 spots and the rest of the potential overflow spaces are marked tow away. The nearby very fancy neighborhood has marked everything permit only and/or tow away, so we had to backtrack about 1.5 miles to town to park and then walk back in - NIMBYs be damned! Others just idle in their cars in the tiny lot and hope for a space to open up. Minus one star for not being more visitor friendly in the neighborhood.