The Best Date Ideas in Marin

Walk among the redwoods at Muir Woods National Monument in Mill Valley, then continue onto the Redwood Trail above the monument. The route moves between sun and shade, with small brooks and rock walls along the way, and can end at a historic ridge inn for lunch.

Admission applies for visitors 16 and older, and every vehicle or shuttle rider also needs a separate parking or shuttle reservation through GoMuirWoods.com.

Head up Mount Tamalpais for views that can stretch to the Farallon Islands, San Francisco Bay, the city, and Mount Diablo, with redwood forest covering the slopes below. Pack a picnic or make the view the payoff at the end of a hike.

The park is open daily from 7am to sunset. There is no main entrance fee, though the East Peak, Pantoll, and Bootjack parking areas charge for parking.

Share oysters and a drink at Hog Island Oyster Co. in Larkspur, with views across the bay toward Mt. Tam. Sit inside or grab one of the picnic tables by the water, then order from a full bar with seasonal cocktails, beer, and wine.

Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm, with discounted drinks and a featured oyster. Walk in to dine, or take your order to go.

Play a round of bocce on the bayside patio at Bar Bocce in Sausalito, where a large fire pit and waterfront setting make it easy to stay for a while. Sourdough pizzas come from an almond wood-burning oven, with salads, sandwiches, and wine on the menu too.

If you are coming from the water, you can even arrive by paddleboard.

Make a night of dinner and live music at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley. Start at Rock & Rye, the restaurant attached to the venue, then head in for the show.

The live music hall has been open since 1972. Tickets are sold through the venue's website or Etix.com.

Settle into the semi-enclosed backyard patio at Stillwater in Fairfax for cocktails and oysters. Start with the Tam and Tonic from the seasonal cocktail list, then add Hog Island oysters on the half shell.

Stillwater is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5pm to 10pm, Friday and Saturday from 4pm to midnight, and Sunday from 5pm to 9pm. It is closed Mondays.

Pair dinner with live music at Rancho Nicasio, a historic roadhouse on the town square in Nicasio. Dancing nights open up the dance floor, while dining is available indoors and outside seven days a week.

Dinner reservations run from 6pm to 8pm before the 7:30pm music, so book within that window if you want to eat before the show. The bison burger is a good place to start.

Take the Loop and Phyllis Ellman trails at Ring Mountain on the Tiburon Peninsula, a moderate 2.5-mile hike with wildflowers that can last well into the season. Climb to Turtle Rock on the windswept ridge for views of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, Sausalito, and the tops of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The trailhead is on Paradise Drive in Tiburon, about 1.5 miles east of the Highway 101 exit, with parking in a dirt pullout beside the road.

Stop for a drink or a plate on the wooden deck at Mountain Home Inn on Panoramic Highway, where the view stretches from forested hills toward the water. The Trail & Table menu covers snacks and small plates that you can eat at the inn or pack up for a hike.

The sandwich duo comes with a salad.

Head to Nick's Cove in Marshall for a meal right on Tomales Bay. The waterfront restaurant and bar draw on ingredients from local farms, giving you an easy place to settle in with the water just outside.

The kitchen is open Monday and Tuesday from 12pm to 8pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 11am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 9pm, and Sunday from 11am to 8pm.