Larkspur and Corte Madera

The "twin cities" of Larkspur and Corte Madera are a pair of towns in Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Larkspur is the main gateway to Marin by ferry, while Corte Madera is known for upscale shopping.

Get in
Most people drive. Bus service is provided by Marin Transit.

Larkspur is the location of the, with Golden Gate Ferry service from San Francisco.

The SMART light rail system serves Larkspur Landing (where the ferry terminal is) from San Rafael, Novato, Petaluma, Cotati, Rohnert Park, and Santa Rosa.

From San Francisco International Airport, the Marin Airporter stops in Larkspur.

It's very feasible to bike in from San Rafael, Mill Valley, or elsewhere, and it's also possible to walk to Larkspur from San Rafael using the bike path that hugs the SMART tracks. Walking from Mill Valley is more of a challenge; it's possible by walking on the Horse Hill bike path that hugs the west side of 101, but at the north end of this path you'll have to take Meadowsweet Drive, which has no sidewalks but is quiet enough that pedestrians do use it.

Get around
Aside from the downtown cores, this is not a particularly pedestrian-oriented area. Sidewalks exist but are sometimes inconsistent. Biking is convenient and popular, though.

Buy
Corte Madera's twin upscale shopping malls, The Village and Town Center, are popular spots for locals to shop and eat. Residents of nearby towns often drive over for specific purchases.

Go next

 * Mill Valley, gateway to Muir Woods and Mount Tamalpais
 * San Rafael, the county seat
 * San Francisco's Embarcadero is a ferry ride away