Conde Nast Traveler is the latest global travel magazine to shine its light on the 94941 and the rest of Marin. In a road trip-themed digest titled “Marin County: More Than Napa’s Opening Act,” writer Krisanne Fordham says that Marin in recent years has “evolved from being wine country’s opening act into a true travel destination in its own right: In recent years, the county has established itself as a destination in its own right, with new hotels, bars, and restaurants so alluring, you may get ‘lost’ on the way to Napa and Sonoma.”
In making that case, Fordham cites the arrival of “an unprecedented number of new establishments” in recent years, including “the upscale Molina in Mill Valley, with its wine-paired small plates like halibut crudo and sage-roasted quail,” San Rafael’s Terrapin Crossroads, owned by the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh; even a Kickstarter-funded bakery in Fairfax, Taste Kitchen & Table, specializing in seasonal, organic fare—think hearty salads and sandwiches made with fresh-baked bread and local veggies.”
“Now, Sausalito and Mill Valley aren’t unknowns by any stretch of the imagination. Locals have considered them well touristed for years. But to develop a food scene that even they eye with curiosity? That’s the barometer of success,” Fordham continues.
A recent report released by the Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau (MCVB) found that Marin saw approximately 13 million tourists last year—a 15 percent increase since 2013. “Interest and tourism has definitely grown in Marin County, mostly because it had never been branded as a visitor destination [until recent years],” Gina Marr, vice president of the MCVB, told Conde Nast Traveler. “The music scene and culinary scene are thriving.”
Check out the full story here, including some gorgeous photos of destinations like Muir Woods National Monument.