Tiburon Archives - until suburbia!

Take a Ferry to San Francisco

July 19, 2024Silvia

I think ferries are a great way to use public transportation. I remember visiting New York City, a much younger me, and enjoying a view of the Statue of Liberty.

In the Bay Area you can see Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge from a distance. And if you want to go to Alcatraz, you have to take a ferry. One of my greatest Ferry outings was with a city friend: we rented bikes; biked across the Golden Gate Bridge; and took the ferry back from Sausalito.

Most of the ports here are used for commuting. You’ll find the schedules serving the working community, most likely not running on the weekends and mid day. But many people take the ferries to visit the city. They do have seasonal sport routes for seeing games at Oracle Park and Chase Center.

The San Francisco Bay Ferry serves the terminals of Alameda, Oakland, Richmond, South San Francisco, and Vallejo. The Golden Gate Ferry will connect Larkspur, Sausalito, Tiburon, and Angel Island. Both of these companies accept Clipper cards and credit card payments. The shortest ferry ride is from Treasure Island to San Francisco. In 8 minutes you can hop over to the artificial island that was created for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. This ferry is not part of the Clipper system and accepts cash and credit cards.

Do you enjoy ferry rides?

Pleasant Views at Lyford Tower, Tiburon

July 9, 2022July 9, 2022Silvia

The picturesque town of Tiburon has much to offer. A stunning view of Angel Island and the Golden Gate Bridge are particularly special when you walk from downtown to the Lyford Tower.

This stone tower is named after Dr. Benjamin Lyford, a medical embalmer and surgeon in the Union Army during the Civil War. His vision for the area was to create the utopian village of “Hygeia”. Strict rules on how to build the houses and Lyford’s lack of enthusiasm stalled the project. The tower and Lyford’s house are all that remains of this development. The house was moved in 1957 and both are now owned by Tiburon’s Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary.

With no nearby parking the best way to reach the tower is a short walk up Shoreline Park. When I reached it, I was surprised by the fireplace inside and the stone bench facing the water that invites you to sit and enjoy the view.

Tiburon’s first historical landmark is definitely worth a visit.

Have you appreciated the views of Lyford’s tower?

Resources:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lyfords-tower

https://marinmagazine.com/community/local-news/travel-and-explore-tiburon-the-rich-story-behind-lyfords-tower/

https://localwiki.org/tiburon/Lyford%27s_Stone_Tower

Bliss in the moment by James Moore on the Bay Trail, Palo Alto.

Take Advantage of your Bike

May 8, 2020September 8, 2020Silvia

May is National Bike month. If I could name one thing that shelter-in-place has a positive impact on is the streets are emptier and therefore easier to ride a bike.

A lot of first time riders, with their parents are confident enough to ride on the streets these days. There are also multiple levels of bike trails around.

To spice things up you could challenge someone, friends or family, to an interesting goal. How about: Burn 6 tacos in a week? Or: Ride 100 miles in May. Record your trips and register with https://www.lovetoride.net/usa/signups/new, you even will have a chance to win attractive prizes, e.g. a new bike!

Suggestions on bike trails:

Bay Trail