Marin County Parks and Open Space Department

We are dedicated to providing parks, facilities, and preserves for individuals, families, and communities to come together and recreate in a safe and well-managed environment. Marin County Parks and Open Space is home to an abundance of parklands that reflect the county’s rich heritage of recreation and land conservation, bringing you the great outdoors in your backyard. What’s more, we offer some of the best wedding venues and concert locations around.

Find information below on the best venues in Marin to host weddings, parties, events, camps, ceremonies, concerts, tournaments, sporting activities, fund raising events and more, in the midst of breathtaking settings.

Many of our venues require reservations and/or special permits, so be sure to leave enough planning time to contact us and learn about our requirements.

McInnis
Detail Venue McInnis

Perfect for:

  • Incredible range of recreation opportunities
  • Golfing
  • Skateboarding
  • Softball
  • Fishing
  • Kayaking
  • Soccer
  • Dog walking

Includes:

  • Executive golf course, driving range, peewee golf
  • Batting cages
  • Soccer fields
  • Lighted softball fields
  • Dog areas
  • Top class skate park

Features:

  • Freshwater pond and amazing wildlife viewing opportunities
  • Incredible views of Mt. Tam (perfect for commercials looking for that iconic picture)
  • Levy hiking trails
  • Canoe/kayak dock

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McNears Beach Park
Detail Venue McNears

Perfect for:

  • Weddings
  • Large-scale picnics
  • Small music venue
  • Summer camps
  • Triathlons and marathons
  • Adventure camps 
  • Kayaking
  • Boating anchor-off
  • Hawaiian open canoe races
  • Evening beach parties

Includes:

  • Snack bar, tennis courts, swimming pool available for group use
  • Showers, changing rooms
  • Party room or small meeting room (with kitchen)
  • Sand volleyball courts

Features:

  • Wide open lawn area for all kinds of activities
  • Large group picnic areas
  • Fishing pier
  • Great filming location – sandy beach and beautiful scenic views of the surrounding baylands
  • Sheltered, comfortable microclimate, one of the best sites in Marin, especially during the winter

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Paradise Beach Park
Detail Venue Paradise

Perfect for:

  • Weddings
  • Fishing tournaments
  • Summer camp
  • Small corporate functions
  • Adventure camp
  • Kayaking
  • Boating anchor-off and beach parties

Includes:

  • Several large and small group areas nestled into the hillside and along the water
  • Restroom
  • Parking
  • Fishing pier

Features:

  • Small, intimate beach
  • Excellent filming location – great views of San Francisco Bay
  • Rolling grassy slopes
  • Small seasonal stream, wildflowers, and a hiking trail

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Stafford Lake Park
Detail Venue Stafford

Perfect for:

  • Weddings
  • Outdoor fundraising events
  • Disc golf tournaments
  • Major music events (venue accommodates approximately 7000 people)
  • Filming commercials or stock footage
  • Stop-over for multi-day bike rides
  • Fishing
  • Country-western style BBQs and ho-downs
  • Cross country venue for high schools

Includes:

  • World class disc golf course
  • Volley ball and small fields
  • One of the few stocked fishing lakes
  • Playground

Features:

  • Large group areas
  • Terwilliger Trail
  • Wide open spaces
  • Camping considered

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Film Opportunities in General
Detail Venue Film

Marin County Parks and Open Space is proud to offer some of the most beautiful landscapes and coastal vistas to capture on film. Because of its unique setting, both commercial and independent filmmakers choose Marin to shoot commercials, stock video footage, and more. Some of the best locations are listed below:

  • Agate Beach and Chicken Ranch Beach are great if you are looking for coastal scenes. Agate is a typical Northern California beach, rich with cliff views, tide pools, and a wide swatch of beach. Chicken Ranch Beach offers a bucolic setting on the quiet shores of Tomales Bay.
  • Miller Boat Launch, also on Tomales Bay, offers a beautiful setting, as well as a launch site for access into Tomales Bay.  The movie Bandits was filmed there.
  • White House Pool provides a serene stream setting.
  • The Corte Madera Creek and Mill Valley/Sausalito multi-use paths provide iconic settings of Marin landmarks.
  • Our many playgrounds offer various filming opportunities.

If you are interested in learning more, please call (415) 473-6387.

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