Things to Do in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley

While speedboats are as fast as their name suggests, no vessel on San Francisco Bay is faster than the RocketBoat. It flies across the Bay’s waves to the high-energy guitar riffs of a rock-‘n’-roll soundtrack. The RocketBoat is just one of Blue & Gold Fleet’s 17 vessels, all manned by expert captains and crews that ferry about 2.5 million passengers annually. On their sightseeing cruises, passengers drink in panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and Pier 39, where sunning sea lions occasionally can be seen rubbing sunscreen on each other’s backs. Meanwhile, Blue & Gold’s ferries carry patrons to Sausalito, Tiburon, and other waterfront locales—including AT&T Park during baseball season—whereas their motorcoach tours chauffeur landlubbers to Northern California landmarks. All their services adhere to award-winning sustainability practices, which safeguard local ecosystems more effectively than arming every tree with pepper spray.

Within the Winery Collective's multi-winery tasting room, grape savants uncork the flavorful nuances of liquid harvests hailing from more than 2 dozen of California's boutique wineries from Santa Barbara to Napa Valley. Winemakers and enthusiasts guide palates through wine-flight menus, which are culled from the more than 100 vinos that line the tasting room's walls and, like the political views of a housecat, change daily. The Winery Collective also hosts private and semiprivate parties and corporate events, during which guests mingle and sip in a lofted earth-toned lounge outfitted with crisscrossing wooden shelves that display colorful wine bottles and shapely decanters.

Captain Dennis Garrison always felt more at home in the water than he did on land. He was born in the beach town of Playa del Rey, where he spent his days fishing, jet-skiing, and sailing along the coast of Southern California. His love of the open sea and knack for navigation eventually led to stints with the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard.

Unable to ignore the roaring of the surf and the call of gulls after retirement, Garrison founded his own sailing company—Imagine Sailing Tours. Drawing on 30 years of nautical experience, he shuttles passengers towards scenic coastlines and popular sites throughout the San Francisco Bay area. He helms a majestic Irwin Citation 34 yacht, pointing out passing dolphins and seals as he steers towards Angel Island, Half Moon Bay, or AT&T Park. Upon arriving at destinations, Garrison leads activities such as snorkeling trips in Monterrey Bay, wine tastings on Treasure Island, and pottery-spinning classes on top of the Golden Gate Bridge. The skilled seafarer also offers sailing lessons for passengers who’d like to try their hand at steering the ship themselves.

Arjay Parker came to yoga as a result of an intervention to help her deal with stress in the workplace; Jefferson Parker started while seeking a way to heal his body from a crippling injury. In the practice of Bikram and Power yoga, they not only found what they were looking for, but they also found each other. Soon teamed as husband and wife, the duo trained directly with Bikram Choudhury and Baron Baptiste before deciding to open a dual yoga studio of their own. The newly christened Bikram Yoga San Rafael & Power Yoga San Rafael would boast two classrooms, each completely dedicated to one yogic form.

Today, the Parkers enlist the aid of other talented instructors they've met throughout the years to bend bodies with both kinds of yoga seven days a week. Their dedication has earned them Pacific Sun magazine’s Best Yoga Studio award for five years running, as well as countless high-fives from their appreciative students.

Bay Area Expeditions' experienced outdoorsmen, with backgrounds ranging from U.S. military service to botany education, lead students on instructional excursions to bolster wilderness-survival skills. Classes help students identify edible or medicinal plants, earn ASHI certification for first aid, or learn primitive skills. Overnight expeditions lead guests beneath the starry skies of Big Sur or snowshoeing tours through the Sierra Nevadas’ snow-dusted basins.

At Bay West Ballroom, students learn how to tango alongside their identical twin, whether they were actually born with one or not. The studio's eastern wall of mirrors stretches for 60 feet, ensuring that students’ reflections are always visible as they spin on the sprung beech-wood floor. On the opposite side, windows admit sunlight and scenic views of the hills, creating an ethereal space where seasoned instructors demonstrate ballroom, Latin, and swing dance styles. Drawing from a diverse curriculum, these instructors cover a broad spectrum of disciplines that range from the cha-cha to the country two-step, encouraging practice in both the classroom and social settings. For example, lessons on popular salsa steps prepare pupils to spin at nightclubs, and wedding courses customize choreography to match a chosen song at elegant receptions.

Directors Mark and Andrea Nelson-Novak have both earned championship titles, and Andrea draws on a degree in biology to better inform her protégés on anatomy, movement, and the location of the body’s rhythm glands. The pair enlists other experts—including US Country and Swing Champion Tony Gutsch and Grand National Latin Finalists Dima and Olga Sukachov—to helm specialized and regular classes. The team also hosts holiday parties each year.