About the Bay Area
Whether you are intrigued with world-class museums, cosmopolitan restaurants, hiking, mountain biking, or beachcombing, you will find that the Bay Area offers the perfect balance for a metropolitan and outdoorsy lifestyle.
Dominican's campus is situated in the city of San Rafael just a few miles from San Francisco, Berkeley and the East Bay, Napa Valley, and an expansive greenbelt of protected national land.
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Marin County
Dominican University of California is located in San Rafael in Marin County. The campus is within walking distance from San Rafael's town center, with outdoor cafes and boutique shopping, and a few miles from the Marin Civic Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Civic Center is home to the Marin Symphony Orchestra and the Marin Opera, and a favored performance venue for all styles of musicians and theatrical artists. Nearby are dozens of public parks and recreation facilities, some on the bay or ocean, where students can enjoy activities ranging from sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing to golf, tennis, horseback riding, hiking, or mountain biking.
Beyond San Rafael you will discover a wealth of sights and destinations in Marin such as Sausalito, Muir Woods, Stinson Beach, Mt. Tamalpais, and Point Reyes National Seashore. There is a collection of hidden spots in Marin should you decide to venture off the beaten path.
San Francisco
San Francisco, what locals simply call "The City," is just 11 miles away from Dominican. A brief car, ferry, or bus ride will take you to the cultural hub of the western United States. You'll discover the soul of The City as you stroll through Chinatown, one of San Francisco's oldest neighborhoods, into North Beach, the Italian District lined with funky storefronts and notoriously enticing restaurants. You'll leave your heart in this famed metropolis when you wander down barnacle-caked waterfronts, visit the new Pacific Bell ballpark, or sip tea in the Japanese Tea Garden.
The City is packed with sights-to-see such as the Museum of Modern Art, the M.H. De Young Museum, the Palace of Legion of Honor, Coit Tower, the Opera House, City Hall, Union Square, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Park, and the Haight-Asbury District. There are some lesser-known San Francisco darlings which are worth a visit such as the Cartoon Art Museum, the beatnik Vesuvio Cafi, and the Tactile Dome at the Exploratorium.
Don't forget to check for local events. Sample the San Francisco Opera, the Annual Blues Festival, Chinese New Year, Japantown's Cherry Blossom Festival, and the Cinco de Mayo celebration. If you are feeling overwhelmed by all of the action, stop by Golden Gate Park or the Marina Green to watch kite-flyers show their skills.
And Beyond
Berkeley, jam-packed with trendy clothing stores and vintage record outlets, is a few miles east of Dominican. A quick jaunt north will take you to wineries of Napa and Sonoma. Go south and you'll be on your way to Santa Cruz. With more time to spare, you can venture to Mendocino, Monterey, Big Sur, Lake Tahoe, or Yosemite.
Public Transit
Most sections of the Bay Area are accessible by some form of public transportation - be it a cable car, bus, subway, train, or ferry boat.
- Golden Gate Transit runs buses and ferries that will take you from points in Marin County to San Francisco. Buses run throughout the county, with a main hub in downtown San Rafael, just a few blocks from campus. Ferries frequently depart for San Francisco from Larkspur and Sausalito. ~ 415-455-2000 from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sat-Sun, or visit http://www.goldengate.org for schedules.
- The Alameda/Oakland Ferry provides service from the East Bay to San Francisco. ~ 510-522-3300.
- To get anywhere within the city of San Francisco, call San Francisco Muni and an operator will direct you to the appropriate mode of public transportation, including electric buses or subway. ~ 415-673-6864.
- Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) runs from Fremont north to Richmond, stopping in Oakland and Berkeley, and from Colma through San Francisco to Concord. ~ 510-465-2278.
- Daily commuter trains run the length of the South Bay and Peninsula from San Francisco and San Jose. Call CalTrain for information. ~ 800-660-4287.
