Novato, California: Parks, History & Local Favorites

Downtown Novato, or otherwise known as The Old Town, is a great place to begin exploring the charming city. Based around Grant and Reichert Avenues, the Old Town neighborhood is home to an array of beautifully preserved historical buildings, including the iconic city hall, which is housed in a striking red Carpenter Gothic church that was built in the 1890s, the Novato History Museum, which dates back to 1850, Druid’s Hall (1899), and the City Hall, which is housed in a former Presbyterian church built in 1896.

Old Town Novato also has several businesses, and plenty of shops and restaurants to grab a bite and a drink while exploring.

Old Town Novato, Grant Avenue, Novato, CA 94949

Hamilton Field History Museum is dedicated to exploring, presenting and preserving California’s airfield history. Built on reclaimed marshland near Novato, the Hamilton Field History Museum features several permanent and rotating exhibits that delve into the history and heritage of the Hamilton Army Airfield and the Air Force Base and the vital role they have played throughout history.

The airfield was built in 1932 during the Great Depression and was named after World War I flying-ace Lloyd Hamilton and operated as an air force base for just under 40 years as an Army Air Corps field and a U.S. Air Force station before being decommissioned. Today, the Museum features excellent exhibits of photographs, medals, pins, and other items, as well as a cockpit simulator and a research library stocked with books, posters, and videos. Admission is free.

Hamilton Field History Museum, 555 Hangar Ave, Novato, CA 94949, Phone: 415-382-8614

Pioneer Park is a large urban green space located about one mile from downtown Novato. The park is named for the historic neighboring cemetery where many of the town’s pioneer residents are buried. Pioneer Park covers nine acres of outdoor recreational space and is a popular meeting place for local residents. Children will enjoy the large and modern playground area where there are picnic tables, a BBQ area and plenty of open grass where children can let off steam. There are paved walking/running/cycling paths, tennis courts and rest rooms and wide open grassy areas where you can just relax in the sun with a good book.

Pioneer Park, 1007 Simmons Lane, Novato, CA 94945, 415 899 8290

Marin Museum of Contemporary Art (Marin MOCA) is a non-collecting museum that focuses on exhibiting a range of contemporary and modern art from local and international artists. The museum features several exhibition galleries, more than 50 studios for local and visiting artists to encourage contemporary art to flourish, a classroom wing for studio art classes, and a museum store and hosts new exhibitions throughout the year that runs for up to six weeks at a time. The Marin Museum also offers a range of art classes for visitors and is open seven days a week with free admission.

500 Palm Dr, Novato, CA 94949, Phone: 415-506-0137

Olompali State Historic Park is a 700-acre park in Marin County that overlooks the Petaluma River and San Pablo Bay. Established in 1977 by the State of California, Olompali State Historic Park features several attractions, including the preserved foundations of two early adobe brick houses, and a two-story frame house known as the Burdell House that was built in 1870 and now serves as the ranger station. Other building and structures dotted around the park include a saltbox house, a blacksmith shop, and various barns and there are several great hiking trails, including a short flat kid-friendly walk to Miwok Village, and the Loop Trail, which winds through northern Marin County's oak-sprinkled landscapes of oak, California bay, Buckeye, and madrones.

Olompali State Historic Park, 8901 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945, Phone: 415-898-4362

Downtown Novato Farmer's Market is held every Tuesday evening from May through September in historic downtown Novato behind 7th Street between Grant Avenue and Novato Boulevard. The market sells an abundance of fresh produce from local farms, locally produced cheese and honey, fresh flowers, fruit and nuts, sweet kettle corn, and organic, prepared foods. There are also plenty of dining options for visitors who want to eat at the market, including rotisserie chicken, Thai food, Himalayan and Yucatan foods, and sizzling barbecue. The Novato Farmers’ Market also offers a variety of entertainment for the whole family from pony rides and bounce houses for the kids to live music for the entire family.

Downtown Novato Farmer's Market, Grant Ave, Novato, CA 94945, Phone: 415-999-5635

Stafford Lake Park is a 139-acre state park in Marin County that wide open spaces of rolling landscapes typical of a classic northern California valley surrounded by grazing farmland. Named for the Stafford Farm, on which the lake sits, Stafford Lake County Park boasts beautiful meadows, redwood groves, lakefront fields, and winding creeks. While no boating or swimming is allowed in the human-made lake, the park many events throughout the year, including music concerts, performances, festivals, and fairs. Other features of the park include a newly added bike park, featuring courses of all skill levels and great views of the lake, and a disc golf course.

3549 Novato Blvd, Novato, CA 94947, Phone: 415-897-0618, website

The Novato Arts Center at Hamilton Field spans four buildings at the historic site with more than 50 studios setting for artists who work in a variety of media, from ceramics and wood to watercolors and oils. Connected by winding pathways and a beautifully maintained interior garden area, the Novato Arts Center at Hamilton Field also hosts Open Studios weekends in October for Open Studios where visitors get a chance to watch artists at work and purchase handmade art by local artists. The Center also features an on-site restaurant with indoor and outdoor patio seating that serves brunch, lunch, and dinner in a casual, relaxed setting.

500 Palm Dr, Novato, CA 94949, website