Situated in California's beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, the city of San Rafael is located in the center of mellow Marin County, and acts as county seat.

Notable landmarks of the city includes the Mission San Rafael Arcángel, around which the city developed; the Marin Civic Center building, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch; and the Rafael Film Center; and Dominican University. San Rafael High School is often cited as the origin of the time and codeword 4:20 in alternative medicine culture.

The Marin 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. To the east of the city, along the San Francisco Bay, enjoy hiking, biking, and picnicking at China Camp Museum and State Park, the site of a late-19th-century Chinese fishing village. Nine miles north, in Novato, see displays on Miwok prehistory and culture at the Marin Museum of the American Indian.

San Rafael's vibrant town center, with outdoor cafes and boutique shopping, is a popular place for its residents to relax and enjoy the always optimal weather. Nearby are dozens of public parks and recreation facilities, public parks and recreation facilities, where residents can enjoy activities ranging from sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing to golf, tennis, horseback riding, hiking, or mountain biking.