What is there to do in Larkspur? Begin with two different places: Magnolia Avenue’s downtown, where the Lark Theater and restaurants give the street its character, and Larkspur Landing, where Marin Country Mart offers shopping, food and a Saturday market. They are both part of a Larkspur visit, but they are not one continuous downtown.
Community guide · Marin County
Larkspur: Magnolia Avenue, the Lark Theater and Larkspur Landing
What makes downtown Larkspur distinctive?
The Lark Theater is a 1940 Art Deco cinema restored in 2004. Its nonprofit programming extends beyond a conventional movie listing, with independent films and other screenings and performances. Check the current calendar rather than assuming a particular type of show is offered every week.
Red Boy Pizza, at 580 Magnolia Avenue, is a current downtown food stop with a place in Westin’s school-day memories. Its sourdough pizza gives it a more specific identity than simply “somewhere to get lunch.”
The Silver Peso, at 450 Magnolia Avenue, adds a bar option with pool, shuffleboard and pinball. It is included here as a researched local business, not a place Westin claims to have visited. Its current operator page is the source for offerings.
Westin’s perspective
I got to know Larkspur during my first two years at Redwood High, before moving back to Albany and finishing high school at Albany High. Red Boy Pizza was a short walk from school, and I spent plenty of lunch breaks there. I also remember walking up and down the downtown strip and passing the theater. That downtown stretch is what sets Larkspur apart in my memory, even though it feels closely connected to Corte Madera and Greenbrae.
Where can you spend time among the trees?
Baltimore Canyon Preserve, west of Larkspur, offers a different setting from Magnolia Avenue. Second-growth redwoods and a network of trails and fire roads make it a place for time outdoors. Dawn Falls is seasonal; a photograph of flowing water is not a year-round promise.
Consult the county’s current access information and map before setting out. This is a preserve visit, separate from a downtown stroll.
What is at Larkspur Landing?
Marin Country Mart has its own collection of businesses, including Copperfield’s Books, food stops and shops. It can support a browsing-and-lunch outing without being confused with the historic downtown.
Its farmers’ market operates Saturdays, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., year-round, at 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle. The operator lists produce, food vendors and music programming. Vendor lineups and activities can change.
Market details checked October 5, 2026. Confirm holiday closures or schedule changes with the operator.
A little more local history
The city’s Larkspur Past & Present resources offer a way to look more closely at the downtown’s history. That older commercial setting is part of the distinction between Magnolia Avenue and a visit to the Landing—not a reason to treat either as the only version of Larkspur.
Explore the wider area in the Marin County guide.
Sources & local information
Business and visitor details can change. Follow the original sources for current information.