Explore › San Rafael, California
Things to see

San Rafael, California

City in California, United States

About

San Rafael is a city in and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2020 census, San Rafael had a population of 61,271.

San Rafael was founded by the Spanish in 1817, when Vicente Francisco de Sarría established Mission San Rafael Arcángel, initially as an asistencia (sub-mission). San Rafael Arcángel was upgraded to full mission status in 1822, a month before Alta California declared independence from Spain as part of Mexico. Following the American Conquest of California, the community of San Rafael incorporated as a city in 1874.

Huginn is writing the San Rafael, California guide — this takes a few seconds the first time.

Nearby

More to see within walking distance

Places to eat nearby

Finding places to eat…

Traveler reviews

Loading reviews…

Tickets & tours

We may earn a commission from some of these links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more

Photos from Unsplash, Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA); facts from Wikipedia; maps © OpenStreetMap contributors, weather from Open-Meteo. Huginn’s tips are AI-written — check prices, hours and entry rules before you go.