Sun Valley Playground

The recent renovation really made a difference here — this place has gone from forgettable to one of the better neighborhood spots in San Rafael. They split the play areas by age, which parents with a toddler and an older kid will seriously appreciate, since nobody’s getting bowled over by a six-year-old on the climbing structure. The shaded seating and picnic tables make it easy to stick around for a while without baking in the sun. Restrooms are clean and well-kept, which honestly isn’t something you can say about every park in Marin County.