being there

by carole terwilliger meyers

Home and away

SOMETIMES CITY- weary people just don't want to drive very far before their escape begins, and sometimes they can't escape for too long. For San Franciscans, a nice solution awaits atop Mt. Tamalpais, in West Marin, where a self-contained evening or so at the Mountain Home Inn requires no further driving – hungry guests have only to walk upstairs from their rooms to enjoy a romantic three-course dinner in Marin County's oldest continuously operating restaurant. And if you can spend Sunday night away and take Monday off, your escape will prove less expensive (owing to the usual weekday drop-in minimum requirements and room rates) as well as less crowded (everyone else is at work!).

Built in 1912 by a Swiss-German couple homesick for the Alps, the inn was once accessible only by train and is now a landmark, both geographic (you'll find it on area maps as a trailhead) and literary (Jack London was a frequent overnight guest). Reconstructed in the original footprint in 1985, the current building features multi-angled rooms, stained-glass windows, and entire redwood tree trunks as support beams.

On a recent visit, my companion and I arrived for the 3 p.m. check-in to take advantage of our room's deck and the view over treetops to Richardson Bay. (The view had also been painted on top of the dresser by a local artist.) Soft sounds emanated from the upstairs dining deck as we spotted the occasional hawk gliding by. In cooler weather, guests can warm up by the communal room's fireplace, or book a deluxe guest room with a wood-burning fireplace.

On most evenings, even in summer, the fireplace in the cozy, romantic dining room crackles in the background. The kitchen produces tasty fare using local products – options on the prix fixe three-course dinner menu ($38) might include an appetizer of curried oysters with wilted spinach and horseradish cream; a main course of roast pork loin wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon, or goat cheese and potato tartlet; and a holiday eggnog crème brûlée, molten dark chocolate cake, or housemade ice creams and gelatos for dessert. And since no driving is required, you can easily finish off a nice bottle of wine.

Rooms here have no TVs. Ensure your enjoyment of the delicious nighttime sounds of silence and the soft morning sounds of chirping chickadees (and sometimes the more insistent alarm of squawking jays) by leaving iPods at home and turning off cell phones. There's no need to set an alarm, especially in east-facing rooms, which light up particularly bright as the sun rises. Tub soakers will enjoy the satisfyingly vigorous water pressure and can opt for a room with a large oval tub with a louver-covered opening and a gorgeous view through the bedroom window.

On fair days the full breakfast is best taken on the inn's expansive deck, but at this time of year, all but the hardiest opt for indoors. After a breakfast of, say, Bolinas farm eggs with crispy bacon or a vegetable omelet and a cuppa Peet's, a delicious sense of playing hooky envelops those who find themselves here on a weekday morning.

Options to fill the day: Hike the popular, mostly shady and flat Matt Davis Trail, where yellow finches and lizards abound. West Point Inn and its spectacular panoramic view takes about three hours round-trip. Mountain-bike Mt. Tam – it's credited as the "birthplace of mountain biking." Drive the windy road down to Muir Woods, particularly uncrowded and quiet on a weekday morning. You'll find easy walks and more rigorous hiking trails around here. Stop at picturesque Muir Beach for a walk (or nap) in the sand. Or, on a rainy day, head to the Pelican Inn – a sister inn in Muir Beach – for a pint and lunch in an English pub atmosphere.

And, before starting home, stop for an early dinner in a comfy bar booth at the Buckeye Roadhouse, on Shoreline Highway. Situated in an updated 1937 Bavarian-style chalet, the restaurant serves reasonably priced, generously portioned all-American food. Particularly tasty items include a well-seasoned coleslaw, a tangy pulled-pork sandwich, barbecue baby back ribs, spit-roasted chicken, crisp housemade potato chips, and thin onion rings. The perfect conclusion is a yummy slice of s'mores pie made with toasted housemade marshmallow.

Carole Terwilliger Meyers is the author of Weekend Adventures in San Francisco and Northern California and the editor of Dream Sleeps: Castle and Palace Hotels of Europe.

Trip planner

Mountain Home Inn Make dinner and room reservations at the same time. The inn's chef will pack picnic lunches on request. The dining room is open to nonguests Wednesday through Sunday for lunch, afternoon snacks, dinner, and weekend brunch. 810 Panoramic Drive, Mill Valley. Rooms $175-$325. (415) 381-9000, www.mtnhomeinn .com.

Where to play Muir Beach (www.muirbeach.com) and Muir Woods National Monument (www.nps.gov/muwo).

Where to eat Pelican Inn (Hwy. 1, Muir Beach. 415-383-6000, www.pelicaninn.com) and Buckeye Roadhouse (15 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley. 415-331-2600, www.buckeyeroadhouse.com).