Mountain Home Inn 810 Panoramic Highway • Mill Valley • CA 94941

Perched on a forested ridge between the lofty peaks of Mt. Tamalpais and Mill Valley 1,000 feet below, the Mountain Home Inn has been enticing guests with stunning views and rustic charm for over a century.

This bed and breakfast was built in 1912 as a mountain getaway for San Franciscans seeking an escape to nature, and has since served the entire Bay Area as a welcome stop for hiking enthusiasts, writers, lovers and even celebrities (Jack London and the Grateful Dead have stayed here). An abundance of wood, both inside and out, lends warmth to all the rooms, as do numerous fireplaces and homey details like the vintage photos of the inn framed on guest room doors.

Everyone who comes here is mesmerized by the breathtaking panorama from the Upper Deck: A vast redwood forest flows down and away to the distant foothills of Mt. Tam, and on a clear day you can see past Tiburon and Angel Island to the East Bay. Although the inn is only 25 minutes from The City, it feels like it's at the edge of the wilderness. No wonder so many couples decide to get married here.

When you book your wedding at Mountain Home Inn, you can have exclusive use of the venue, which includes indoor and outdoor event spaces on three levels plus ten guest rooms. You're free to choreograph your day any way you like, but it has to be said that the Upper Deck, with its spectacular vista and endless sky overhead, is the premier spot for any warm-weather ceremony or reception. If the temperature drops, couples get married in front of the fireplace in the cozy Mountain View Room, where large picture windows frame all three peaks of Mt. Tamalpais. Other ceremony options include the nearby woods and beach (permits are required for these sites). The terraced gardens just below the deck are filled with purple Mexican sage, rosemary and salvia, making them a lovely setting for photos.

Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres are generally served either outside right in front of the inn or downstairs in the Bayview Room, which has French doors that open to a view-filled terrace. While your guests are mingling, tables for the reception are set up on the deck or in the Mountain View Room. Simple decorations such as candles, leaves and tree branches are easy to come by and complement the natural surroundings.

All of the guest rooms face east, so your family and friends will wake up to the sunrise. Some of the rooms also have Jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces and terraces. Mountain Home Inn's sister property, the English Country-style Pelican Inn, is only ten minutes away and offers a convenient place for a rehearsal dinner or post-wedding brunch. A shuttle can be arranged to transport your guests between the inn and any other local lodging.

Mountain Home Inn offers a number of wedding packages, and their on-site wedding coordinator is happy to customize a package for you. She can also assist in organizing activities for your guests, such as hiking on Mt. Tam, cycling, picnicking or going to the beach. Designated a Bay Area Green Business, the inn keeps its grounds pesticide-free, uses eco-friendly cleaning products and supports local farmers and artisans.