Though a Mediterranean climate, Spanish Revival and late Art Deco architecture, and prominent location overlooking the northern shores of San Francisco Bay make San Rafael the textbook definition of an ideal Northern California town, its unique industries have turned it into a gateway to the Universe. This is because, since prominent filmmakers began to move in during the 1970s and 80s, this city of 57,713 in upscale Marin County has been a hotbed of special effects shops, film studios, and video game publishers. Though the area was already known for its cheery culture, the infusion of young, energetic, and inventive talent that these businesses attracted has transformed its scenic streets into a community that is not only on the frontiers of technology and art, but that also supports the upmarket restaurants and clubs that often spring up near such youthful meccas. Adventures on the silver screen that were originally acted out in front of green ones are not the only ones that beckon the average escapist, however, as San Rafael is situated next to breathtaking China Camp State Park as well as McNear's Beach Park. The boating opportunities afforded by the bay itself, and the ocean it opens up to, also speak for themselves, tough the subtle charms of the Rafael Film Center, which is home to the California Film Institute, and the restored Mission San Rafael Arcangel, which was rebuilt along the lines of the church that was originally founded by the Spanish in 1817, may require a discerning eye for detail. Likewise, the quality of San Rafael's housing stock is self evident to any visitor, but one must spend a little time talking to the smart and friendly locals before the true benefits of this amazing city even begin to reveal themselves.