Technically speaking I was born in San Francisco, but my parents brought me home from the hospital to Marin County. I was raised in Marin, and both of my daughters were also born in the City and raised in Marin. Other than going away to college and living a few years in the City after graduation, I’ve spent my life in Marin County. So I suppose I know the lay of the land as well as any Marin County native. I’m going to share a few of the reasons why I love living here:
- Small town feel - I’ve lived in Tiburon, Mill Valley, Corte Madera, San Rafael, and Novato. I’ve sold real estate in all those cities (as well as several others), and each neighborhood has its own unique character and appeal. For the past 14 years I’ve been in San Rafael’s Terra Linda suburb raising my family, in one of Marin County’s many close-knit communities. I feel a kinship with my neighbors, the families my daughters went to school with, the Terra Linda Orca ‘village’, and the Miller Creek soccer community where I coached for seven years.
- Conveniences of the Big City – We are so close to San Francisco, a cultural, financial, technological, and artistic mecca. The City has great jobs, the weather is enviable, and there is always something to do. Personally, I like going into the City to surf Ocean Beach when it’s not too big, and under the Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Point when it’s not too crowded.
- Lots of Great Beaches – From Fort Cronkhite all the way up to Drakes Bay, we’ve got world class beaches. The surf is not as consistently good or powerful as Ocean Beach, but there is plenty of good surf to be had year-round. For those people who don’t surf, each beach is unique and worthy of exploring again and again. My all-time favorite Marin beach is Drakes Bay, just because it’s so remote and pristine. Drakes Estero is also magnificent. Whales have already begun their migration and can be observed from the shores of North Beach as well as the Point Reyes lighthouse. Soon, sea lions will be mating and giving birth on the beach. My idea of heaven on earth is Drakes Bay.
- Mount Tamalpias – Mount Tam is in our backyard, and I even graduated in the amphitheater with my Redwood High School class, way back in the day. The trails for biking and hiking are world class, and the views are absolutely stunning. It’s hard to beat a sunset on Bolinas Ridge in the summertime when the fog is rolling in from the Pacific Ocean. The Bolinas Ridge road is so picturesque it’s been used in countless car commercials over the years.
- Tourist Traps – There are lots of great things for tourists to do when they cross the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County. Just because tourists flock to destinations like Sausalito and Muir Woods doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy them too. Traveling on Highway 1, each small town along the way is a gem. What I find most interesting about Muir is that most visitors don’t even realize it has is an incredibly beautiful beach that still allows campfires and dogs without leashes. Drive up to Point Reyes, which attracts crowds most summer weekends, and enjoy fresh oysters from the Tomales Bay Oyster Company. If you venture just outside of Marin and keep going north on the 1, you’ll drive through the timeless hamlet of Bodega Bay, which was featured in the Alfred Hitchcock classic, The Birds. I love surfing Salmon Creek and stopping for coffee in Bodega on my way back to Marin.
- Great Weather! – While it can get hot in the summer, most of the time we are cooled by nature’s air conditioning, the fog coming in off the Pacific. Temperatures for the most part year-round are considered fairly mild, certainly compared to the rest of the country. While Southern Marin is cooler in the summertime, the housing prices are a lot more expensive. The further north you go on the 101 away from San Francisco, the more affordable the housing prices. Terra Linda, Marinwood, and Novato can all be significantly warmer than Southern and West Marin cities in the summer, but that only makes for better swimming weather!
- Ferry Service – I could go on listing things I love about Marin County, but I’ll stop at the ferry service to the City. I’ve taken the ferry to work in the City from Sausalito, Tiburon, and Larkspur, and I can tell you there no better way to commute than a boat ride across the bay. Also, if you haven’t taken a ferry to a San Francisco Giants game from Larkspur you don’t know what you’re missing. The boat brings you right up to the ballpark!
Depending on your lifestyle, your reasons for loving Marin County may differ from mine. For instance, this is a great place to practice yoga. The San Francisco Bay has a world class reputation for sailing, windsurfing and kiteboarding. The dining in Marin is first rate. Are your political beliefs liberal? This is a great place for you. Are you environmentally friendly? Marin County residents have always been environmentally conscious. The music scene has been phenomenal here since before I was born. From the Grateful Dead to Metallica, we’ve pretty much got it all here, the best of the best. Don’t forget how close we are to the San Francisco Opera, the Ballet, and the Museum of Modern Art.
Marin County is truly a wonderful place to live, and I feel blessed to be here.