Situated on the Tiburon Peninsula and next to the Town of Tiburon, Belvedere is about the drop dead views of San Francisco and the water. Belvedere consists of two islands, Belvedere Island and Corinthian Island and Belvedere Lagoon. Some of the priciest homes reside in this zip code that resembles the Italian Riviera.
Just off the 101 Highway sits the town of Corte Madera. The town straddles this busy artery. On the East side of the freeway, the homes border wetlands and Ring Mountain trails as well as the upscale Village shopping center. On the West side of the freeway sits the Town Center shopping center as well as homes with views of Mount Tamalpais. A centerpiece of the town is Corte Madera town park.
There is still a whiff of the bygone 70’s in liberal and lively Fairfax. Nestled between the northern edge of Mount Tamalpais and access to West Marin, the vibe is community oriented with a touch of activism. The quirky main street has an art deco theatre, a live music venue, several excellent restaurants, a coffee shop where everyone seems to hang out and an excellent ice cream shop.
Developed in what was an old dairy ranch, Greenbrae means green hill and hilly it is. The streets fan upward steeply from the Sir Francis Drake boulevard. This speck of a town is bordered by Larkspur, Kentfield, San Rafael, the 101 freeway and the Bon Air shopping center. The Larkspur Ferry terminal is nearby making this community a commuter’s dream.
Because of it’s location at the base of Mount Tamalpais, Kentfield is considered one of the wettest spots in the Bay Area with an average rainfall of 47 inches a year. If is also a very peaceful and private hamlet with many big and beautiful homes on large parcels with easy access to the trails nearby. At the gateway to the town is the College of Marin, a two year college which offers also offers continuing education to the community.
The charming town of Larkspur abounds with Queen Anne Victorians and other turn of the century architecture. Listed on the National Register of Historical Places, Larkspur is full of historic homes from the Madrone Canyon in the redwoods to newer homes in the Larkspur Marina. The pedestrian oriented downtown has been recently revitalized with many stylish shops, new restaurants and cafés as well as a community owned art deco theatre.
The third largest town in Marin, Mill Valley has it all. From waterfront homes in the Strawberry neighborhood to mountain lodges on Mount Tamalpais, there is a home in every budget. Throw in excellent schools and a quaint downtown with many restaurants, an art house movie theater, live music and two theatre venues and there is something for everyone.
Tiny Muir Beach, home to 300 residents with 150 homes that perch above the beach with views that stretch for miles. The community is surrounded by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area( GGNRA), Muir Woods National Monument and Mount Tamalpais State Park yet is only 30 minutes form the Golden Gate Bridge.
With Ross Common as it’s centerpiece, the stately town of Ross abounds with elegant estate like homes behind long driveways and behind gates. With it’s East Coast feel, this tiny and exclusive gem of a town has excellent schools and is family friendly. Nearby is Phoenix Lake, with it’s easy access to hiking and biking and fishing.
Charming San Anselmo feels like small town America with it vibrant main street and it’s diversity of homes from grand painted ladies that surround the historic Seminary to more modest cottages and bungalows that border both Fairfax and San Rafael. The walkability factor is high and likeability factor is even higher.
The county seat of Marin resides in San Rafael in the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Civic Center. San Rafael stretches from the Tudor homes in the Dominican neighborhood to the Eichlers of Terra Linda and the ranchers in Peacock Gap. There is a style and price point for all. The downtown is going through a revitalization with many new restaurants, shops and cafés anchored by the Rafael Film Center where many foreign and art films are shown.
The nearest town to San Francisco, Sausalito has stunning views of the City and a lovely waterfront promenade. Homes are perched on the hillside reminiscent of Portofino and houseboats dot the Bay. There is an art and jazz festival and a ferry that takes you to across the Bay.
This laid back beach town is just over the mountain from Mount Tamalpais and 45 minutes from San Francisco. There is a sleepy little town with a couple of excellent restaurants. Homes rise up the hill behind the local store before they stop as the mountain continues to climb steeply to rugged ridgelines. Beachfront homes hide behind sea grass with an endless sightline of the Pacific Ocean. Surfing, kiteboarding, hiking and hang gliding are all there beckoning.
The waterfront town of Tiburon is situated on a dramatic peninsula. The town is also a sailor’s haven with two yacht clubs. In addition, there is a ferry that services nearby Angel Island and San Francisco. With its multitude of parks, excellent schools, soccer fields and biking path’s, Tiburon is a family friendly town that strikes a nautical tone.