The County and Its Communities

With a population of about 260,000 people living in 520 square miles, Marin County offers its residents plenty of room to roam. Most of Marin’s population lives along its eastern side, close to the city across San Francisco Bay. Thanks to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust of 1980, Marin residents have access to lakes, parks, open spaces, beaches, and farmlands, all of unrivaled beauty.

Marin provides endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. It’s home to such treasures as Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. While the county is the birthplace of mountain biking, Marinites also hike, surf, sail, kayak, golf, hang glide, and ride horses. The oldest cross-country trail-running event in America, the Dipsea Race, is held on Mt. Tamalpais every June.

Though Marin’s magic connects them all, its communities are as diverse as their geography. Exclusive Belvedere boasts large, historic hillside homes with commanding views of San Francisco Bay. Stroll along Sausalito’s bayfront promenade on a weekend and you’ll find visitors from all over the world. With grand old homes, tree-lined streets, and exceptional schools, Ross is the first choice for many families. Fairfax, where the Jefferson Airplane once played softball with the Grateful Dead, still evokes 1960s counterculture. To the west, Point Reyes Station is home to Cowgirl Creamery, which makes its award-winning cheeses using organic milk from nearby Straus Family Creamery.

Golden Gate Ferry offers one of the world’s best commutes, round-trip from Larkspur, Sausalito, or Tiburon. And, of course, there’s that drive across the incomparable Golden Gate Bridge.