I Ranked Marin County's BEST Downtowns in 2025

San Francisco's in the middle of a major transformation right now with AI leasing millions of square feet of office space, creating all these new jobs, and so many large companies bringing people back to the office. But not everybody being called back to the Bay Area for work wants to live in San Francisco. It is an awesome place to live, great food, great amenities. Obviously I love it. I've been here for over 13 years, but even I know it's not for everyone. Maybe someone coming back here is on the older side, doesn't want to be next to the hustle and bustle of a big city. Maybe it's a young family with kids that are reaching school age and they want to take advantage of living in the suburbs, a larger house, larger yard, better public school system, whatever it might be. There are a number of different reasons why people might prefer the suburbs over San Francisco. But every time someone I talk to brings up the prospect of living in Marin County, for example, which is a very large suburban area in the Greater Bay Area, just north of San Francisco, I hear a lot of concerns about potentially feeling too isolated, not having enough places to eat, places to shop, or places to just meet other people. This is Austin Klar, your lawyer turned real estate agent in San Francisco and Marin County. And when I have these conversations with people moving here from all over the country, they're always surprised to hear about some of the incredible downtowns that various towns and cities in Marin County have to offer. So I thought it'd be a good idea to make a video ranking my 5 favorite downtowns in Marin County and talking about all the incredible things to do in each of them. From a nationally designated historic place, the oldest downtown in all of Marin, the capital of biking, to the most quaint waterfront village and a bustling town square nestled among the most serene redwood grove. Let's get right to it and start with number 5 on my list, downtown Fairfax. Fairfax is a very small town just west of San Anselmo in Marin County, with a total area of just 2.2 square miles and a population of less than 8,000 people. It's by far one of the smallest towns in Marin, but this small town packs a ton of open space and incredible amenities in their downtown, which make it one of the most sought-after destinations for people looking to flee the hustle and bustle of San Francisco. The downtown In particular is the biggest draw of Fairfax, and the entire town was basically developed historically to be centered around this like village-like town center with coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques, and all of it designed to basically be walkable or bikeable from anywhere you live in the surrounding area. The Art Deco Fairfax Theater is the focal point of downtown. It's been a landmark since 1930 and still a community staple today, showing new and old movies and hosting community events. The theater is surrounded by restaurants, music venues, breweries, clubs. So there's really a robust variety of things to do for both residents and visitors. Terry's Tavern, for example, which is one of the oldest music venues in all of Marin, has been hosting like rock bands and jazz bands for the better part of a century and has been a staple of Marin's nightlife and Fairfax's in particular. Gestalt Haus, a beer garden that serves great food, also a popular destination downtown. I've been there several times. Great place to stop for lunch after a long bike ride through Marin. And speaking of biking, Fairfax is actually the claimed birthplace of mountain biking. The Mountain Biking Hall of Fame and the Museum of Cycling are in Fairfax, and there are a ton of other spots from casual cafes, juice bars, coffee shops, you name it. There's a ton available here. There are also community festivals every summer. They have live music, different food vendors, they have parades through downtown, they have weekly farmers markets, there's a Halloween parade, they have live music playing in the park in a beautiful setting surrounded by redwood trees, and there's so much natural open green space nearby. Mm-hmm. Balinis Park, Perry Park. Of course, there's much bigger like Mount Tam and Phoenix Lake and Cascade Canyon. It's definitely a bit more remote and more isolated from other parts of Marin. It's a little bit more north and west into Marin, so farther from southern and central Marin, farther from San Francisco, but it packs a lot to do. So people who live near here don't necessarily need to leave here to get their day-to-day or to have a variety of things to do. By the way, if you wanna learn more about what it's like living in Fairfax or in other parts of Marin County or how the housing market there has been changing given what's been going on in the Bay Area with the advent of AI and the return to office trend that I talked about, reach out to me. I was a lawyer at one of the biggest law firms in the world before getting into real estate, and I've helped numerous people relocate to Marin and San Francisco from all over the country. I'd be happy to be a resource for you. My contact info is in the description below. Reach out anytime. And if you like videos about different neighborhoods in either San Francisco or Marin, current events, new developments, or all things Bay Area real estate, make sure to subscribe to my channel because I make videos about that stuff every single week. Now back to my rankings of my favorite downtowns in Marin County, and this next Next one is Marin's oldest and largest downtown, San Rafael. San Rafael is the largest and oldest city in all of Marin County, and it's the only city with official cultural district status designated by the California Arts Council. It's far and away the most diverse, and Fourth Street and its offshoots make up the centerpiece of the most expansive commercial district in all of Marin County, which means more food, more bars, wine bars, coffee shops, breweries, you name it, San Rafael has it. The city was founded as a Spanish mission town in the early 1800s, and with the arrival railroad in the 1870s transformed into the commercial hub that we've come to know and love today. It's such a hub for culture and history that it actually became the official county seat of Marin. My personal favorite aspect of the area's history is the architecture. Given its Spanish origins, it should be no surprise that you have a mix of Mediterranean and Spanish Colonial Revival homes with white stucco walls, terracotta roofs. The giant mission building still stands and is one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Marin. But you've also got a good mix of Victorians and Edwardians making up homes and storefronts. You have Art Deco-style buildings like the Raphael Theater and a ton of mid-century buildings as well. And the architecture extends into the outskirts of downtown into two of my favorite neighborhoods in San Rafael, the Forbes neighborhood and the Dominican neighborhood. Just incredible real estate, really diverse architecturally, and it's just a few minutes walk or drive from downtown. You've also got some awesome food in downtown. My favorite is Soul Food, Puerto Rican restaurant, super popular in downtown. You've got Il Davide, a staple Italian spot, multiple breweries and taprooms like State Room Johnny Donuts, and Red Hill Coffee have outposts there. And beyond restaurants, there are so many other food-centric activities there, from farmers markets to street fairs to full-on festivals that they have every single year. From an arts and cultural perspective, the Smith Raphael Film Center hosts film festivals there every year. There are tons of art galleries and art studios throughout the neighborhood. So whether you're into nightlife, food, art, culture, there is going to be the most of all of that in San Rafael compared to any other neighborhood in Marin. Next on my list at number 3 is This is probably the most quaint of the downtowns on my list, but it's also by far the smallest. It's downtown Tiburon, and even though it's the smallest, it is by far one of my favorite places to hang out, spend time in Marin County. Packs a ton of incredible food, all set along one of the most scenic outlooks right on the water overlooking the bay and with views of San Francisco. Similar to San Rafael, Tiburon became a bustling railroad town in the late 1800s. It was the western terminus of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. Trains brought goods and commuters from Marin out to Tiburon, where ferries would then connect them to San Francisco. So for decades, this waterfront area was basically a rail yard and giant warehouses. But after the railroads declined in the mid-1900s, Tiburon transformed into that industrial site into more of a gathering and hangout spot for the community with, you know, commercial spaces like restaurants and shopping. You can still see traces of the old railroad along Shoreline Park and the Railroad and Ferry Depot Museum, which are gorgeous landmarks along one of the most beautiful stretches of waterfront in Marin. The downtown is still lined with a ton of 20th century structures that have been transformed into the shops and restaurants that are there today with a little bit more of like a modern maritime theme on the exteriors. So think of like Nantucket meets Marin that gives it a little bit more of like a historic but also polished vibe. The downtown is tiny, running a stretch of Main Street to the waterfront, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in like solid food. Sam's Anchor Cafe, one of my go-to spots, a century-old restaurant with outdoor seating literally on the water. Nearby is Luna Blu, which is a popular Italian spot, Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina and Malibu Farm are there as well, which have become like very sceney places to get drinks and food. Again, right on the water. Petite Left Bank, another go-to spot, great French bistro right across from Main Street. There's also a lot more to do than just eat. Great boutique shopping along historic Ark Row. The boutique shops that are there are actually made of converted houseboats, so it's a very unique architectural style in downtown Tiburon. Cine Lounge movie theater is also downtown. They actually serve pizza from one of my favorite pizza restaurants in San Francisco, Tony's Pizza. So it's cool to get a little bit of San Francisco in Marin. The Tiburon Wine Festival and multiple street fairs happen in downtown Tiburon every single year. Live music, ton of food vendors, obviously drinks. So there's really a lot to do even though the area geographically is a lot smaller than the other downtowns on my list. The reason I have it ranked higher than Fairfax and San Rafael, even though there's more to do in those other places, is the views and the weather. The weather is more temperate being so close to the water, whereas it's a lot warmer in those other places, Fairfax and San Rafael. And the views here are just unbeatable. And when you combine that with the offerings here, I think it makes one of the most idyllic settings for shopping and dining in all of Marin. And the area is also walking distance to some incredible neighborhoods with gorgeous homes. The Belvedere Lagoon is probably my favorite. It's an entirely flat enclave of pretty small homes with direct access to a man-made lagoon with incredible views of the rolling hills of Marin. The waterfront lifestyle is one of the main reasons living there is so expensive. It's among the highest price per foot neighborhoods in all of Marin, with some newer homes cresting $4,000 a foot. But another reason it's so expensive is being walking distance to downtown Tiburon. It's easily one of my favorite parts of Marin, and it's so close to downtown Tiburon, which is awesome. The next downtown on my list doesn't have water views, but its setting is equally impressive, and the offerings are substantially more robust than what's available in downtown Tiburon, and it's downtown Mill Valley. Mill Valley's name traces back to the sawmill built there in the 1830s that was used to cut timber for the Presidio in San Francisco, near what's now called Old Mill Park. The town incorporated in 1900 and developed surrounding Depot Plaza, which is a commercial hub. So a bunch of shops, restaurants, boutiques, and a gathering place for the community. There's an open plaza space there with a bunch of picnic tables. Pretty much anytime the weather's nice or on weekends, you'll find a ton of people eating lunch there, having coffee, or just hanging out outside. Like a lot of other downtowns in other parts of Marin that I've already talked about, the storefronts in downtown Mill Valley are also comprised of historic structures, very charming, historic, cute, cute boutique exteriors, cute restaurants and coffee shops. Equator Coffee, which is one of my favorite coffee shops in San Francisco, has an outpost in downtown Mill Valley. Prabh, which is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the Bay Area, is in downtown Mill Valley. Corner Bar, which is a relatively new and pretty popular food and drink spot, is in downtown Mill Valley. Mama's Luncheonette, which is a really popular food spot— great Caesar salad wraps, great breakfast burritos— started in San Francisco, just opened a second location also in downtown Mill Valley. Prevalent Projects and Summer House are two of my favorite interior design and home goods stores in Mill Valley. There's so much variety here from a food standpoint. Also, from an activity standpoint, there's also an Art Deco movie theater in downtown Mill Valley, like all these other downtowns. It's a theme. This one is called Sequoia Cinema. And just down the street from downtown is the Mill Valley Lumberyard, offering even more. The lumberyard was founded in the late 1800s by the Mill Valley Lumber Company, which supplied wood for a lot of Marin's early homes and buildings. The lumberyard was actually an active mill until the early 2000s, after which point it was shut down and transformed into this outdoor mall, kind of hipster shopping and restaurant space. It's easily one of the most beautiful shopping and dining settings in Marin, nestled under these giant redwood trees. It's idyllic. The weather isn't always the best in downtown Mill Valley. It does trend a little colder, more foggy, but the offerings are really hard to beat. It has a very robust variety of food and activities, festivals, great for the community, and that's why it's number 2 on my list. And now for my favorite downtown in all of Marin, a nationally designated historic place, downtown Larkspur. It's the only place in Marin County with a federal historic designation. If you envision an old-school small town in California, the vision that comes in your mind probably most closely resembles downtown Larkspur. It is so charming that it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with buildings tracing back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. When you step onto the historic stretch of Magnolia, it really feels like you're stepping into another era. It's really one of the most authentically historic streetscapes, and there are several dozen federally historically protected buildings in that stretch. From the Victorian-era storefronts with ornate woodwork and brick to the 20th-century civic and commercial buildings, the Mission Revival City Hall from 1913, the old-school dive bar, the Silver Peso, the restored Lark Theater, another Art Deco movie house from the 1930s, to the surrounding Craftsman bungalows and Colonial Revival homes in the neighborhood surrounding downtown that'll cost you north of $2,000 a foot for something new renovated because it's so close to downtown. And just up the road from that historic stretch of Magnolia, you'll find a more modern set of shops, the Lark Creek Shops, more modern storefronts, higher-end boutiques, and some great food. Pico Restaurant and Pizzeria, one of my go-to Italian spots up there. Another Equator Coffee. They have sushi restaurant, ice cream parlor, Boychik Bagels. There's a ton of great food there. The entire area is surrounded by beautiful redwood trees, and it's basically flat, making it really easy for residents and visitors to walk around in that A+ Larkspur weather. It is way better on average than what you'd find in Mill Valley, for example, and definitely a little more temperate than Fairfax and San Rafael. And keeping in line with that historic charm, downtown Larkspur actually hosts the annual Fourth of July parade, which people come from all over the Bay Area to watch. I actually have relatives that live on Magnolia, the portion that they shut down for the parade, so I go every single year, see horses, tanks, uh, fire trucks, historic cars. Local sports teams and schools have parade presence there. It's really, really fun for for people of any age. Downtown Larkspur is by far my favorite downtown in all of Marin. I think it's the best blend of historic and modern and has incredible food. It's so peaceful and charming. Definitely needs to be on your radar. Well, there you have it. Those are my 5 favorite downtowns in Marin County, and those are just my 5 favorite. There are so many others in the dozen-plus cities in Marin County, from Sausalito all the way up to Novato. There are a ton of other places that offer incredible food, incredible shopping, incredible amenities. And what's so great about them is that no matter which area you live in, you have relatively easy access to all the other incredible downtowns in Marin. You're not going to be just isolated or limited to the one downtown that you live next to. And hopefully from this video, it should be a little bit more clear that you don't have to give up access to good food and coffee shops and a sense of community or things to do by leaving San Francisco and moving to the suburbs. You can have that living in the suburbs as well. Obviously there can't really be a debate that San Francisco's food scene and cultural scene is more robust, but there is a solid presence of that stuff in various parts of Marin County. And guess what? If you live in Marin, you can still access all of that in San Francisco. It is not that far away, and it is really easy to get to by car or by ferry. If you want to learn more about what's going on in the Marin market or how some of these Marin neighborhoods compare to each other from a real estate perspective or quality of life perspective, reach out to me. I've lived in the Bay Area for over a decade, and I've helped numerous people relocate from all over the country. Be happy to be a resource for you. I'll put my contact info in in the description below. Reach out anytime. And if you want to learn more about different Marin County neighborhoods or San Francisco neighborhoods or current events, things to do, new developments, or all things Bay Area real estate, subscribe to my channel because I make videos about that stuff every single week. And before you go, if you want to see how I rank various Marin County cities and towns against each other, I've got a separate video on that where I rank in tiers some of the most popular parts of Marin County so you can see how they stack up against each other. I'll link that in the description below as well. Go check it out. I hope you enjoyed the video and I'll see you in the next one.