Larkspur
The Ideal Central Marin Community
Magical Larkspur, nestled in the eastern edge of Mt. Tamalpais, enjoys the finest weather in Marin County. Its residents enjoy wooded canyons which were once favorite hunting grounds of Spanish settlers. In the late 19th century, subdivisions offered ideal sites for vacation homes, plus homes for permanent residents. Downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Larkspur is known as the Twin City of Corte Madera. It shares a main street, history, and a police department. Houses for sale are at a premium as the number is limited and prices tend to be higher than houses Corte Madera.
If you’re looking for a quieter, more serene location than the more popular Corte Madera real estate community, sunny Larkspur is your choice. Homes boast diverse architecture, including cabins, Victorians, mission-style, New England, Tudor, California ranch, and modern. Settings range from deep canyons lined with Redwood, Bay, and Madrone trees (on the west side town) to level settings on former bay front land on the east side. Forty years ago, it was undiscovered; now it is equal to Mill Valley in lifestyle, and houses for sale bring prices comparable to those in Mill Valley.
The town provides the sought after walk-to-town that many homeowners want. Stroll down Magnolia Avenue, the main street, and enjoy dining in fine restaurants, shopping in high-quality specialty stores, or a rest in an intimate coffeehouse. The meandering town limits include part of Greenbrae to the north and the San Quentin Peninsula to the east along the bay, with the Larkspur Ferry terminal and the Marin County Mart with popular, bustling restaurants, and a variety of shops.
Magnolia Ave, the main street of town, merges imperceptibly with Corte Madera Ave, a main thoroughfare of Corte Madera. Proceeding north along Magnolia Ave, to the west, the canyons and foothills of Mount Tamalpias shelter wooded neighborhoods (see Baltimore Canyon) placed there long before autos arrived in Marin. To the right are the level, sunny neighborhoods that were slowly built up on the shallow banks of the bay (see Heather Gardens and Meadowwood). The town stretches on eastward to the San Francisco Bay with its waterfront Larkspur Marina neighborhood.
Sections of Greenbrae and the San Quentin Peninsula are within the city limits.
This drone video of Larkspur shows Larkspur from the bay, arrayed along the Corte Madera Creek, to the foothills of Mt. Tamalpais. Hidden from the drone are the beautiful wooded streets and older homes in the hills on the west side of town and the charming downtown.
Larkspur schools, shared with neighboring Corte Madera, are highly regarded. Outstanding Redwood High School serves Larkspur and several surrounding towns. Note that students living in the Greenbrae section of Larkspur may be assigned to the Kentfield School District
Larkspur Real Estate
Property Values
See our market report for the price of homes sold in Larkspur over the last month and last two years.
New Listings
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Most Expensive Homes
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Least Expensive Homes
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Living in Larkspur
Community Information
- City of Larkspur
- Larkspur Library a classic reading room on the 1st floor of the city hall building
- Larkspur Chamber of Commerce The 4th of July parade that they sponsor is not to be missed.
- Larkspur City Data
- Larkspur Historical Society
- Larkspur Golden Gate Ferry
- Marin Airporter. Great way to commute to the San Francisco Airport.
- Annual Fourth of July Celebration Hometown event not to be missed!
Walking, Biking & Hiking
The area offers a wide variety of outdoor hiking trails on Mt. Tamalpais and King Mountain.
The old railroad tracks are now a beautiful, level walking and cycling path that extends from Corte Madera to Kentfield and out across the marsh toward the San Francisco Bay. You can join this trail at its south end, at Tamalpais Drive in Corte Madera, or just in front of the Lucky supermarket in downtown.
Favorite Places
The downtown business district extends a few blocks along Magnolia Ave, from Town Hall to the corner of Doheny Dr. There are more shops at the north end of Magnolia Ave, closer to Kentfield. The Marin County Mart, in east Larkspur on Sir Frances Drake Blvd, hosts a collection of shops and popular restaurants.
- Coquelicot, Lovely French shop in the downtown, with unique linens, tableware, and antiques. Always a fun place to stop. Very delightful owners.
- The Lark Theater, a late art deco movie house in the heart of town, has been renovated with comfortable seating. It screens first run Hollywood, independent, and art films. You can purchase wine and snacks in the lobby.
- Folio, at 483 Magnolia Ave, has the best stationary, custom invitations, and elegant home gifts.
- Jim Corbet’s Hardware is a complete, old-fashioned hardware store. They have everything, including a very good kitchen section. Just moved to its new location on Magnolia Ave, at the corner of Bon Air Road.
- Silver Peso, downtown, is one of the oldest, funky neighborhood bars in Marin, complete with pool tables and shuffleboard. It’s a good place to meet local residents.
Restaurants
- D.J Chinese Cuisine, across from the city hall, serves traditional Chinese food. A favorite in Marin.
- Emporio Rulli is the best for people watching and tasting the sweetness of Italy–an authentic Italian café. Offering a wide variety of pastries, cookies, coffees, gelato, wines, Italian foods, and interesting kitchen pottery. Very good light lunches.
- Farm House Local on Ward Street, at the main intersection, serves excellent and innovative breakfast and lunch menus. Consistently good. Outdoor patio available.
- Left Bank is French bistro in the historic Blue Rock Inn. Good burgers, Salad Niscoise, and other French standards. Very popular, with a great happy hour and bar. Outdoor seating.
- Picco in downtown, has very fine food–probably the most elegant in town, and one or our favorites in Marin. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. The Pizzaria Picco next door gets rave reviews. Interesting wine selections.
- Perry’s is in a Victorian building among the redwoods at 234 Magnolia Avenue. The best dining is on the patio on a warm afternoon.
North Larkspur
Rustic Bakery may be the finest bakery in Marin; pastries, muffins, bread, even crackers are exceptional. The café is always busy for breakfast and dinner. At 1139 Magnolia Ave.
East Larkspur – Marin County Mart
The recently revamped Marin County Mart offers a dozen eateries along with a Food Truck event on Sundays. These are a few favorites:
- Farmshop offers a well-made, high end food.
- Marin Brewing Company, A popular meeting place for young and active people. Typical, satisfying pub fare to go with a beer.
- Rustic Bakery may be the finest bakery in Marin; pastries, muffins, bread, even crackers are exceptional. The café is always busy for breakfast and dinner.
Hotels
- Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Larkspur Conveniently located near the Larkspur Ferry and Larkspur Landing with restaurants, shops, and transportation, including the Marin Airporter.
- Larkspur Landing Hotel Suite hotels suitable for extended stay and corporate housing. Great location.
