West Marin
Unsurpassed Natural Beauty in Coastal Marin
The villages, hills, and coastline of West Marin are best shown in this video, or by a visit. This enchanting rural area is a place where time seems to move slowly. The 350,000 acres of West Marin are protected in parks or by County zoning as agricultural land (historically, dairy farms), with development restricted to parcels with a minimum of many acres. Owning West Marin real estate is like living in a dream, yet you are a short drive to San Francisco and the East Bay. Once you get there, you may never want to leave!
Map of Marin County showing parklands in West Marin, courtesy of the West Marin Chamber of Commerce
West Marin includes:
- Stinson Beach, with its outstanding beachfront homes at Sea Drift
- Nicasio, with its surreal town square and velvet-like, grass covered hills
- Inverness, stretched along inland Tomales Bay.
- Dillon Beach
- Ten more villages.
Your best bet is to drive (or bicycle) west on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to explore this unique area.
Few people live in West Marin, but many people visit the Point Reyes National Sea Shore and Tomales Bay State Park with their beautiful beaches, dramatic cliffs and ridges, wildlife, and views from Bodega Bay to San Francisco. This is vacation paradise, but you can also live there in one of the many villages.
Villages of West Marin
- Bolinas
- Dillon Beach and Tomales
- Forest Knolls
- Inverness & Inverness Park
- Lagunitas
- Marshall
- Muir Beach, at the south end of the Marin coastline, just 10 minutes drive from Mill Valley. Here is a history of Muir Beach.
- Nicasio
- Olema
- Point Reyes Station
- San Geronimo
- Stinson Beach
- Tomales
- Woodacre
Property Values
See our market report for the price of homes sold in West Marin 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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Community Information
- West Marin Schools
- Marin Transit – West Marin Stagecoach
- Point Reyes Light Newspaper
- San Geronimo Valley Community Center
- Stinson Beach Community Center
- West Marin Chamber of Commerce
Traveling to West Marin
There are three main routes from the West Marin, and all require that you relax and enjoy the scenery:
- Sir Frances Drake Blvd from Hwy 101, through the San Geronimo Valley and Woodacre to the Hwy 1 coastal route.
- Hwy 1 (also named Shoreline Hwy) from Mill Valley through Muir Beach to Stinson Beach and Bolinas.
- Panoramic Hwy in Mill Valley, north along the crest of Mt. Tamalpais, finally meeting Hwy 1 in Stinson Beach.
The Marin County Transit District provides bus service to West Marin.
What to Do in West Marin
For information on touring West Marin by car, on foot, horse, or boat, check out these Internet sites:
- An overview of outdoor activities from the National Park Service.
- Blue Waters Kayaking
- Five Brooks Ranch
- Point Reyes National Seashore
- Point Reyes Arabian Adventures
- Point Reyes Lighthouse
Restaurants in Coastal Marin
- Café Reyes, Point Reyes Station.
- Coast Café, Bolinas. It’s Bolinas so it has to be organic and unusual. Worth the trip to see this seaside village.
- Due West Tavern, Olema.
- Nick’s Cove, upscale rustic by famous restaurateur Pat Kuletto, right on the water in Tomales. We went there for our Christmas office lunch. Upscale cabins for an overnight stay.
- Pelican Inn, Muir Beach. A true replica of an English country Inn just 15 minutes from Mill Valley. The food is very good and the atmosphere unique. They also have rooms for overnight stays.
- Rancho Nicasio Restaurant, Nicasio. Music, meat and potatoes, in a fabulous setting.
- Smiley’s Saloon and Restaurant, Bolinas. A good example of local culture.
- Station House Café, Point Reyes Station.
- The Parkside Café, Stinson Beach.
- Giaco’s Valley Roadhouse, San Geronimo.
Favorite Places
- Audubon Canyon Ranch, Bolinas, home to the blue herons and snowy egrets in nesting season.
- Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Wild, gentle, and sensational—all at the same time!
- Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Just 15 miles west of San Rafael on Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
- Stinson Beach. White sands; rent a house on the beach for a relaxing retreat.
- Toby’s Feed Barn, in Pt. Reyes Station. Step back in time to this upscale general store.
- Tomales Bay, a dramatic inlet from the Pacific Ocean along the Point Reyes National Seashore.
- Tomales Bay Oyster Company, for fresh oysters to take on a picnic or home.
West Marin Lodging
Here is an up-to-date list of lodgings.
