Novato, CA Reviews

Proximity to San Francisco & Wine Country - 2/24/2019
Lush hills, hiking trails, and easy access to both wine country and San Francisco. We love it here. Read More

Quality of Life - 12/30/2015
Novato is a family oriented community located about 20 miles north of the Golden Gate bridge. The quality of life is excellent here assuming your job pays you enough to afford the expensive real Read More

Close to SF and Sonoma - 10/11/2014
We recently moved to a secluded neighborhood in Novato after 25 years in central Marin. While there are fewer restaurants and galleries, we are very pleased with our decision. We're still only 25 minutes from SF, and now we are only 20 minutes from Sonoma, 30 minutes from Point Reyes, etc. We have a delightful mix of semi-retired professionals in our area and a great community spirit. We enjoy the Ignacio area where Paradise Foods and small boutique shopping is close by. Novato has become a more desirable area as restaurants like Hopmonk Tavern and Boca Pizzeria opened in the past few years. We have the best of both worlds now. Read More

North Bay community comes of age - 7/28/2009
Novato, CA is in northern Marin County, approximately 18 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. Primarily residential in character, it has a population of approximately 50,000. Public schools are considered "good" if not outstanding. Weather is mild, California coastal type without the fog and raininess of Portland or Seattle areas. Marin County cost of living is substantially above US averages, as is most of the San Francisco Bay Area. As a result of its desirability, average incomes and educational level attained are higher than average as well. Quality of life is quite good; California freeways are crowded, especially at commute times; people seem to have a "mellow" temperament. Average folk on fixed income may struggle with the outsized cost of living. If you one or more good jobs, you're a happy Read More

Great Outdoor Life - 8/24/2008
This is a great place if you like the outdoors. There are plenty of hikes just minutes away. Beaches are a short drive too. Great for hikers and mountain Read More

Heavenly Weather - 7/5/2008
Marin County has some of the best weather in the United States. "Winter" starts in about November, and this can vary from year to year, which consists of rain (sometimes a ton of rain, sometimes not) and daytimes of 50's. It's a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors pretty much year Read More

About Novato - 3/25/2008
We moved to Novato from Southern Marin County (Mill Valley) and found the schools very disappointing. Now it is too expensive to move back for better schools and we have to consider moving out of state. California schools are always under budget pressure and Read More

Living in a wealthy County - 2/19/2008
The Bay Area in general is expensive. Marin County is no different. We live in a small house, we bought for around $200,000 ten years ago. Today, our junky little house is worth around $550,000 (even with the housing market tanking). Gas and food prices are comparable with Hawaii's prices.

Although costs are very high, the area is safe and the community generally friendly. We are trying to become more "green" as a county. Novato has the feel of small town living to some degree. The restaurants are just ok, locally but we have the added benefit of being 40 minutes from San Francisco.

The streets are generally safe and crime rates are fairly low. We feel safe letting our girls (13 and 16) walk around town with their friends. The schools are close enough that I walk our younger children (6 and 8) to school every morning.

My only real complaint is that the community does not have much culture. There are no good Museums, Art Shows, Ethnic Read More

Convienent to Everything, Housing to High - 6/23/2006
Good weather, okay schools, low crime....would love to raise a family here, but housing costs are out of reach for Read More