Fairfax

When you purchase a home in Fairfax, you're also getting history. Unlike other Marin communities, you can still find some of the 1960s counterculture in Fairfax, where the Jefferson Airplane once played softball with the Grateful Dead. This town has 7,500 residents and sits just north of Mount Tamalpais, allowing a 30-minute drive to San Francisco and just 15 miles to Point Reyes. Plus, Fairfax remains one of Marin County's more affordable communities. 

The heart of Fairfax is Broadway Boulevard. Broadway parallels Sir Frances Drake Boulevard, the local highway, without the traffic and noise. This street is perfect for walking and biking; it provides easy access to local shops like the famous Fairfax Coffee Roastery and fresh produce from the farmers market. If Fairfax feels like it's in a time warp, the residents support its unique character. The town has passed ordinances prohibiting chain stores, plastic bags, and Styrofoam takeout food packaging. Local favorites include the Art Deco movie theater and 19 Broadway Bar & Night Club.