Sausalito
While Sausalito's location on the southern peninsula tip of Marin County is only 2.5 square miles, the town has as diverse micro-climates as any town in the Bay Area. During July, the wind and fog can often blow down through the canyons of Sausalito, while a few of the saddleback hilltops sit in calm, warm sun. A 15-degree difference between neighborhoods is not uncommon. Hurricane Gulch and the Banana Belt are the two most popular geographical descriptions for their extreme differences, but New Town, Nevada Valley, Spring Valley and the houseboats also offer different living experiences.
Sausalito's close proximity to San Francisco has always made it a favorite of professionals, even more so now with so many tech firms locating closer to the San Francisco Ferry Building. A growth in families in the past 5 years is directly attributed to the improved educational options. An award winning charter public school, Willow Creek Academy, in the heart of the town, and two private, Lycee Francais and New Village, have increased the number of K-8 graders receiving a quality education to over 800. Though many may not live in Sausalito, it has changed how the community feels about raising kids without moving north.