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Old 05-31-2009, 05:45 PM
 
Location: San Rafael, CA
35 posts, read 114,941 times
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Hey all,
I'm trying to get a feel for the Novato area. There seems to be good outdoor activities. It looks like a very family oriented suburb, though. Is there any nightlife? Is there any hippy, liberal and/or alternative community there? Thanks.
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Old 06-01-2009, 09:29 AM
 
210 posts, read 843,417 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mwaussie View Post
Hey all,
I'm trying to get a feel for the Novato area. There seems to be good outdoor activities. It looks like a very family oriented suburb, though. Is there any nightlife? Is there any hippy, liberal and/or alternative community there? Thanks.
Novato is the fastest growing place in Marin County and I believe it is now more populous than San Rafael. It is a beautiful town with great hiking and various other outdoor activities. It is also very boring, with no real nightlife at all. The closest nightlife would be north in Petaluma. While Novato is cheaper than South Marin it has a great deal of diversity coming in, along with crime on the rise. Because of the crime and the blacks moving in to the section 8 and apartments in South Novato, specifically Hamilton many are now calling it Marin City North. Marinites often say that Novato should be sold to Sonoma County b/c it fits the role of more an average CA city than a Marin one. Although Novato has plenty of wealth. I don't think raising a kid in Novato is bad, just that there is nothing to do but smoke weed and party and get into trouble b/c the police there suck.
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Old 06-01-2009, 10:02 AM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,187,045 times
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We haven't lived there in years but still have many friends there and we visit every so often. As mentioned, it isn't as wealthy as many towns in Marin County but there is money. I certainly am not going to pretend to know all about the city, but wouldn't hesitate to raise a family there. The schools are good, the climate nice and there is a good cross section of class. I do not think it is nearly as liberal as other parts of the county. This does not make Novato a conservative town by any stretch of the imagination, but just not as leftist as say, the cities near the bridge, nor is it as liberal as Sonoma County.

Oh, forget the true nightlife, it is pretty much a middle class, family oriented town and forget that comment made by the poster above this about the police there sucking. He must have a bone to pick with someone. Many of his comments indicated that. As far as I know none of our friends kids or grandkids have gotten into any trouble.

Nita
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Old 06-02-2009, 01:34 AM
 
Location: 38°14′45″N 122°37′53″W
4,156 posts, read 10,981,963 times
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If your planning on moving up from Austin I think you'd be a bit disappointed with Novato.
I think the Marin artsy hippie reputation is pretty much out of date at this point...kinda died with the 80's...
Novato has been sort of the red headed step child of Marin, mostly ignored and really kind of a no man's land.
The ritzy snobby attitude of the Mill Valley/Greenbrae/Ross/San Anselmo Marin types is annoying for sure, but at least there's something to be said about their location and hilly/woodsy environments.

Novato however was a whole lot of pastureland (mostly flat and treeless) and has developed into a suburban tract home town with McMansions as well, complete with huge strip shopping center alongside highway 101, and a barely on life support "historic downtown". Although they are trying to revive it after killing it off quite a few years back.
If you are looking for a more Austin-like political artsy bent, I'd suggest looking more at Sonoma County.
Sebastopol or Petaluma maybe.
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Old 06-02-2009, 02:49 PM
 
210 posts, read 843,417 times
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Originally Posted by bellalunatic View Post
If your planning on moving up from Austin I think you'd be a bit disappointed with Novato.
I think the Marin artsy hippie reputation is pretty much out of date at this point...kinda died with the 80's...
Novato has been sort of the red headed step child of Marin, mostly ignored and really kind of a no man's land.
The ritzy snobby attitude of the Mill Valley/Greenbrae/Ross/San Anselmo Marin types is annoying for sure, but at least there's something to be said about their location and hilly/woodsy environments.

Novato however was a whole lot of pastureland (mostly flat and treeless) and has developed into a suburban tract home town with McMansions as well, complete with huge strip shopping center alongside highway 101, and a barely on life support "historic downtown". Although they are trying to revive it after killing it off quite a few years back.
If you are looking for a more Austin-like political artsy bent, I'd suggest looking more at Sonoma County.
Sebastopol or Petaluma maybe.
Novato is surrounded by hills in every direction. Petaluma and sebastopol are more flat than novato.
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Old 06-02-2009, 04:38 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,187,045 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 415_810 View Post
Novato is surrounded by hills in every direction. Petaluma and sebastopol are more flat than novato.
I certainly agree with you on that one.

Nita
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Old 06-02-2009, 06:45 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
5,994 posts, read 19,908,417 times
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It's a very boring place as far as night life is concerned but it's a decent place to raise a family. I have a lot of friends there (younger crowd) and all they did up there was do various drugs which is faily common in quiet communities.
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Old 06-02-2009, 06:53 PM
 
Location: Earth
17,440 posts, read 28,479,068 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iTsLiKeAnEgG View Post
It's a very boring place as far as night life is concerned but it's a decent place to raise a family. I have a lot of friends there (younger crowd) and all they did up there was do various drugs which is faily common in quiet communities.
Very true and accurate assessment.
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Old 06-02-2009, 08:09 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,187,045 times
Reputation: 49245
Quote:
Originally Posted by majoun View Post
Very true and accurate assessment.
I think the secret here is nightlife and raising a family. For someone who is raising a family they do not need a lot of night life, or we didn't anyway. It is hard to find someplace that would offer a really stable family enviorment and a really active night life.

Nita
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Old 06-03-2009, 12:33 AM
 
516 posts, read 1,335,511 times
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Well, nightlife aside I think that the best place for hippie/liberal alternative-culture family-raising is Sebastopol. I would move there in a heartbeat if I could. I was at the farmers market there this Sunday and it was great to see all the kids participating.
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