Bolinas (San Francisco, Berkeley, Stinson Beach: best towns, houses, pros and cons)

[MichaelDRennie]

I am considering a move to Bolinas and I would like to hear from anyone who has lived or is living there. How's the commute to San Francisco? What is the atmosphere like? The people? Traffic? Tourists? What are the pros and cons? Any other useful information or interesting tidbits about the town would be much appreciated.

[MichaelDRennie]

Also, what's the weather like there?

[MichaelDRennie]

No one? I can't say I'm surprised though based on what I've read about the town.

[TheShoeboxDiaries541]

Bolinas is a joke. The people are unfriendly, and it's boring as all hell too. Passed through once, would never go back. Why would you consider moving there??

[Palmer Eldritch]

Bolinas is beautiful and very peaceful. The locals there are not very friendly. They are known to tear down the highway sign that points people to Bolinas because they don't want any tourists or outsiders going there. The town has a main drag and a few side streets. I think they have some sort of festival there every year. It's a really neat little town located right on the pacific and has a decent beach as well. It's tiny so don't expect much nightlife anywhere around there. I remember it taking about an hour to get there from SF on a Sunday joy ride.

[clongirl]

From what I know about it is that it's a kitchy ,very little, small town/village that is full of old hippies/locals and is EXTREMELY insular. It wants to be off the radar to visitors/tourists and it's residents are known for removing/vandalizing any signs pointing to it's direction. I went there once and didn't really see all the fuss/mystery. It is in a beautiful area however!

[gizmo980]

Ya know what? I didn't even know where Bolinas was, and had to look it up... surprised to see it's so close to SF, considering I'd never heard of it! That might tell you something, since I've been here (Bay Area) for over 25 years. You didn't answer the question of WHY you're considering that town, though, which would help in giving you advice on whether it's a good match.

[gizmo980]

Oh, and it looks like an AWFUL road getting out of there... so I'd estimate at least an hour to the city.

[Daisies]

As someone who was born and raised in Bolinas (22 years living there), I must say that it is one of the best towns to live in. Of course everything in this post might be a bit biased, but if you just give the town some time, it will grow on you.

Where do I start though? There's so much!

The commute to San Francisco is anywhere from forty five minutes to an hour long drive (depending on how fast or slow you drive ). The amazing scenery along Highway One makes up for the drive though. You can catch glimpses of beautiful sunrises and sunsets and even the occasional wild animal (owl, rabbit, deer, coyote, bobcat, quail, etc.).

The atmosphere in Bolinas is, in my opinion, very welcoming. As long as you treat the town and the locals with respect and honesty, they will be more than happy to welcome you into their community.
As for the whole "sign being torn down" thing? That was a long time ago. I believe the last sign to Bolinas to be taken down was in the early 90's. After that California Transit gave up trying to put up another sign. Bolinas originally started out as a small fishing village. Hippies from Berkeley and San Francisco eventually ended up managing and "taking over" the town in the 70's (?) during an oil spill in the San Francisco Bay. The then rebellious locals did try their best to keep the town to themselves, any way possible.
Bolinas today is almost the exact opposite of what it was then. The town is fueled by tourism. Every summer during the weekends the "downtown scene" becomes a nightmare with parking and swarms of "outsiders" crowding the streets and only beach. Many houses are now considered "summer homes" and sit vacant or rented out for most of the year.
Bolinas has literally turned against itself. By trying to kept to itself, it has inevitably become a tourist attraction.

The "festival" held every year, I guess would have to be the 4th of July Parade, which consists of a Tug O' War across the channel between Stinson Beach and Bolinas, a small parade containing creative floats and dancers, and a big BBQ held in the middle of downtown.
There are several festivals and events that take place in Bolinas each year. Just to name a couple, there is the annual Labor Day BBQ (great local food!) and the Christmas Faire (great local crafts!).

The weather (from what I remember) is mostly foggy (late Fall through early-late Spring), with a few sunny days (late summer through early Fall). The temperature is moderate, anywhere from the low 40's (we got snow one year, snow on the beach!) to the high 80's. Storm season (mid winter) was always my favorite, as I would love to go down to the beach and watch the HUGE waves crash along the sea walls.


If you want a small, tightly knit community feel and a place to just "get away from it all", than Bolinas is the place for you!

If anyone has any questions on this town, feel free to ask, I'll have the answers!

Also, you might want to check out this site, it has a bit of info on Bolinas in the now: Bolinas 2 Miles News & Information (broken link)

[Brenz]

I'm curious as to why you are considering a move there when it seems you've never been there before? I would say it's definitely not for everyone, but the people who live there probably love it. The nightlife is pretty much the local bar called Smiley's, which claims to be the oldest bar in California. They often have live music, and it's been fun the few times I've been there. The scenery is great. There are a lot of people around that we refer to as "characters." There's a definite hippie vibe. There's a lot of political activism on the left side of the spectrum. Great surfing at Bolinas beach. A cool, old church. Lots of small, organic farms.