[Marin County] - Sausalito for living (Richmond, San Rafael: school, buses, beach)

[optimisticStar]

Originally Posted by davdaven

Marin County, and the Bay Area in general, is expensive. The Sausalito Ferry will cost $7.25 each way starting July 1. If you don't take the ferry, the bus will be $6.00 each way and the Golden Gate Bridge toll will be $7.70 southbound. You will need a Clipper card for the bus and ferry fares, and a Fastrak transponder for the bridge toll. (Cash or cash equivalent costs even more.) You can save a little on the bridge toll if you carpool (3+) or ride a motorcycle.

Marin County isn't a practical place to live if you have to commute further south than San Francisco. Well from Sausalito or Mill Valley, it might be doable (but not great) to go as far as South SF. But that's where biotech is, and if you want to work in tech, most of those offices are further south if they aren't in SF proper.

If you think there is a high likelihood that you will be working on the Peninsula or San Jose, you should consider Peninsula neighborhoods along the I-280 corridor rather than the Highway 101 corridor where most of the downtowns are. There are some similarities to Sausalito and Marin County. I think you are stuck with a suburban lifestyle in most of the Bay Area, as the more remote parts (such as West Marin) really require a painfully long commute to job centers.

On a side note, if you are single and ready to mingle, you will have better luck if you live outside of Marin. Marin is mostly families and retirees. I've worked in Marin since my mid-20's, but I chose to live in SF and the East Bay because Marin just doesn't have young-ish people, diversity in restaurants/bars/non-hiking activities, or other urban amenities. But if you love that hermit lifestyle and don't want to do anything other than go hiking in your free time, then you'll be happy in Marin.

Thanks for sharing the info!

And you are right, most of the bio-tech jobs are in south SF. There are some tech companies on Market St and financial district area, so if I get into one of those then Sausalito / Mill Valley would be fine for me. I was looking at the maps and south SF might be ok commute wise, but seems like time consuming i.e. around an hour of commute one way.

If I get job in Peninsula, I will look at options around I-280. I have mainly visited the city centers of San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale and felt like there is nothing much to do there.

I don't need bars / non-hiking activities, but restaurants and ready to mingle is something I might will have to think about. I had noticed Sausalito not being too diverse. Before I decide on a place, I am thinking on spending a few days in Marin/SF/Peninsula to see which can fit my lifestyle. I just hope COVID goes away soon, so I can start with my job search... I feel it's risky to make a switch now.

[optimisticStar]

Originally Posted by tikkasf

OP;
The above post does have some good points I think. In your original posting you stated:
"I like to live in a peaceful place with nature being around and I find it to be the perfect place for me" I think you would find that in Marin. I have enjoyed spending leisure time in Marin since the late 1970s. I have never lived there though. I have lived either in the East Bay or SF......because, that is where my job/s were located.

Thanks for all the info and also for sharing the driversmarket link in another post! Looks like they also carry international items which is going to be helpful for me if I happen to live there. Being from south east asia, I was worried about getting international items easily in Marin.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by optimisticStar

Thanks for all the info and also for sharing the driversmarket link in another post! Looks like they also carry international items which is going to be helpful for me if I happen to live there. Being from south east asia, I was worried about getting international items easily in Marin.

Let us know where you end up settling, OP. Good luck with your job eearch!

[optimisticStar]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Let us know where you end up settling, OP. Good luck with your job eearch!

Sure, thank you!

[rca215]

You shouldn't have much of a problem getting international items from grocery stores in Marin, including in Sausalito itself. And Sausalito is a quick hop to the Richmond district in SF, which is particularly abundant with Asian and Russian options.

I think on a typical day the car commute from Sausalito to South San Francisco would be about 45-50 minutes, but a tad less if you can go at odd hours and more on the days with some sort of major backup. The commute home over the GGB could be bad on a typical Friday, especially around holiday weekends, as people head north.

[tikkasf]

OS, In Marin:


Our Market – Jasmine Market


Products | Aisan Market in San Rafael


https://www.marincountrymart.com/farmers-market


https://www.firehousecoffeetea.com/about



Great baked bread ! https://www.mhbreadandbutter.com/

[Novatoman]

Hi optimisticStar!
I live in Corte Madera and commute to Cupertino (Apple HQ) almost every day. It takes about 1.5h to get to Cupertino and about 2-2.5hours to get back using Apple bus (free) which stops in Mill Valley (Google bus stops there too). For super commuters, like myself, Apple allows you to leave work early (4pm) and work from home one or more days a week (but this arrangement depends on your manager). I am typically home by 6:30pm. It is not ideal but it is doable and there is a bunch of people with me on the bus - all live in Marin .
One thing I must mention is that it gets windy and chilly in Southern Marin (micro climate). If you like it warmer, check out Novato or Petaluma. They have few tech companies there as well (no commute). Good luck!

[optimisticStar]

Originally Posted by rca215

You shouldn't have much of a problem getting international items from grocery stores in Marin, including in Sausalito itself. And Sausalito is a quick hop to the Richmond district in SF, which is particularly abundant with Asian and Russian options.

I think on a typical day the car commute from Sausalito to South San Francisco would be about 45-50 minutes, but a tad less if you can go at odd hours and more on the days with some sort of major backup. The commute home over the GGB could be bad on a typical Friday, especially around holiday weekends, as people head north.

Yes if I look for commute time during odd hours like around 6:30am in the morning or late evening during weekdays then commute time is less. But I doubt if I will leaving for work that early... But am glad there are other ways to commute. My main concern is that last ferry is around 6:30pm or 7pm, so somedays if I have to stay late at work then it would be difficult. I will have to keep that in mind if I plan to stay in Sausalito.

[optimisticStar]

Originally Posted by tikkasf

OS, In Marin:


Our Market – Jasmine Market


Products | Aisan Market in San Rafael


https://www.marincountrymart.com/farmers-market


https://www.firehousecoffeetea.com/about



Great baked bread ! https://www.mhbreadandbutter.com/

Thanks! I have heard about fire house coffee... will try it next time I am in town.

[optimisticStar]

Originally Posted by Novatoman

Hi optimisticStar!
I live in Corte Madera and commute to Cupertino (Apple HQ) almost every day. It takes about 1.5h to get to Cupertino and about 2-2.5hours to get back using Apple bus (free) which stops in Mill Valley (Google bus stops there too). For super commuters, like myself, Apple allows you to leave work early (4pm) and work from home one or more days a week (but this arrangement depends on your manager). I am typically home by 6:30pm. It is not ideal but it is doable and there is a bunch of people with me on the bus - all live in Marin .
One thing I must mention is that it gets windy and chilly in Southern Marin (micro climate). If you like it warmer, check out Novato or Petaluma. They have few tech companies there as well (no commute). Good luck!

It's good to know that there is an Apple bus to Marin and from your post looks like there are techies who prefer to live there. And now I wonder if other companies could have shuttles to Marin... something to keep in mind for me when I start interviewing. Yes the commute time is on higher side, but if I get to work in bus a bit then it might not be too bad (I am used to studying/working in public transportation before).

I don't mind chilly climate, so SF or Marin is fine for me. Thanks for posting!