Links:
Community Center of West Marin
Stinson Beach Community Center
West Marin is worlds away from the Bay Area, yet only minutes from anywhere in Marin County. It is comprised of acres of grazing lands, dairy ranches, redwood canyons, alpine-like mountain ranges and picturesque beaches, which are preserved in their natural state for generations to come. Federal and state parklands surround the small communities of Bolinas, Nicasio, Stinson Beach, Inverness and Point Reyes, the Point Reyes National Sea Shore, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Mount Tamalpais State Park.
Bolinas
The Bolinas Lagoon is home to a unique bird population which is monitored and protected by the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and Audubon Canyon Ranch.
Nicasio
Nicasio is home to some 600 residents who have lived there for generations, many of them old dairy families. The George Lucas Skywalker Ranch film complex is nearby. The town has a historic Catholic church. It is also home to the popular Rancho Nicasio restaurant.
Point Reyes
Point Reyes Station began in 1875 as a whistle stop for a newly built narrow-gauge railroad. By the early 1900’s, it had become an “emporium town,” in the words of historian Jack Mason, serving ranching families at the southern end of Tomales Bay.
With the creation of the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, park visitors have joined the mix of people on the street, and Point Reyes Station has now developed its own café society.
Happily, the town has managed to evolve without losing its rural charm. Ranchland surrounds Point Reyes Station on all sides, and the Old Western Saloon on a Friday night can be as rough and rugged as it ever was.
Stinson Beach
Stinson Beach is a small tourist-friendly town on Highway 1 that has no sidewalks. Many businesses cater to the beach lifestyle. There are older homes, but the town has newer developments including Seadrift, a gated subdivision on the beach.
Beaches
Three-mile beach is one of Marin’s best. Picnic tables, snack shops and shower facilities.
Schools
The Shoreline Unified Schools District is a K-12 school district serving the West Marin communities along Bodega Bay and Tomales Bay. The district includes four elementary schools (Bodega Bay Elementary School, Inverness Elementary School, Tomales Elementary School, West Marin Elementary School,) a high school (Tomales High School,) and an independent study school (Shoreline Independent Study School), and a continuation high school (Shoreline Continuation High School).
Weather
Mild climate, protected from excessive heat because of its proximity to the Pacific. High temperatures range from 48 to 67 degrees, and lows are between 37 and 52 degrees.
