Marin County

Living in Novato

Marin's northernmost city, wrapped in golden hills and open space

Novato is Marin County's northernmost city, a community of roughly 53,000 people set in oak-covered hills about 30 miles north of San Francisco. This guide covers what everyday life here is actually like: the neighborhoods, schools, parks and trails, farmers markets, dining, and the traditions that fill the calendar year. I grew up in Novato and lived here for 46 years before moving to Petaluma, so this is the advice I give buyers weighing their first offer.

Ask about Novato (415) 328-2637

Golden rolling hills and oak trees around Novato, Marin County

Local notes

What's new in Novato

A running update of what is happening around town, refreshed as news breaks. Everything below was current as of late October 2026, and every item links to its source so you can verify the details yourself.

Market pulse: Novato's latest quarter

$1,204,375

Single-family median sale price in Q3 2026, essentially flat year over year

$649

Median price per square foot, up about 9% from a year ago

25 days

Median time on market, about six days faster than a year ago

~1.9 months

Of supply, with roughly 70 active listings across the city

Source: BAREIS MLS third-quarter 2026 data via Imagine Marin. Sub-markets vary: Hamilton and Bel Marin Keys (94949) sell fastest at about 14 days on market, while 94945 holds the most inventory.

Full market report

Opened 2026

Fox Pizza opens in Ignacio

Sourdough pizza and wine from Anna and Jeff Fox opened in mid-2026 at 528 Alameda del Prado, in the former Dragon Cafe space, giving south Novato a new neighborhood spot for pizza nights.

Source: Imagine Marin

Opened 2026

Greystone Lounge brings live music

A live-music bar opened this summer on Redwood Boulevard in the former Viking Cocktail Lounge space, the project of San Francisco bartender Ryan Blanchard and a new night-out option for the city.

Source: Imagine Marin

Opening soon

Paris Baguette takes shape on Rowland Way

The bakery-café chain is building out the former Moylan's brewery space at 15 Rowland Way, with construction underway since summer 2026.

Source: Imagine Marin

City hall

A balanced budget and a ten-year economic plan

At the February 2026 State of the City, City Manager Amy Cunningham reported Novato's first balanced budget in more than five years, a fully staffed police department, and a new playground at Josef Hoog Community Park. In September, the City Council adopted Novato's first Economic Development Strategic Plan, a ten-year roadmap; the city now counts more jobs than housing units, with about 2,800 housing units planned or underway.

Source: City of Novato

Public works

Novato Boulevard improvements get underway

A roughly $17.3 million roadway improvement project was bid in July 2026 and awarded to Team Ghilotti, Inc. in September, with construction starting this fall in coordination with the North Marin Water District and Novato Sanitary District.

Source: City of Novato

Good to know

Local Kitchens closed in 2025

The Local Kitchens food hall at 880 De Long Avenue closed permanently in September 2025, so it no longer appears among the dining picks on this page. Old Town still has plenty of options a short stroll away.

Source: Marin IJ

City overview

Novato at a glance

Novato balances quintessential Marin living with a slower, friendlier pace: golden hills, grazing cattle on Mount Burdell, the restored Hamilton Wetlands, and a downtown that fills with neighbors for Tuesday farmers markets. Here are the facts that matter first.

Location

Marin County's northernmost city, about 30 miles north of San Francisco on US-101.

Population

Roughly 53,000 residents (53,225 at the 2020 Census).

Incorporated

January 20, 1960, though the town itself is much older.

SMART rail

Three stations: Novato Downtown, Novato San Marin, and Novato Hamilton.

The commute

Downtown San Francisco runs roughly 30 to 45 minutes south depending on traffic; US-101 and CA-37 anchor the drive.

Town life

Old Town's Grant Avenue is the walkable center for shops, dining, and community events.

Neighborhoods

Five Novatos in one city

Each part of Novato has its own character, from the walkable historic core to semi-rural acreage. Match the area to how you actually live, not just the listing photos.

Families who want space and nature

San Marin

Northwest Novato's family neighborhood, set at the foot of Mount Burdell about two miles west of Highway 101. Expect quiet streets, larger hillside lots, and a genuinely outdoorsy feel, with trails and Miwok Park close by and San Marin High School at the heart of the area.

Commuter-friendly south Novato

Ignacio

South Novato's residential and commercial district along Ignacio Boulevard, just west of the freeway. It pairs mid-century and hillside homes with the Marin Country Club community, open-space trailheads into Indian Valley, and a practical daily corridor of shops and services.

Read the Ignacio guide

Walkers and first-time buyers

Downtown (Old Town)

The walkable historic heart on Grant Avenue: locally owned shops, restaurants, and cafés, the Novato History Museum in its 1850 Postmaster's House, and the Tuesday evening farmers market a short stroll from home.

Acreage and semi-rural calm

Indian Valley

A semi-rural pocket in the foothills rising toward Big Rock Ridge, centered on the College of Marin campus and the 558-acre Indian Valley Open Space Preserve. Homes sit on larger lots, some with room for horses, yet the 101 is only minutes away.

Newer homes, rail, wetlands

Hamilton

The master-planned community built on the former Hamilton Air Force Base in south Novato: Spanish-style homes, repurposed historic hangars, the Hamilton Marketplace, and the restored Hamilton Wetlands along San Pablo Bay at its eastern edge, with its own SMART station and the San Francisco Bay Trail close by.

Schools

Novato Unified School District

Novato's public schools are all part of the Novato Unified School District, a dozen-plus TK-12 campuses that include a signature Spanish-English dual language immersion pathway. Boundaries depend on your exact address, so I always confirm the school for the specific home you are considering.

Elementary & Middle (TK-8)

Hamilton TK-8 School

The campus serving the master-planned Hamilton neighborhood in south Novato, including the middle grades.

novato.org

Elementary

Lynwood Elementary School

Home of the district's Spanish-English dual language immersion pathway, a strong draw for families who want bilingual schooling.

novato.org

Elementary

Loma Verde Elementary School

A neighborhood elementary in the western hills of Novato with a long-standing local reputation.

novato.org

Middle School (6-8)

San Jose Middle School

One of the district's two middle schools, where the dual language immersion pathway continues in grades 6-8.

novato.org

High School (9-12)

Novato High School

The comprehensive high school for the southern and central part of the city, minutes from downtown.

novato.org

High School (9-12)

San Marin High School

The district's second comprehensive high school, at the western end of town near the county roads.

novato.org

Parks & outdoor recreation

A town built around weekends outside

Novato is ringed by more than 3,600 acres of open space and home to 27 named parks. These are the places that define getting outside here.

Marin County's largest open-space preserve

Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve

1,627 acres rising to a 1,558-foot summit above town. Hikers, runners, cyclists, and equestrians share the fire roads and singletrack, spring brings wildflower meadows, and the panoramic top looks out over San Pablo Bay, Mount Tamalpais, and Big Rock Ridge.

Official park page

A hike through thousands of years of story

Olompali State Historic Park

A 700-acre state park just north of town with one of the largest known Coast Miwok villages, a Mexican-era rancho and the 1860s Burdell mansion, and the two-and-a-half-mile Olompali Loop Trail through oak woodland with views across the Petaluma Valley.

Official park page

Indian Valley Open Space Preserve

558 acres behind the College of Marin campus, with the flat Indian Valley Fire Road and the seasonal Waterfall Trail, about a mile and a quarter, that runs after winter rain.

Stafford Lake Park

A 139-acre county park just west of town: an 18-hole disc golf course, a mountain bike park, an adventure playground, picnic areas, and shore fishing for bass, catfish, and bluegill.

Rush Creek Open Space Preserve

More than 500 acres of grassland and wetlands at the northeast edge of town, some of the region's best birding with bay-delta views.

Hamilton Wetlands

Restored tidal marsh along San Pablo Bay, with a San Francisco Bay Trail segment running along the levee; a favorite for walking and birding.

Miwok Park & the Museum of the American Indian

A central park with lawns, playgrounds, and bocce courts, and the Museum of the American Indian on a site with roughly 8,000 years of Coast Miwok history.

Pioneer Park

Novato's favorite family park: two play structures, four lighted tennis courts, basketball, picnic areas, and a band shell for summer gatherings.

Dining & shopping

Eating around Novato

Old Town's Grant, Reichert, and Front streets hold most of Novato's best-known restaurants, with more favorites along Redwood Boulevard. Start with the local institution everyone points you to.

The first place I send new neighbors Las Guitarras Restaurant Family-run since 1978 on Reichert Avenue, this Old Town institution serves generous plates of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and seafood with the warm, no-fuss hospitality of a place that has been at it for decades. It is my longtime pick for Mexican food in Novato. 1017 Reichert Ave, Novato Visit

Mi Pueblo Taqueria

A reliable Grant Avenue taqueria for burritos, tacos, and lunch-counter Mexican food.

905 Grant Ave

Grazie

An Italian restaurant on Grant Avenue in the heart of Old Town, a go-to for pasta and pizza nights.

823 Grant Ave

Matsuyama Restaurant

A long-running Japanese restaurant on Front Street with sushi and a loyal local following.

939 Front St

Blazers Smokehouse & Beer Garden

Barbecue and a beer garden on Redwood Boulevard, a casual favorite for smoked meats and game-day groups.

7380 Redwood Blvd

Bacon

Modern American cooking near Vintage Oaks, great for a family dinner out.

1500 Grant Ave Ste 140

Everyday errands, close to home

Daily shopping centers on Vintage Oaks, the city's largest retail center, plus a strong grocery lineup spread across town.

Vintage Oaks Shopping Center

The city's main retail center, anchored by Target with shops, dining, and services just off the 101.

2200 Vintage Way

Nugget Market

An independent, produce-strong grocery in the Ignacio area on the south end of town.

470 Ignacio Blvd

Harvest Market

A friendly neighborhood grocery on San Marin Drive with organics, prepared food, and a solid bakery.

155 San Marin Dr

Whole Foods Market

A full-service grocery on De Long Avenue in the Hamilton corridor.

790 De Long Ave

Trader Joe's

A compact, much-loved grocery stop on Redwood Boulevard.

7514 Redwood Blvd

Grocery Outlet

Discount grocery with rotating deals on South Novato Boulevard.

1535 S Novato Blvd

Farmers markets

Tuesdays are Novato's market day

Both of Novato's weekly certified farmers markets fall on Tuesdays, one downtown and one among the historic Hamilton hangars. Seasonal dates shift a little each year, so check the official pages before you plan around them. The 2026 downtown season has just wrapped, having run May 5 through October 27; it returns in May 2027.

Tuesdays, May through October

Downtown Novato Community Farmers' Market

On Sherman Avenue in Old Town, with local produce, prepared food, artisans, and live music. It runs 4-8 p.m. through the summer, then 4-7 p.m. in October.

Sherman Ave, Old Town

Tuesdays, June through November

Hamilton Landing Farmers' Market

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. between the historic hangars at Hamilton Landing, with produce and food vendors in one of the most atmospheric market settings you will find.

Hamilton Landing, Novato

Community events & traditions

The rhythm of Novato

Novato runs on an old-fashioned hometown calendar. These are the dates locals protect and the traditions that make the town feel like a small town.

July 4

Novato Fourth of July Parade

The city's beloved hometown holiday tradition along Grant Avenue, with floats, marching bands, and community groups.

June

Novato Art, Wine & Music Festival

A free summer festival weekend on Grant Avenue with more than 100 artisan vendors, wine tasting, gourmet food, and live music on two stages.

October

Nostalgia Days Cruise & Car Show

A classic-car celebration that closes several blocks of downtown for a cruise and free car show with live music.

December 5, 2026

Novato Holiday Tree Lighting Festival

Old Town's holiday centerpiece on Grant and Sherman Avenues: tree lighting at dusk, live performances, artisan vendors, kids' crafts, and Santa arriving by fire ladder truck. It returns every year on the first Saturday of December, 4-7:30 p.m.

Sat, Oct 31

Safe Trick or Treat

Downtown Novato businesses pass out candy from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Halloween, a free, safe treat circuit for little ones along Grant Avenue.

Fri, Dec 4

Novato Holiday Crafts Faire

An evening of holiday crafts and local vendors from 6-9 p.m. that kicks off December's festival weekend in downtown Novato.

May through October

Tuesday nights in Old Town

The weekly farmers market turns Sherman Avenue into the town's block party, with dinner, shopping, and live music into the evening.

Practical local info

How Novato actually works

Getting around and commuting

US-101 runs the spine of the city, and CA-37 links east toward Vallejo and the Napa side. SMART trains stop at Novato Downtown, Novato San Marin, and Novato Hamilton, connecting south to San Rafael and the Larkspur ferry and north into Sonoma County. With light traffic, downtown San Francisco is roughly 30 to 45 minutes south; during peak hours, plan for more.

Daily life

Public schools are in the Novato Unified School District, and grocery anchors are spread across town from Vintage Oaks to San Marin Drive and Ignacio Boulevard. Old Town is the walkable center for errands, dining, and events, and the open-space trailheads are never far from any address in the city.

What surprises newcomers

For a town this green, Novato is practical: most of daily life sits along a few corridors, and the freeway, rail, and county lines make Marin, Sonoma, and the bay easy to reach. Some neighborhoods, especially Hamilton, carry HOA dues and community facilities district charges, so those costs belong in the monthly math before you make an offer.

Schools by address

School boundaries in Novato do not follow neighborhood names, and some streets sit on the line between campuses. When we look at a specific home, I pull the current boundary for that exact address so there are no surprises about which elementary, middle, or high school your children would attend.

Keep exploring

Deeper into Novato

Novato

The neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to Peter's hometown

Ignacio

Golf-course neighborhoods and Indian Valley trailheads

Bel Marin Keys

A rare lagoon community on Novato's bay edge

Compare: Living in Petaluma All neighborhood guides

Thinking about making Novato home? Good choice.

I lived in Novato for 46 years and still sell homes across the city. Tell me what your life actually needs, and I will point you at the right neighborhood, the right school boundary, and the homes worth your Saturday.

Start the conversation (415) 328-2637