A real community center
Terra Linda Community Park brings a community center, pool, playground, basketball, and open lawn to the middle of the neighborhood, with summer swim programs and free park concerts.
Marin County
Terra Linda
North San Rafael's green, family-plan neighborhood
Terra Linda is the master-planned residential heart of north San Rafael, built around big parks, a community center with a pool, and quiet curving streets beneath Mount Tamalpais. For families it is one of Marin's most practical addresses: good schools, quick freeway access, the Marin County Civic Center next door, and the Northgate corridor for everyday errands.
Why people love it
What to know about Terra Linda
Trails into the hills
Sorich Park Trail and the Terra Linda-Sleepy Hollow Divide Northern Preserve put Marin County trails an easy walk from neighborhood streets, with more trailheads up toward Lucas Valley.
The Civic Center next door
Frank Lloyd Wright's Marin County Civic Center is the landmark at Terra Linda's edge, and the county fairgrounds beside it host the annual Marin County Fair.
Everyday convenience
The Las Gallinas and Northgate corridors hold the grocery, pharmacy, and dining stops most families need, with US-101 and the 580/Tamalpais interchange minutes away.
Local favorites
Where the locals actually go
My favorite way to test a neighborhood is still over coffee and dinner. These are real places in and around Terra Linda that my clients and I keep going back to.
Lo Coco's Authentic Italian Pizzeria
A tiny, beloved slice-and-pie spot on Del Ganado Road with a fiercely loyal Terra Linda following.
631 Del Ganado Rd, San Rafael, CA 94903
Roadside BBQ
Sit-down barbecue at the Northgate shopping area, a reliable Friday-night stop for families.
5000 Northgate Dr #135, San Rafael, CA 94903
Parks & outdoor spaces
Where Terra Linda gets outside
Terra Linda was planned around its parks: a community-center park with a pool, playground parks scattered through the tracts, and Marin County trails into the nearby hills.
Terra Linda Community Park & Pool
The neighborhood hub: a 2.9-acre park with a community center, playground, basketball court, and lawn, with the Terra Linda Pool and community center right next door.
670 Del Ganado Rd, San Rafael, CA 94903
Maria B. Freitas Park
Known for its water-play area and play structure, one of Marin's favorite playground parks for young families.
Montecillo Rd at Trellis Dr, San Rafael, CA 94903
Sorich Park Trail
A Marin County Parks trail on the neighborhood's west side, a favorite walk or ride into the Terra Linda hills.
Off the Terra Linda-Sleepy Hollow Divide, San Rafael, CA 94903
Schools
Schools serving Terra Linda
Terra Linda schools are split by boundary: most of the neighborhood feeds Miller Creek Elementary School District for K-8, then Terra Linda High in the San Rafael City High School District, while southern edges can fall into San Rafael City Schools territory. Address determines assignment, so Peter confirms the boundary for the exact home.
Elementary
Vallecito Elementary School
A Miller Creek School District elementary serving the Terra Linda core, near the community center.
San Rafael, CA 94903
Elementary
Lucas Valley Elementary School
A Miller Creek district elementary on the neighborhood's north side, feeding toward Miller Creek Middle.
San Rafael, CA 94903
Middle School (6-8)
Miller Creek Middle School
The Miller Creek district's K-8 capstone, on Las Gallinas near the Terra Linda-Marinwood border.
San Rafael, CA 94903
High School (9-12)
Terra Linda High School
The public high school for most of north San Rafael, in the San Rafael City High School District, founded in 1960.
320 Nova Albion Way, San Rafael, CA 94903
Restaurants & dining
Eating around Terra Linda
Dining in Terra Linda clusters around the Northgate and Las Gallinas corridors, from long-running Italian favorites to quick taco and Thai stops. A few standouts:
Ping's Chinese Cuisine
A dependable sit-down Chinese restaurant at Northgate One, a neighborhood institution for family dinners.
248 Northgate Dr, San Rafael, CA 94903
Ristorante La Toscana
Long-running Italian restaurant on the Redwood Highway frontage road, a go-to for special occasions.
3751 Redwood Hwy, San Rafael, CA 94903
Sonoma Taco Shop
A fast, friendly taco shop at Northgate One for burritos and carne asada on the run.
210 Northgate One, San Rafael, CA 94903
Calgang Thai Eatery
Casual Thai food at Northgate One, a favorite for quick takeout nights.
194 Northgate Dr, San Rafael, CA 94903
Black Bear Diner
Big-portioned breakfast and diner classics on Las Gallinas, a family standby on weekend mornings.
490 Las Gallinas Ave, San Rafael, CA 94903
Shopping & amenities
Everyday errands, close to home
Everyday shopping is a five-minute drive from most of the neighborhood: bigger grocery runs land at Safeway on Las Gallinas, with independent neighborhood markets like Marinwood for the quick stop.
Safeway
The full-service grocery anchor of Terra Linda on Las Gallinas Avenue, with pharmacy and the usual weekly staples.
950 Las Gallinas Ave, San Rafael, CA 94903
Marinwood Market
An independent neighborhood market with a good deli, a few minutes north of Terra Linda, beloved by locals.
155 Marinwood Ave, San Rafael, CA 94903
Community & events
The rhythm of Terra Linda
Terra Linda's calendar runs through the Terra Linda Neighborhood Association and the community center park: National Night Out each August, free summer concerts in the park, and the Marin County Fair at the Civic Center next door.
National Night Out
Terra Linda's early-August block-party tradition, hosted by the neighborhood association on the lawn of the community center and pool.
Terra Linda Community Center & Pool, San Rafael, CA 94903
Summer Fun in the Park
Free summer evenings of live music and family activities at Terra Linda Park through the warm months.
670 Del Ganado Rd, San Rafael, CA 94903
Home types
What sells around here
Typical range across my markets: $400,000-$4,000,000. From condos to country acreage.
Mid-century single-family homes Plan-built tract neighborhoods Condos and townhomes Hillside homes with valley views
Keep exploring
Other areas I cover
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Healdsburg
Thinking about moving to Terra Linda? Good choice.
I have lived this area my whole life and sold homes here for 21 years. Let's find yours.