Mill Valley

Marin County is unique in its diversity. Long associated with hot tubs and liberal politics, it is now the home to young professionals as well as to aging hippies. Geographically, the county is a large peninsula with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Bay to the east and San Francisco to the south. A string of communities run along the San Francisco Bay from Sausalito, Belvedere and Tiburon to Corte Madera and Larkspur up to San Rafael. While Forbes has named Marin one of the most expensive counties in the United States, there are numerous single-family homes that can be purchased for the price of a small condo in San Francisco.