If your vision of California is ocean views, sail boats, and magnificent homes, Tiburon is exactly the kind of place you are picturing. Tiburon is a small town with a rich history. Once a small fishing village and mining town, it is now an important commuter point between Marin County and San Francisco.
History
Tiburon, “shark” in Spanish, is surrounded on three sides by the San Francisco Bay. The nearby waters do host a healthy population of native leopard sharks.
The town was once the terminus of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad and a place for miners to spend any money they made during the Gold Rush while they waited to go to San Francisco.
Tiburon Today
Today Tiburon is still a commuter destination. Fast ferries carry people into San Francisco’s financial distract and downtown area and then safely returns them to the scenic and small towns of Marin County.
Tiburon is also the closest mainland point to beautiful Angel Island. Ferries regularly carry tourists who want to visit this important historical attraction and those who just want to take in the amazing beauty of San Francisco Bay’s largest natural island.
The town has undergone an extensive revitalization of the downtown area. It still has preserved the look and feel of an old mining town, but it also boasts all the infrastructure a 21st century city should have.
Attractions
The biggest draw to this town is the spectacular views of the Bay. From just about anywhere in the city you have a magnificent view. From Tiburon you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and of course the Bay itself. On weekends the waters are filled with ferries, sailboats, and yachts, a beautiful scene in its own right. The town also boasts several historical attractions including the Railroad & Ferry Depot Museum.
Many people visit here for the shopping. The famous Ark Row is filled with high end boutiques and quirky shops housed in turn of the century buildings converted from houseboats.
Living in Tiburon
Tiburon has a population of about 9,000 people. It is part of the Reed School District, one of the highest rated school districts in the country. Every single one of the district’s schools are a California Distinguished School.
Tiburon is on its way to becoming the first city in the nation to have all of its citizens fully certified in disaster preparedness.
Tiburon has a wide variety of homes. Many homes have historical importance to the area, and help maintain the town’s historical feel. Many of the newer homes are engineering marvels, constructed above the ocean and in some cases, built into the natural environment.
The median home price as of end of 2014 was $2,700,000, but single family homes range in price from $945,000 to over $12 million. With gorgeous views at every turn, an easy commute into the City, and a friendly and vibrant community, homes are never on the market for very long in Tiburon.
A version of this article was published on Inman.Com: Exploring The City by The Bay
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